Twelve Dead in Skydiving Plane Crash in Western Missouri
BUTLER, MO — Twelve individuals, including 11 skydivers and the pilot, died Sunday in a plane crash shortly after takeoff from Butler Memorial Airport.
According to the Bates County Coroner's Office, the deceased have been identified as follows:
- Kurt John Roy, 69, Windber, PA
- Michael R. Shanahan, 54, Kansas City, MO
- David Hershberger, 54, Liberty, MO
- Sai Karthik Varma Datla, 24, India
- Matthew Swope, 39, Independence, MO
- Dustin McKinney, 44, Stilwell, KS
- Jennifer L. Sharp, 55, Grand Junction, CO
- Blake Thacker, 25, Olathe, KS
- Marcus Miller, 30, Lawrence, KS
- Nicholas Nash, 40, Harrisonville, MO
- William Fischer, 23, De Soto, KS
- Dane Cordes, 26, Richmond, MO
Authorities reported that the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) began their investigation on site Monday, interviewing witnesses. Salvageable debris will be sent to Washington, D.C., as investigators work to determine the crash's cause.
Witnesses reported possible engine problems shortly after takeoff. Investigators indicated the scenario may have prevented a safe turn back to the airport.
The crash marks the deadliest skydiving incident in two decades, raising concerns about FAA oversight of skydiving operations, which face fewer regulations than commercial flights.
Representative Mark Alford, whose district includes Butler, expressed his emphasis on safety for skydivers and questioned the delay in implementing NTSB safety recommendations made in 2021.
The NTSB is expected to release a preliminary report on the crash within 30 days.