Eleven skydivers and a pilot lost their lives Sunday when a private plane crashed in Butler, Missouri, according to aircraft operator Skydive Kansas City.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported that the crash happened near Butler Memorial Airport, roughly 60 miles (100 km) south of Kansas City, Missouri.
“Tragically, all 12 individuals aboard lost their lives in the accident,” the skydiving company said.
The names of those involved will not be released until all next of kin have been notified, the company said, adding that it is working closely with local authorities, the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board.
Dennis Jacobs, the acting airport manager and Bates County emergency management director, told Reuters that the single-engine turboprop airplane took off around 11:20 a.m. CT (1620 GMT) but failed to gain visual altitude before making a sharp left turn and crashing roughly 300 yards (274 m) from the runway.
The NTSB identified the aircraft as a Pacific Aerospace 750XL.
“This is not a commercial airliner that has crashed; it’s a local airplane that took off from our local airport,” Bates County Sheriff Chad Anderson said at a news conference. “This appears to be an accident,” he added.
Family members of the victims witnessed the crash, he said.
FAA officials are at the scene of the crash, Anderson said, while the NTSB stated that investigators are expected to arrive on Monday.
A final report on the probable cause of the crash is expected within 12-24 months, the NTSB said.
Multiple local fire departments and coroners’ offices responded after an emergency call was made shortly before 11:30 a.m., Anderson said.