A Pacific Aerospace 750XL operated in support of Skydive Kansas City was involved in a fatal accident shortly after takeoff from Butler Memorial Airport in Butler, Missouri, on Sunday. The pilot and 11 skydivers on board died when the aircraft went down near the airport after departing at about 11:20 a.m. CDT.
“It had just taken off and made a left turn” before the accident, Dennis Jacobs, acting airport manager and Bates County Emergency Management Agency director, told the Associated Press. “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.”
Skydive Kansas City confirmed to local KCTV that it is working with federal authorities following the accident. Authorities have not yet released the identities of those on board.
“This is a devastating loss for everyone connected to Skydive Kansas City and for the wider skydiving community,” Chris Hill, a spokesperson with Skydive Kansas City, told KCTV. “Our deepest sympathies are with the families, friends, and loved ones of all who were lost. 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.”
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