Some of the skydivers killed in Missouri plane crash were experienced jumpers
BUTLER, Mo. (AP) — A few Paratroopers were killed A friend told me that they had jumped before when their plane crashed minutes after taking off from an airport in Missouri, and that they belonged to a community with a unique bond.
Authorities said the plane carrying a pilot and 11 passengers crashed into a field on Sunday and burst into flames, killing everyone on board.
Bates County Sheriff Chad Anderson said some family members of those killed were at the airport to watch the jump and witnessed the crash.
Kevin Payne, who jumped with seven other skydivers on the plane, said they were different in almost every way except that they all came together as a “sky family.”
“There is joy, peace and freedom in what we do. That’s what most people never understand,” Payne, of Parkville, Missouri, wrote in an email. “It’s not about adrenaline. It’s about actually flying with your family in that brief, glorious moment that people who live their lives on the ground will never understand.”
While the exact cause of the crash may not become clear for a year or more until the National Transportation Safety Board issues its final report, weather does not appear to be a factor.
Parachuting plane crashed shortly after takeoff
Witnesses say the plane was about 30 meters above the ground when it made a sudden left turn before crashing.
Dennis Jacobs, Butler Memorial Airport’s acting airport manager, said the plane appeared to be losing power and the pilot may have been trying to reach the highway to land when the plane stopped and went nose first down.
He said the private plane was operated by Skydive Kansas City. The crash site in the small town of Butler is about 65 miles (105 kilometers) south of Kansas City.
The plane made multiple flights over the weekend
The Pacific Aerospace 750XL, a single-engine turboprop aircraft, is a popular model in skydiving because it is designed for the sport and can quickly take skydivers to high jumps while using short runways.
The plane, built in 2010, had made nine successful flights in the days before the crash, including two on Sunday morning, according to digital flight tracking company FlightAware.
Red flags raised regarding skydiving inspection
Federal investigators have expressed concern about poor oversight of skydiving operators in past crash investigations, citing the need for stronger aircraft inspections. The Federal Aviation Administration’s regulatory system is not strong enough to ensure the safety of skydiving flights, the NTSB said, following a crash in Hawaii that killed 11 people.
The United States Parachute Association, the sport’s governing body, said in a statement after Sunday’s crash that “a loss of this magnitude is deeply felt throughout the sport.”
The group said Skydive Kansas City complies with safety standards set by the world’s largest skydiving organization, including all maintenance requirements set by the FAA.
The skydiving industry says it has a strong safety record. The association said nearly 3.5 million jumps were completed last year and 16 civilians died, mostly due to human error.
___
Bussewitz reported from New York. Associated Press reporters Rebecca Boone in Boise, Idaho; Josh Funk in Omaha, Nebraska; and Hannah Fingerhut from Des Moines, Iowa, contributed.
