12 killed in skydiving plane crash near Butler, Missouri (Developing)

The most recent verified information is listed first.

National Transportation Safety Board investigators were expected at the Butler crash site on Monday to document the wreckage and examine the aircraft; the agency has said its review will look at "the human, machine and environment." As of Monday, authorities had not publicly released the names of the 12 people killed, and next-of-kin notifications were continuing. News outlets reported that of the 11 skydivers aboard, nine were experienced jumpers and two were scheduled for tandem jumps. Reporting also placed the takeoff at about 11:35 a.m. Sunday, moments before the crash. A cause has still not been determined; the NTSB has said a preliminary report typically takes about 30 days. (Source: Fox4KC; KCTV5; AP via NPR)

The National Transportation Safety Board said it is taking the lead role in the investigation, working with the Federal Aviation Administration, with investigators expected on scene Monday, June 15. NTSB spokesperson Jennifer Gabris said, "Part of the investigation will be to request radar data, weather information, maintenance records and the pilot’s medical records." A preliminary report typically takes about 30 days; a full report can take one to two years. (Source: AP via NPR; CNN)

Authorities said all 12 people aboard were killed — 11 skydivers and the pilot — with no survivors; the Missouri State Highway Patrol had initially said the occupants were presumed dead. The flight was operated by Skydive Kansas City, which has flown out of Butler for years. Officials said the skydivers had not yet jumped when the plane went down. Bates County Sheriff Chad Anderson said, "Our hearts go out to them… We just pray for them and their loved ones and their friends and their family." (Source: KCUR; KCTV5; ABC News)

A skydiving jump aircraft — a Pacific Aerospace 750XL turboprop (tail number N221BN, per FAA records cited by The Associated Press) — crashed shortly after taking off from Butler Memorial Airport (KBUM) in Butler, Missouri, late Sunday morning and then caught fire on airport property. Butler is in Bates County, about 60 miles south of Kansas City. Airport manager Dennis Jacobs offered a preliminary, personal impression, saying the plane "had just taken off and made a left turn" and that "I think it was losing power, and he was trying to land." That account has not been confirmed by investigators and is not an official finding of cause. (Source: AP via NPR; CNN; ABC News)

- A skydiving plane crashed shortly after takeoff from Butler Memorial Airport in Butler, Missouri, late Sunday morning, June 14, 2026, then caught fire. - All 12 people aboard — 11 skydivers and the pilot — were killed, authorities said. There were no survivors. - The skydivers had not yet jumped at the time of the crash. - The aircraft was a Pacific Aerospace 750XL turboprop, operated by Skydive Kansas City, a long-time operator at the airport. - Butler is in Bates County, roughly 60 miles south of Kansas City. - The NTSB is leading the investigation with the FAA; the Missouri State Highway Patrol responded to the scene.

- The cause of the crash. The NTSB has not determined what happened, and that work will take time. - The identities of those aboard. Authorities have not released names while families are being notified, and we are not publishing them. - The full sequence of the flight, including any mechanical, maintenance, or other factors — the NTSB said it will review radar data, weather information, maintenance records and the pilot’s medical records. - Whether weather was a factor; conditions were reported as clear, but officials have not cited a cause.

Butler sits about an hour south of Kansas City, and the operator carried the Kansas City name — a reminder of how close this loss is to home. A loss of this magnitude is rare for the region. For now, the focus is on the 12 lives lost and the families and first responders left behind. We will keep this page updated as officials confirm more.