'It's tough': Father mourns son with two baby boys killed in Butler plane crash

BUTLER, MISSOURI: What was supposed to be an enthusiastic skydiving trip turned into a tragic accident when a small aircraft carrying 12 people crashed in Missouri on Sunday, June 14, killing everyone on board.

The tragic crash took place at approximately 11:30 am when the aircraft, which was taking passengers up for a planned afternoon skydive, went down near Butler Memorial Airport and burst into flames.

As officials comb through the debris to investigate what caused the deadly crash, devastated families stood nearby, grappling with heartbreak while awaiting answers.

Among those mourning at the scene was a heartbroken father who lost his young son in the devastating crash.

Grieving father reveals son killed in crash had two baby boys

The grieving father, who wishes to remain anonymous, revealed to KMBC 9 that he rushed to Butler from the Kansas City area after learning about the crash.

"My son was on the plane. He had a new business, two new baby boys, and everything was going good for him. I just don't understand what happened," the man said.

The grieving father said skydiving had become one of his son's greatest passions and an important part of his life.

"Skydiving, he's been getting into skydiving. He's probably got four or 500 jumps and just something he loved to do. You just never start the morning thinking you're going to die, you know. He had two new baby boys. It's tough," he said.

The man said several family members had gathered in Butler as they waited for more information from investigators.

Pilot attempted to turn around before the crash

Investigators believe the pilot attempted to turn the aircraft back toward the airport shortly after takeoff, indicating that a problem may have arisen in the early moments 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.

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.

Images and videos circulating online showed the aircraft reduced to a mangled wreck in a grassy field near the airport, with smoke billowing from the crash site as emergency crews rushed to secure the area.

The impact was so severe that little of the aircraft remained recognizable, highlighting the devastating force of the crash.