TWELVE people have died after a plane full of skydivers crashed and burst into flames shortly after take-off.

The private plane, leased by a skydiving company, crashed just after it took off at 11.20am in Butler, Missouri – 60 miles south of Kansas City.

The airplane failed to climb high enough and tried to turn left to land on a nearby highway.

But it wasn’t able to land and instead crashed in a field about 200 yards away from Butler Memorial Airport, bursting into flames.

Eleven skydivers and the pilot died in a “devastating loss”, and emergency services are reportedly checking to see if any passengers jumped from the plane before the crash.

Missouri Highway Patrol Sgt. Justin Ewing confirmed that the plane was taking people up to skydive.

Emergency responders got a call that a plane was down and engulfed in fire around 11.30am on Sunday morning, he said.

They were able to extinguish the fire shortly after the “brutal” crash.
It will be investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board.

Dennis Jacobs, the acting airport manager and Bates County Emergency Management Agency director, said the plane had “just taken off”.

Of the skydivers onboard, nine were experienced and two were participating in tandem jumps, he said.

Jacobs said horrified family members watched as the plane came down.

He said: “One lady that was there was watching her brother (on the plane), and his wife was there, too, and she was supposed to be on the plane with them,

“In my opinion I think it was losing power, and he was trying to make it over to the highway and land, and he stalled and went down nose first and caught fire.”

It’s the deadliest crash in the airport’s 50-year history, he added.

The Pacific Aerospace 750XL that crashed is a single- engine turboprop plane model that’s popular for skydiving but has also proven useful for other uses, including cargo, aerial surveying and medical evacuation flights.

The aircraft can carry as many as 17 skydivers and is capable of taking off and landing on short runways.

The plane that crashed Saturday was manufactured in 2010, according to FAA records.

Skydive Kansas City was founded in 1998 by father-son duo Chris and John Hall.

John has been skydiving since 1973 and was said to be one of the area’s  top demonstration jumpers known for his aerial displays.

Meanwhile, Chris started aged 18 and went on to compete in the ESPN X Games Pro Tour in 1996.

The adrenaline-loving pair then founded the “premier skydiving center” two years later.

A spokesperson for the centre said: “At approximately 12:00pm Central Time on Sunday, June 14, 2026, an aircraft operated in support of skydiving operations at Skydive Kansas City was involved in an accident shortly after takeoff from Butler Memorial Airport (KBUM) in Butler,
Missouri.

“The aircraft was carrying 11 skydivers and one pilot.

“Tragically, all 12 individuals aboard lost their lives in the accident.

“This is a devastating loss for everyone connected to Skydive Kansas City and for the wider skydiving community.

“Our deepest sympathies are with the families, friends, and
loved ones of all who were lost.

“The names of those involved will not be released until all next of kin have been notified.

“Skydive Kansas City is working closely with local authorities, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

“At this time, the focus of the management and ownership team is to assist investigators and to support the staff and the broader skydiving community.

“The entire team is in shock, and the community is close-knit.

“We ask for privacy as we direct all efforts toward managing this tragedy and remaining available to authorities as they work to determine the cause.

“Skydive Kansas City is a USPA Group Member Dropzone in good standing.”

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