Wreckage lies in a field next to Butler Memorial Airport after a plane carrying skydivers crashed in Butler, Missouri, US, June 14, 2026 in a still image from video. [Photo/Agencies]
Twelve people were killed on Sunday when a small plane carrying a pilot and 11 passengers on a skydiving outing crashed shortly after takeoff in Missouri, authorities said.
The plane went down near Butler Memorial Airport, about 105 kilometers south of Kansas City. Officials said it landed in a field adjacent to the airport and was engulfed in flames.
Sergeant Justin Ewing of the Missouri Highway Patrol said emergency responders received a call around 11:30 am that a plane was down and engulfed in flames. He said the aircraft was taking people up to skydive, The Associated Press reported.
Dennis Jacobs, acting airport manager and director of the Bates County Emergency Management Agency, said the private plane was operated by Skydive Kansas City. He said it had just taken off and made a left turn before crashing, according to the AP report.
