A tragic skydiving expedition ended in disaster on Sunday after a plane carrying 11 parachutists and a pilot crashed and burst into flames moments after taking off from an airport in the U.S. state of Missouri.
The aircraft went down shortly after departing Butler Memorial Airport at about 11:20 a.m. local time, killing everyone on board, according to local authorities.
Officials said the single-engine turboprop aircraft failed to gain enough altitude after takeoff before making a sudden left turn and crashing into a field about 300 yards from the runway.
Dennis Jacobs, acting airport manager and Bates County Emergency Management Director, told CNN that the aircraft had barely left the ground when the crash occurred, meaning it had not climbed high enough to establish communication with air traffic control.
Emergency crews rushed to the scene after receiving reports of a plane engulfed in flames. Search teams, supported by drones, combed the area in hopes of finding survivors, but authorities later confirmed that all 12 occupants had died.
Jacobs said none of the skydivers managed to jump from the aircraft before it slammed into the ground.
The aircraft, operated by Skydive Kansas City, was transporting passengers for a scheduled skydiving operation when the tragedy happened.
Missouri Highway Patrol Sergeant, Justin Ewing, said the plane crashed in a field next to the airport, prompting temporary road closures as emergency responders secured the area and began investigations.
“The victims have not yet been publicly identified because family notifications are still ongoing,” Ewing said.
He added that the Missouri State Highway Patrol was assisting local authorities in providing support to relatives who gathered at the crash site.
Federal authorities have launched an investigation into the accident. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will lead the probe, while the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is also collecting information about the crash.
Describing the incident, Jacobs simply said, “It’s horrible.”
The Butler Police Department and the Bates County Sheriff’s Office were among the emergency agencies that responded.
The crashed aircraft was identified as a Pacific Aerospace 750XL, a model commonly used for skydiving operations because of its ability to carry multiple jumpers and operate from shorter runways. FAA records show the aircraft was manufactured in 2010.
The Pacific Aerospace 750XL can accommodate up to 17 skydivers and is also used for cargo transport, aerial surveys and medical evacuation missions.
The accident has renewed concerns about safety in the skydiving aviation industry. According to data from the U.S. Parachute Association, there have been eight fatal aircraft accidents involving skydiving operations over the past decade, resulting in 25 deaths.
The crash occurred in Butler, a town located about 65 miles south of Kansas City in the U.S. state of Missouri.
