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Federal investigators have begun examining the wreckage of a skydiving plane in western Missouri that crashed and killed all 12 people aboard, as the skydiving community mourns the loss of several of its members.Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board were at the crash site on June 15, a day after a private plane crashed just after takeoff from Butler Memorial Airport in Butler, Missouri, about 65 miles south of Kansas City. The crash sparked a fire that destroyed the aircraft, which was operating as a skydiving flight, according to the NTSB.All 12 people on board, including 11 skydivers and a pilot, were killed in the incident, authorities said. Dennis Jacobs, the airport manager and director of Bates County Emergency Management, previously told USA TODAY that the incident was the deadliest crash in the airport's roughly 50-year history.The fatal crash, which authorities said involved multiple experienced jumpers, shocked the skydiving community. The United States Parachute Association (USPA), the sport’s governing body, shared its "deepest sympathies to the families, friends, and loved ones of all who were lost, and to the wider skydiving community.""The community is close-knit, and a loss of this magnitude is felt profoundly across the entire sport," the USPA said in a statement.During a news briefing on June 15, NTSB Vice Chairman Michael Graham emphasized that the probe is in its earliest stages and that no conclusions about the cause of the crash have been reached. A preliminary report is expected within about 30 days, but a full investigation could take more than a year to complete.“This is the beginning of a long process and we will not be determining what happens overnight," Graham told reporters. "We will be picking up perishable evidence at the scene and we will not be drawing any conclusions at this time until some time later, when we have all the evidence."Here is what we know so far.Skydiving plane made multiple flights prior to crashThe USPA confirmed that the aircraft involved in the crash was operating "in support of skydiving operations at Skydive Kansas City." The organization noted that Skydive Kansas City is a member in good standing of the sport’s governing body, and is cooperating with local authorities and federal investigators to determine the cause of the crash.The plane involved in the crash was a Pacific Aerospace 750XL, manufactured in 2010 and registered to a Tennessee-based company, according to the NTSB and Federal Aviation Administration. The aircraft's engine was manufactured by Pratt & Whitney Canada.It was operating under Part 91 regulations, which typically apply to private and certain non-commercial aviation operations, including many skydiving flights, Graham said at the news briefing.The aircraft crashed at around 11:30 a.m. local time on June 14 shortly after departing Butler Memorial Airport, according to Graham. A post-crash fire engulfed the plane and destroyed much of the wreckage.Bates County Emergency Management previously said the plane had "turned around for an unknown reason" before crashing near a local highway. No survivors were found along the flight path, according to the agency."They weren’t able to get over 100 feet off the ground," Jacobs said, adding that the weather was beautiful. "It very likely will be an engine problem, but we won't know until the NTSB report."Skydive Kansas City flew numerous trips over the weekend before the crash, according to Bates County Emergency Management. Data from FlightAware showed that the plane had conducted nine flights between June 12 and June 14.Federal investigators working to gather evidence from sceneInvestigators with the NTSB and FAA are working to gather evidence from the crash site, according to Graham. Investigators are expected to move the wreckage to a secure location for further examination after initial on-site documentation is complete.Investigators are also looking at factors such as weight and balance, fuel, maintenance history and overall airworthiness as part of the probe, Graham said. Among the evidence being reviewed are witness statements, radar data, video footage and any recoverable electronic devices from the aircraft.The plane involved in the crash was not required to have a cockpit voice recorder or flight data recorder on board, commonly known as the “black boxes," according to Graham."We're not expecting that this aircraft had those boxes on board, but our investigators will be looking for any other kind of avionics on board that aircraft that we be salvageable," he said. "In that case, any of those devices — maybe even some personal electronic devices — may be recovered, and those will be sent to the NTSB headquarters in Washington, D.C., for further analysis."Graham said reports of engine trouble or other issues cannot yet be confirmed, despite witness accounts suggesting possible problems before the crash. When asked if the plane’s pilot was attempting to make a so-called “impossible turn,” Graham said it was too early to determine."We're just starting to gather information, and it'd be too early to make any speculation as to the flight path of the aircraft at this time," he said.Skydiving community grieving lossesOf the 11 skydivers, nine were experienced and two were set to take tandem jumps, according to Jacobs. He said multiple horrified witnesses saw the crash, including some loved ones of those on board."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," Jacobs said. He added that the wife was a regular skydiver who got bumped from the flight by a tandem jumper.Authorities have not released the names of the victims, but family and friends have started to identify their loved ones.In a statement on June 15, the USPA said Jennifer "Jen" Sharp was among those killed in the incident. The organization described her as an "esteemed colleague, leader, and dear friend" who had an "unwavering commitment to advancing the sport."Sharp was the director of technology at the organization and a "vital cornerstone of our national headquarters and broader skydiving family for nine years," according to the USPA."Jen was a remarkable force whose passion for the skies was matched only by her dedication to the people in our sport," USPA Executive Director Albert Berchtold said in the statement. "Her loss leaves an unfillable void in our office, our community, and our hearts. We are incredibly grateful for the years of laughter, innovation, and friendship we shared with her." Brandon Carney, a friend of Michael Shanahan, said Shanahan had been on his way to his 23rd tandem jump when he was killed in the crash, according to a GoFundMe page. Shanahan was preparing for retirement following a 36-year career as part of the Kansas City Sheet Metal Union Local No. 2, Carney said."He was a humble human and a very dedicated native to the city," Carney wrote on the GoFundMe page. "He loved his friends, and this man worked very hard."In an email sent to families, the North Kansas City School District confirmed that David "Dave" Hershberger died in the incident, local television station KSHB 41 and The Kansas City Star reported. Hershberger was an orchestra teacher at Oak Park High School and Antioch Middle School, according to the news outlets."Mr. Hershberger was a beloved member of the Antioch and Oak Park family and was not only a passionate educator and talented musician, but one of the kindest humans," the email read, according to KSHB 41. "Mr. Hershberger has inspired so many of our students through his love for music and the way he treated others every day. He modeled appreciation and genuine care for everyone who was lucky enough to know him."Contributing: Drew Pittock and Amanda Lee Myers, USA TODAY
