BUTLER, MISSOURI — A private plane operated by Skydive Kansas City crashed into a field shortly after takeoff from Butler Memorial Airport on Sunday, June 14, 2026. All 12 individuals on board, including the pilot and 11 passengers, were killed in the crash.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) launched an investigation into the incident. The aircraft, a 2010 Pacific Aerospace 750XL single-engine turboprop plane, was approximately 100 feet from the ground when it executed an abrupt left turn, according to witnesses. Acting airport manager Dennis Jacobs said, "It appeared to be losing power, and the pilot may have been trying to reach a highway to land when the plane stalled and went down nose first."

Butler Memorial Airport does not have an air traffic control tower for pilot communication. NTSB Vice Chairman Michael Graham said, "The plane didn't have a black box like those that record crash data on commercial planes, but investigators will look for other kinds of devices that could provide insights." The aircraft completed nine successful flights in the days before the crash, including two on the morning of the incident.

Witness Bailey Reed described the impact. Reed said, "The plane just completely like shattered with the ground upon impact." She added, "They were so low to the ground the parachutes wouldn't have deployed and there was no way anyone could have jumped and survived that." Federal aviation safety rules require aircraft owners conducting local flights within 25 miles of their base to follow manufacturer maintenance schedules and recommendations. The United States Parachute Association stated that Skydive Kansas City adheres to federal aviation authority maintenance requirements and industry safety standards.