‘Devastating loss’: Skydive Kansas City issues statement following plane crash
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- The company said the crash occurred on June 14, 2026, killing 12 aboard.
- The company said it is cooperating with local authorities, the FAA and the NTSB.
- Skydive Kansas City stated it will withhold victims' names until next of kin are notified.
Skydive Kansas City, the company that operated the plane that crashed outside of an airport in Butler, Missouri, called Sunday “a devastating loss.”
The company said in a statement:
“At approximately 12:00pm Central Time on Sunday, June 14, 2026, an aircraft operated in support of skydiving operations at Skydive Kansas City was involved in an accident shortly after takeoff from Butler Memorial Airport (KBUM) in Butler, Missouri. The aircraft was carrying 11 skydivers and one pilot,” the company said in a statement. “Tragically, all 12 individuals aboard lost their lives in the accident.”
The crash happened during takeoff and was reported about 11:27 a.m., Bates County Sheriff Chad Anderson said in a news conference Sunday afternoon. The plane was a locally-based, 10-person aircraft. The airport is about an hour’s drive south of Kansas City.
“This is a devastating loss for everyone connected to Skydive Kansas City and for the wider skydiving community. Our deepest sympathies are with the families, friends, and loved ones of all who were lost,” the company said in a statement. “The names of those involved will not be released until all next of kin have been notified.”
The company said in the statement that they are working closely with local authorities, the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board. Anderson said during his press conference Sunday afternoon that the FAA and NTSB would be conducting an investigation into what had occurred.
The low-wing, single-engine turboprop plane was not able to make it to full power, according to officials with the Bates County Emergency Management Agency. The plane was turning left when it stalled near Interstate 49 Business — a local road that runs between Interstate 49 and the airport.
“At this time, the focus of the management and ownership team is to assist investigators and to support the staff and the broader skydiving community,” the statement said. “The entire team is in shock, and the community is close-knit. We ask for privacy as we direct all efforts toward managing this tragedy and remaining available to authorities as they work to determine the cause.”
This story was originally published June 14, 2026 at 5:52 PM.
