Missouri Crash Fatalities
Authorities Confirm 12 Fatalities in Plane Crash Near Butler, Missouri Airport
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A private plane carrying 11 skydivers and a pilot crashed and burst into flames near Butler Memorial Airport in Butler, Missouri, on June 14, 2026, killing all 12 people on board, according to ABC News. The crash happened shortly before 11:30 a.m., about 65 miles south of Kansas City, near Business 49 Highway — just adjacent to the runway the plane had taken off from minutes earlier.
Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Justin Ewing said first responders arrived to find the aircraft "engulfed in fire." The National Transportation Safety Board is now leading the investigation, according to AP.
Plane Turned Around Minutes After Takeoff
The aircraft departed Butler Memorial Airport at approximately 11:15 a.m. CDT, according to NBC4i. About 10 minutes later, it turned back toward the airport for an unknown reason. It never made it. The plane went down in a flat field right next to the airport and caught fire almost immediately.
Sgt. Ewing told reporters the 911 call came in around 11:30 a.m. "It landed in a field adjacent to the airport," he said. Authorities locked down Business 49 Highway near the crash site shortly after to preserve evidence for federal investigators. The NTSB officially took over as lead agency by 2:00 p.m.
All 12 Aboard Died — No Chance to Bail Out
Every person on the plane was killed. That means 11 skydivers and the pilot — a 0% survival rate, according to WBAL. The speed and altitude of the descent appeared to give no one time to parachute out. The Bates County Coroner's office is currently notifying families. Full identification of all 12 victims may take 24 to 48 hours due to the condition of the wreckage.
The scale of the crash makes it the deadliest aviation incident in the region in over a decade. Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe was briefed after the 12 fatalities were confirmed, according to live research from the scene.
A Nearly Identical Crash at the Same Airport in 2024
This is not the first serious incident at Butler Memorial Airport involving skydivers. On May 26, 2024, a Cessna C206 carrying six skydivers and a pilot suffered an engine failure on a similar mission near the same runway. In that case, all six skydivers and the pilot parachuted to safety before the plane crashed in a nearby hay field, according to KTVB.
Sunday's crash stands in stark contrast. Aviation experts suggest the larger passenger load — 12 people — points to a bigger aircraft, likely a turboprop such as a Cessna 208 Caravan or a DHC-6 Twin Otter, which are common in high-capacity skydiving operations. The FAA is now reviewing the pilot's certifications and the plane's maintenance logs, according to Enid News.
Federal Investigators Zero In on Safety and Oversight
The NTSB is expected to hold a press conference at Butler Memorial Airport on Monday morning. A preliminary report typically takes 10 to 14 days. All skydiving operations at the airport are likely to be suspended until that report is released, according to live research from the scene.
The crash is expected to reignite debate over FAA rules for skydiving operators. These operators often fly under Part 91 rules, which are less strict than the Part 135 rules that cover commercial passenger flights — even though they carry large groups of people. Given that two serious incidents have now occurred at the same airport within two years, federal investigators are expected to look closely at the maintenance culture of the local operator, according to Herald Bulletin.
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