Overview
- The small private plane crashed in a field next to Butler Memorial Airport after turning shortly after takeoff and striking nose-first, and all 12 people aboard were killed.
- Local authorities and the acting airport manager said the flight was operated by Skydive Kansas City and that the passengers were intending to jump as skydivers.
- First responders reported the aircraft caught fire after impact, extinguished the blaze, and described the crash scene as severe and gruesome.
- Federal investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration have been dispatched to document the scene and begin a formal probe; no definitive cause has been determined.
- Roads near the crash were closed as a precaution and investigators will examine engine performance, pilot actions, and maintenance records to establish what led to the reported loss of power.