Plane Crashes Kill Skydivers, Pilots

Safety at Work

Kansas City, MO (WorkersCompensation.com) – Two plane crashes this past week took the lives of pilots and crew in workplace accidents.

In Butler, Mo., near Kansas City, the pilot of a plane and the 11 skydivers he carried, all perished when the plane crash landed nearly Business 49 Highway. The plane left the Butler Memorial Airport at around 11:30 a.m. on June 14. Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop A spokesman Sgt. Justin Ewing said.

Officials said the plane turned back after takeoff for an unknown reason, and crashed shortly after, Ewing said.

"There were witnesses who were family members," Bates County Sheriff Chad Anderson said.

The plane, a Pacific Aerospace 750 XL, was a fixed-wing, single-engine turbo prop. Operated by Skydive Kansas City, officials with the company called the accident a “devastating loss.”

"Our deepest sympathies are with the families, friends, and loved ones of all who were lost," the statement read. "The team is in shock, and the community is close-knit."

The company said it was assisting with investigations into the crash.

Officials said there were seven "single jumpers" in the plane and two tandems.

Missouri Rep. Mark Alford (R-4th District), told reporters he was committed to helping the victims' families.

“Just getting to enjoy God's green earth and then have something like this turn so tragic while potentially other family members are watching, it’s tragic," he said.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol, National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating.

"Part of the investigation will be to request radar data, weather information, maintenance records and the pilot’s medical records," NTSB spokesperson Jennifer Gabris said in the email. "NTSB investigators will look at the human, machine and environment as the outline of the investigation."

It is the second crash of a skydiving plane from the same airport since 2024.

In California, all eight people aboard a U.S. Air Force B-52 were killed in a crash at Edwards Air Force Base on June 15.

Officials said the crash occurred during a “routine test mission” just after 11 a.m., when the plane made a sharp right, then nearly completed a 180-degree turn before plummeting to the ground at nearly a mile a minute, tracking data showed on Tuesday.

The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress was taking part in a mission to keep the long-running aircraft flying for decades to come. While it was not clear what caused the plane to crash, officials at Edwards Air Force Base said it could take up to six months for the investigation to conclude.

The airfield was closed on Tuesday still while crews made the crash site safe for search and recovery teams to enter. Fires flared up at the crash site on Monday night, Mike Paoli, spokesman for the 412 Test Wing at Edwards said.

Col. James Hayes, the deputy commander for the 412 Test Wing, said the aircraft was supporting a “radar modernization program” that was designed to keep the bomber in the air through 2050, nearly 100 years after it first went into service.

Officials said a test team had planned to conduct ground and flight test activities on the plane through 2026 to feed a production decision. The modern Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar system replaced the aircraft’s original radar for efficiency, officials said.

“We lost eight great Americans. This crash is deemed to be unsurvivable,” Hayes said in a press conference. “Right now, our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who lost their loved ones.”

On Tuesday, Edwards AFB set up the Emergency Family Assistance Center for those with base access to help the families of those killed, as well as others within the Edwards AFB community as they process through their grief. The base said the EFAC would provide chaplain support, disaster mental health services, child care assistance, legal support and other resources.

“Emergency and investigation officials continue to move forward with their response. We anticipate more information will be available tomorrow,” the base posted on X.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom posted his condolences on X, on Monday evening, saying, “My thoughts are with the victims, their families, and the entire Edwards Air Force Base community impacted by this tragic incident.”

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