12 Killed in Missouri Skydiving Plane Crash

A skydiving plane carrying 12 people crashed in Missouri on Sunday, killing everyone on board, authorities have confirmed.

The aircraft, which was taking passengers for a planned afternoon skydive, went down near Butler Memorial Airport at approximately 11:30 a.m. and burst into flames.

Troopers with the Missouri State Highway Patrol rushed to the crash site and are assisting the Butler Police Department and Bates County Sheriff’s Office.

Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Justin Ewing described the scene as "brutal" and said responders managed to extinguish the blaze shortly after the crash.

The wreck occurred in a field adjacent to the airport in Butler, a small town of around 4,300 residents located approximately 65 miles (105km) south of Kansas City. Sgt. Ewing also noted that a nearby roadway was being shut down as a precaution.

Teams from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) were dispatched to the crash site on Sunday afternoon to launch an investigation.

Dennis Jacobs, the acting airport manager and Bates County Emergency Management Agency director, identified the private plane as being operated by Skydive Kansas City.

He said the aircraft "had just taken off and made a left turn" before the crash.

"In my opinion I think it was losing power, and he was trying to make it over to the highway and land, and he stalled and went down nose first and caught fire,” Jacobs said.

The aircraft that went down was a Pacific Aerospace 750XL, a single-engine turboprop model popular for skydiving.

While it can carry up to 17 skydivers and operate from short runways, this type of plane is also used for other purposes, including cargo, aerial surveying, and medical evacuation flights. FAA records show the specific plane involved was manufactured in 2010.

Butler Memorial Airport typically serves around 30 privately owned aircraft, including those used by crop-dusting companies and skydiving operators.

Skydive Kansas City declined to comment when contacted by The Associated Press.