NTSB Recovers Devices And Interviews Witnesses In Missouri Skydiving Plane Crash
NTSB investigators have begun recovering victims' electronic devices and interviewing witnesses after a skydiving plane crashed after takeoff near Butler Memorial Airport on June 14, 2026, killing all 12 people aboard.[1]
The single-engine Pacific Aerospace 750XL operated by Skydive Kansas City crashed about 11:30 a.m. Central, killing 11 skydivers and the pilot.[2] Officials and witnesses said the aircraft climbed to roughly 100 feet, made an abrupt left turn and appeared to lose power.[2] Investigators say the wreckage is largely confined to a compact area near the runway and are reviewing maintenance records, pilot training and FAA oversight as they examine the cause.[1]
Skydive Kansas City called the crash "a devastating loss," confirmed the flight supported its skydiving operations and said it will not release victims' names until next of kin are notified.[3] Acting airport manager Dennis Jacobs and Missouri Highway Patrol officials said the plane had just taken off from Butler Memorial Airport, roughly 65 miles south of Kansas City, and that some family members were at the airport when the plane went down.[4]
Early reports and the operator emphasized that many passengers were preparing for tandem or first-time jumps.[3] Later reporting identified several victims as highly experienced jumpers, including United States Parachute Association technology director Jen Sharp.[5]
The FAA has recently established a committee to recommend ways to increase skydiving safety and officials said investigators will consider prior NTSB recommendations as they probe maintenance and oversight.[5] The crash is the deadliest in Butler Memorial Airport history and the deadliest plane crash in Missouri since 2004.
The mainstream summary does not mention that this crash is the deadliest in Butler Memorial Airport's history and the most severe plane crash in Missouri since 2004, underscoring its significance in the context of aviation safety. Additionally, while the summary notes that investigators are reviewing maintenance records and pilot training, it overlooks the fact that there have been prior safety recommendations from the NTSB that remain unaddressed, raising questions about the adequacy of FAA oversight in the skydiving industry. Reports indicate that six safety recommendations from 2021 have not been acted upon, which could have potentially prevented this tragedy. Furthermore, the mainstream account downplays the experience level of the victims, initially framing many as first-time jumpers, while later reports reveal that several were highly experienced skydivers, including a prominent figure in the parachuting community, Jen Sharp. This discrepancy highlights the need for a more nuanced understanding of the individuals involved and the circumstances leading to the crash.
Moreover, the summary does not address the recent incident in May 2024, where a similar skydiving flight experienced a crash but resulted in no fatalities, indicating a pattern of safety issues that may be relevant to the current investigation. The NTSB's previous findings on safety deficiencies in parachute operations suggest systemic issues that could be contributing factors in this latest incident, which the mainstream coverage fails to explore in depth.[6][6]
Show source details & analysis (10 sources)
📊 Relevant Data
This crash was the deadliest in the history of Butler Memorial Airport and the deadliest plane crash in Missouri since 2004.
Missouri plane crash kills 12 people in one of the deadliest ... — CNN
In May 2024, a pilot and six passengers on a skydiving flight near Butler Memorial Airport jumped from a small plane right before it crashed, with no fatalities.
Missouri plane crash kills 12 people in one of the deadliest ... — CNN
📌 Key Facts
- On Sunday, June 14, 2026, at about 11:30 a.m. Central, a Pacific Aerospace 750XL operated by Skydive Kansas City crashed shortly after takeoff from Butler Memorial Airport near Butler, Missouri (about 65 miles south of Kansas City), killing all 12 people on board (11 skydivers and the pilot) (Pacific Aerospace 750XL).
- Witnesses and on‑scene officials, including acting airport manager Dennis Jacobs and Missouri Highway Patrol Sgt. Justin Ewing, said the aircraft climbed to roughly 100 feet, made an abrupt left turn, appeared to lose power, attempted to reach a nearby highway, stalled nose‑first and caught fire; first responders quickly extinguished the blaze and found no evidence anyone had jumped (Dennis Jacobs).
