Indian Techie Among 12 Killed in Missouri Plane Crash

Twelve people died Sunday morning when a Pacific Aerospace 750XL plane crashed shortly after takeoff from Butler Memorial Airport in Missouri. The Bates County Coroner’s Office identified the victims as including nine experienced skydivers, two tandem jumpers, and a pilot. The aircraft, operated by Skydive Kansas City, caught fire after losing control and crashing into a field on airport property.

What happened during the Missouri plane crash on Sunday?

The aircraft took off just before 11:30 a.m. Sunday. According to the Bates County Department of Emergency Management, the plane turned around for an unknown reason shortly after departure. It then lost control and crashed into a field located on airport property, where it immediately caught fire.

Some family members of those on board witnessed the crash as it happened. The incident is now being treated as one of the deadliest skydiving-related accidents in the United States in decades, according to emergency management officials.

Incident Detail: The aircraft involved was a 2010 Pacific Aerospace 750XL with the tail number N221BN.

Who were the victims identified by the Coroner’s Office?

The Bates County Coroner’s Office released the official list of the 12 deceased on Tuesday afternoon. Among them was Sai Karthik Varma Datla, a 24-year-old man from Andhra Pradesh, India. Datla had moved to the U.S. for higher education, graduating from the University of Central Missouri, and was employed at AdventHealth at the time of the accident.

The other victims identified by the Coroner’s Office include:

Kurt John Roy (69, Pennsylvania)
Michael R. Shanahan (54, Missouri)
David Hershberger (54, Missouri)
Matthew Swope (39, Missouri)
Dustin McKinney (44, Kansas)
Jennifer L. Sharp (55, Colorado)
Blake Thacker (25, Kansas)
Marcus Miller (30, Kansas)
Nicholas Nash (40, Missouri)
William Fischer (23, Kansas)
Dane Cordes (26, Missouri)

Which company operated the aircraft?

The flight was coordinated by Skydive Kansas City, a company that rents space at Butler Memorial Airport. In a statement, Skydive Kansas City described the crash as a “devastating loss” for both the company and the broader skydiving community.

Records indicate the plane was registered to SkyHi Aero LLC, a company based in Tennessee. Before being used by Skydive Kansas City, the aircraft had been operated by a skydiving firm in Chattanooga.

Why is this crash significant for aviation safety?

The scale of the loss—12 lives in a single event—marks this as a rare and catastrophic failure in modern skydiving operations. While tandem jumps and experienced skydiver transports are common, the total loss of all passengers and crew suggests a critical mechanical failure or a loss of control from which recovery was impossible.

Because the aircraft was a specialized Pacific Aerospace 750XL, investigators will likely focus on the “turn around” mentioned by the Bates County Department of Emergency Management to determine if a stall or structural failure occurred during the maneuver.

Did you know? The Pacific Aerospace 750XL is specifically designed for skydiving due to its high climb rate and large door for easy exits.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where did the plane crash occur?

The crash happened on airport property at Butler Memorial Airport in Missouri.

How many people were on the flight?

There were 12 people on board: nine experienced skydivers, two tandem jumpers, and one pilot. All 12 perished.

Who owned the aircraft?

The aircraft (tail number N221BN) was registered to SkyHi Aero LLC, a Tennessee-based company, and operated by Skydive Kansas City.

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