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Skydiving plane crashes in Missouri killing 12

By Danielle Haynes U.S. News - UPI.com
Police tape lines the blocks surrounding the Capital Jewish Museum the morning after Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, two Israeli Embassy staff members, were shot and killed leaving an event for young professionals hosted by the American Jewish Committee in Washington, DC, on Thursday, May 22, 2025. The gunman, 30-year-old Elias Rodriguez, turned himself in and yelled "Free, Free Palestine" while being arrested. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI.
Police tape lines the blocks surrounding the Capital Jewish Museum the morning after Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, two Israeli Embassy staff members, were shot and killed leaving an event for young professionals hosted by the American Jewish Committee in Washington, DC, on Thursday, May 22, 2025. The gunman, 30-year-old Elias Rodriguez, turned himself in and yelled "Free, Free Palestine" while being arrested. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI.

June 14 (UPI) -- A small plane crashed in western Missouri on Sunday, killing 12 people -- 11 skydivers and a pilot -- state police said.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol said the crash happened near the Butler Memorial Airport in Butler Mo., about an hour south of Kansas City, Mo. The Bates County Sheriff's Office shut down Business 49, the main roadway along the airport.

KSHB-TV in Kansas City, Mo., reported the crash happened around 11:30 a.m.

Dennis Jacobs, the acting airport manager and Bates County emergency manager director, told CNN the single-engine turbo prop plane was unable to gain visual latitude after taking off. It made a sharp turn to the left before crashing about 300 yards away from the runway.

He said Skydive Kansas City operated the aircraft.

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This story was originally published June 14, 2026 at 4:01 PM.

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