- NTSB investigators have begun interviewing witnesses, collecting surveillance video from nearby businesses and properties, and are seeking victims' electronic devices (cellphones and cameras) to help reconstruct events before the crash (NTSB investigators).
- Skydive Kansas City issued a statement calling the crash “a devastating loss,” confirmed the flight was operating in support of its skydiving operations, said many passengers were preparing for tandem or first‑time jumps, and said it will not release victims' names until next of kin are notified (Skydive Kansas City).
- Officials described the wreckage as largely confined to a compact area near the end of the runway—consistent with a loss of power and stall shortly after departure—and investigators are reviewing maintenance records, pilot training documentation and FAA oversight as part of the inquiry (maintenance records).
- Some of the people killed were highly experienced jumpers, including United States Parachute Association technology director Jen Sharp, and the United States Parachute Association said Skydive Kansas City follows its safety standards while noting recent statistics on skydiving fatalities and causes (United States Parachute Association).
- The FAA has recently established a committee to recommend ways to increase skydiving safety and will consider prior NTSB recommendations that have not yet been implemented (FAA).
📰 Source Timeline (10)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Article confirms that several of the 11 skydiver victims were highly experienced jumpers, including United States Parachute Association technology director Jen Sharp, who had made about 6,800 jumps since 1989.
- Bates County Sheriff Chad Anderson said some family members of those killed were at Butler Memorial Airport on Sunday, June 14, 2026, to watch the jump and witnessed the crash.
- Witness accounts reported the Pacific Aerospace 750XL reached roughly 100 feet above the ground, then made an abrupt left turn, appeared to lose power, and likely attempted to reach a nearby highway before stalling and going down nose-first.
- Acting airport manager Dennis Jacobs said the aircraft had completed nine successful flights in the days before the crash, including two flights on the morning of Sunday, June 14, 2026, according to FlightAware tracking data.
- The FAA stated it recently established a committee to recommend ways to increase skydiving safety and will consider prior NTSB recommendations that have not yet been implemented.
- The United States Parachute Association said Skydive Kansas City adheres to its safety standards and all FAA maintenance requirements, and cited 3.5 million jumps and 16 civilian skydiving deaths in the U.S. last year, mostly from human error.
- On Monday, June 15, 2026, NTSB investigators said they are seeking the victims' electronic devices, including cellphones and cameras, to help reconstruct events before the June 14 crash near Butler Memorial Airport.
- Investigators reported that many of the 11 passengers on the Pacific Aerospace 750XL were experienced skydivers and often filmed or photographed their jumps, which NTSB hopes will provide time-stamped visual evidence.
- The NTSB said it has begun interviewing witnesses and collecting surveillance video from nearby businesses and properties to analyze the aircraft's flight path and behavior after takeoff.
- Officials reiterated that the wreckage remains largely confined to a compact area near the end of the runway, which they say is consistent with a loss of power and stall shortly after departure.
- The article notes that the plane's operator had recently expanded its operations and that investigators are reviewing maintenance records and pilot training documentation as part of the inquiry.
- A witness, Bailey Reed, said the plane was "completely perpendicular with the wings to the sky" and hit the ground at speed, shattering on impact and igniting surrounding ground and trees.
- Reed said the aircraft was so low and descending so fast that the skydivers "didn't have time to jump" and parachutes could not have deployed in time to save anyone.
- Former NTSB chair Robert Sumwalt said the investigation will focus on the mechanical condition of the airplane and engine, the pilot's training, and Federal Aviation Administration oversight of the parachute operation.
- The article confirms that Butler Memorial Airport did not have a control tower in communication with the pilot at the time of the June 14, 2026 crash.
- Operator Skydive Kansas City issued a public statement calling the crash "a devastating loss" and saying its focus is assisting investigators and supporting staff and the skydiving community.
- Skydive Kansas City issued a statement on Sunday, June 15, 2026, confirming the aircraft was operating in support of its skydiving operations and calling the deaths a "devastating loss" for the company and the wider skydiving community.
- The company said all 12 people aboard were killed, reiterated that 11 were skydivers and one was the pilot, and said many passengers were preparing for tandem jumps and believed to be first-time, inexperienced jumpers.
