12 dead after plane crashes near Missouri airport, highway shut down

Warning: Graphic content, readers’ discretion advised

BUTLER, MISSOURI: A routine skydiving flight ended in catastrophe on Sunday, June 14, when a small aircraft carrying a group of parachutists crashed near an airport in western Missouri, killing all 12 people on board.

Authorities said that the aircraft had only recently departed Butler Memorial Airport when something went wrong, forcing the pilot to turn back.

The plane never made it safely to the runway. Instead, it came down in a field near the airport, leaving behind a scene of devastation and triggering a major emergency response.

Aircraft turned around before disaster

According to local officials, the privately operated plane took off shortly before noon from Butler Memorial Airport in Bates County.

Investigators believe the pilot attempted to return to the airport shortly after departure, suggesting an issue may have emerged during the early stages of the flight.

However, the aircraft crashed before reaching safety. Emergency crews rushed to the area near Business Highway 49 after reports of a downed plane and quickly discovered that there were no survivors.

Sources familiar with the incident told local media outlets that the aircraft was carrying a group of skydivers preparing for a jump.

Eleven of the victims were reported to be skydiving passengers, while the twelfth person killed was the pilot.

Officials have not yet publicly released the identities of those who died as authorities work to notify family members.

In an initial statement, the Missouri State Highway Patrol confirmed the scale of the tragedy.

"Troopers are on scene assisting the Butler Police Department & Bates County Sheriff's Office of a Fatal Plane Crash near the Butler Memorial Airport," the agency said.

The statement added that reports indicated all 12 occupants aboard the aircraft had died. The tragedy has sent shockwaves through Missouri's skydiving community, where such flights are a regular weekend activity during the summer months.

Highway towards the crash site remains shut as authorities probe the details

Wreckage left scattered across field

Images and videos shared online showed the wreckage of the aircraft heavily damaged in a grassy area near the airport. Smoke could be seen rising from the crash site as emergency responders secured the scene.

The force of the impact appeared to leave little recognizable structure remaining from the aircraft, underscoring the severity of the crash.

Investigators are documenting evidence and examining debris as they piece together what happened during the plane's final moments.