Airport manager says plane turned sharply left before fatal Butler crash
The National Transportation Safety Board said Thursday its preliminary report on the June 14 crash of a skydiving plane in Butler, Missouri, that killed all 12 people on board found no obvious cause of the accident.
The board’s report ruled out several common factors, including engine failure, fuel contamination, weather conditions, and violations of weight-and-balance standards, according to the document cited by The New York Times and WDAF-TV in Kansas City.
The aircraft, a single-engine turboprop operated by Skydive Kansas City, was carrying 11 skydivers and a pilot. It crashed near Butler Memorial Airport shortly after takeoff.
Dennis Jacobs, the acting airport manager and Bates County emergency manager director, told CNN that the plane was unable to gain visual altitude after taking off. He said it made a sharp left turn before crashing about 300 yards from the runway. There were no survivors.
The NTSB said a full investigation will likely take months. The agency continues to examine other potential causes of the crash, which occurred June 14.