Key facts
- Eleven skydivers and a pilot died in a plane crash in Butler, Missouri.
- The aircraft operator was Skydive Kansas City.
- The crash occurred shortly after takeoff near Butler Memorial Airport.
- The National Transportation Safety Board and FAA are investigating the incident.
Eleven skydivers and their pilot were killed when a private plane crashed shortly after takeoff on Sunday near Butler, Missouri. The aircraft, operated by Skydive Kansas City, went down approximately 300 yards from the Butler Memorial Airport runway. The Missouri State Highway Patrol confirmed the fatalities, and the Bates County Sheriff described the incident as an accident. Family members of the victims witnessed the crash. Officials from the FAA are on scene, and NTSB investigators are en route to determine the cause of the accident.