Pilot and 11 skydivers killed in plane crash in Bulter, Missouri
Eleven skydivers and a pilot were killed when a plane crashed Sunday morning in Butler, Missouri.
A spokesperson for Bates County Emergency Management said the private plane departed Butler Memorial Airport shortly before 11:30 a.m., turned back for an unknown reason, and crashed near Business 49 Highway.
Emergency crews, along with the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the National Transportation Safety Board, are searching the area to determine whether any skydivers exited the aircraft before the crash.
The spokesperson said the investigation will take several days as crews work to determine what caused the crash and clear the wreckage.
All lanes of Business 49 Highway near the airport are closed in both directions for an undetermined period, according to the Bates County Sheriff’s Office. Drivers are being asked to use alternate routes.
