Twelve people were killed on Sunday when a skydiving aircraft crashed and burst into flames moments after taking off from an airport in Missouri, United States.
The victims included 11 skydivers and the pilot of the aircraft, which went down near Butler Memorial Airport in Butler, a city located about 65 miles south of Kansas City.
According to local authorities, the single-engine turboprop aircraft departed the airport at about 11:20 a.m. local time but encountered difficulties shortly after take-off.
Dennis Jacobs, acting airport manager and director of emergency management for Bates County, said the aircraft failed to gain sufficient altitude before making a sharp left turn and crashing approximately 300 yards from the runway.
Because the aircraft had only just become airborne, it had not climbed high enough to establish contact with air traffic controllers before the accident occurred.
Emergency responders rushed to the scene after receiving reports that a plane had crashed and was engulfed in flames in a field near the airport.
Search teams, supported by drones, combed the wreckage in hopes of finding survivors, but officials later confirmed that all 12 occupants died in the crash.
Authorities said no one managed to exit the aircraft before impact.
The aircraft was being operated by Skydive Kansas City and was transporting passengers for a scheduled skydiving operation when the tragedy occurred.
“It landed in a field adjacent to the airport, but I think they’re shutting down the roadway just as a precaution,” Missouri Highway Patrol Sgt. Justin Ewing told CNN as emergency operations continued at the scene.
Officials withheld the identities of the victims pending notification of their families.
“It’s horrible,” Jacobs said while describing the incident.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol, Butler Police Department and Bates County Sheriff’s Office were among agencies involved in the emergency response and victim support efforts.
Authorities said investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will lead a probe into the cause of the crash, while the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has also been notified and is gathering information.
Records show the aircraft involved was a Pacific Aerospace 750XL manufactured in 2010. The model is widely used in the skydiving industry because of its ability to carry up to 17 skydivers and operate from relatively short runways.
Data from the United States Parachute Association indicates that eight fatal skydiving-related aircraft crashes have occurred in the country over the past decade, resulting in 25 deaths before Sunday’s accident.
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