- Skydive Kansas City stated it will not release victims' names until all next of kin are notified, and said its entire team is in shock.
- Bates County authorities reiterated that investigators currently see no indication of criminal activity and believe the June 14, 2026 crash was accidental.
- Local officials reported that some family members of victims were present at Butler Memorial Airport and witnessed the crash.
- Acting airport manager and county emergency management director Dennis Jacobs told AP he believes the plane appeared to lose power after takeoff, with the pilot turning toward a nearby highway before stalling and going down nose-first.
- CBS video segment confirms that 11 skydivers and the pilot died Sunday, June 14, 2026, when their plane crashed just after takeoff near Butler, Missouri.
- The crash site is described as roughly 65 miles south of Kansas City, reinforcing the geographic framing used in prior coverage.
- Article confirms that all 12 people on board (11 passengers and the pilot) were planning to skydive when the plane crashed near Butler Memorial Airport around 11:30 a.m. Central on Sunday, June 14, 2026.
- Missouri Highway Patrol Sgt. Justin Ewing said the plane was taking people up to skydive and that the aircraft landed in a field adjacent to the airport and was engulfed in flames.
- Acting airport manager and Bates County emergency management director Dennis Jacobs identified the operator as Skydive Kansas City and said the plane had just taken off, made a left turn, appeared to be losing power, and then stalled while trying to reach a highway before going down nose-first and catching fire.
- Jacobs said emergency responders quickly extinguished the fire and described the crash scene as "brutal."
- First responders searched under the flight path and found no evidence that anyone attempted to jump before the crash.
- The aircraft is identified as a Pacific Aerospace 750XL single-engine turboprop that FAA records show was manufactured in 2010.
- Aviation safety expert Jeff Guzzetti said skydiving operators are governed by less stringent FAA rules than airlines and that poor maintenance has been a factor in a number of previous skydiving-plane crashes.
- The Missouri State Highway Patrol said NTSB and FAA teams were en route Sunday afternoon to investigate the crash and examine the wreckage.
- Article confirms from on-scene officials that the plane was operated by Skydive Kansas City and had just taken off from Butler Memorial Airport before crashing after a left turn.
- Missouri Highway Patrol Sgt. Justin Ewing said the crash call came in around 11:30 a.m. Central on Sunday, June 14, 2026, and that the aircraft landed in a field adjacent to the airport and was engulfed in flames.
- Acting airport manager and Bates County Emergency Management Agency director Dennis Jacobs said the pilot appeared to be losing power, tried to reach the highway, stalled, then went down nose first and caught fire.
- Jacobs said first responders quickly extinguished the fire and described the crash scene as "brutal"; he added that teams checked under the flight path and found no evidence anyone attempted to jump before the crash.
- The aircraft is identified as a Pacific Aerospace 750XL single‑engine turboprop commonly used for skydiving and other missions, and FAA records show the specific plane was manufactured in 2010.
- The Missouri State Highway Patrol said National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration teams were en route to the site Sunday afternoon to begin the crash investigation.
- Context from aviation safety expert Jeff Guzzetti notes that skydiving operators are governed under less stringent FAA rules than charter operators and airlines, and that poor maintenance has been a factor in prior skydiving crashes.
- Article confirms the June 14, 2026 crash involved a skydiving operation based at or using Butler Memorial Airport in Butler, Missouri, about 65 miles south of Kansas City.
- The New York Times account reiterates that 12 people were aboard the aircraft and that all 12 were killed, matching earlier casualty figures.
- The report aligns the timeline of the crash as occurring on Sunday, June 14, 2026, and emphasizes that federal investigators are expected to examine the wreckage and flight operations.
- Fox News, citing sources, reports the 12 victims included 11 skydivers and the pilot.
- The Missouri State Highway Patrol confirmed on X that the crash occurred near Butler Memorial Airport, about 65 miles south of Kansas City, Missouri.
- The article reiterates that troopers, Butler Police Department officers and Bates County Sheriff's deputies responded and are assisting with the crash investigation on Sunday, June 14, 2026.