12 Dead as Skydiving Plane Bursts Into Flames After Crash in Missouri, USA

A routine skydiving trip turned into a devastating tragedy in the US state of Missouri on Sunday when a plane carrying passengers preparing for a day of skydiving crashed near Butler Memorial Airport , killing all 12 people on board.

According to authorities, the aircraft went down shortly after taking off from the small airport in Butler , a town located about 65 miles south of Kansas City . Emergency services received reports of a plane crash at around 11:30 a.m. local time and rushed to the scene, where the aircraft had already become engulfed in flames.

Officials from the Missouri State Highway Patrol , Butler Police Department and Bates County Sheriff's Office responded to the crash site. Firefighters managed to extinguish the blaze, but there were no survivors.

Missouri Highway Patrol Sgt. Justin Ewing described the scene as "brutal," saying the aircraft came down in a field adjacent to the airport. Authorities temporarily restricted access to nearby roads as a safety precaution while emergency crews worked at the site.

Investigators said the aircraft was being used to transport passengers for a skydiving operation . The plane involved in the crash was identified as a Pacific Aerospace 750XL , a single engine turboprop aircraft widely used by skydiving companies because of its ability to carry large groups of jumpers and operate from relatively short runways. The aircraft, manufactured in 2010 , can accommodate up to 17 skydivers and is also commonly used for cargo transport, aerial surveys and medical evacuation missions.

The identities, ages and hometowns of the victims were not immediately released as authorities worked to notify families.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is expected to lead the investigation into the cause of the crash. Investigators will examine the aircraft's maintenance records, flight history and other factors to determine what led to the deadly accident.

The tragedy has shocked the small community of Butler , home to roughly 4,300 residents . The airport primarily serves privately owned aircraft, including crop dusting operators and businesses involved in recreational skydiving.

Skydiving activities are a popular seasonal attraction in the region, typically running from spring through late autumn. Sunday's accident, however, has cast a shadow over the local aviation community and raised fresh questions about the circumstances that led to one of the deadliest skydiving related air crashes in recent years.