Federal safety investigators released a preliminary report revealing no signs of engine failure in the plane crash that occurred during a skydiving trip last month in Missouri, resulting in the deaths of 12 people, including experienced jumpers. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued the report Thursday, stating there were no serious safety or mechanical failures identified from the crash, which took place shortly after takeoff on a clear day.
The NTSB based its findings on initial inspections of the wreckage and flight records. It found no mechanical issues or failures in the plane’s engine that would have hindered its normal operation. The engine of the single-engine turboprop plane appeared to be producing power during the crash.
“I was surprised that they had determined that the engine was producing power,” noted Jeff Guzzetti, president of Guzzetti Aviation Risk Discovery, an aviation safety consultancy. “Initially, I thought it might have been an engine problem with the pilot attempting to return to the airport.”
Further examination revealed that fuel samples from the fuel truck were free of contaminants, and the skydiving business operators’ software confirmed that the airplane met the flight’s weight and balance limitations. There were no weather concerns, and the pilot had accumulated over 4,100 flight hours, working in his second jump season with Skydive Kansas City.
The aircraft lacked a crashworthy voice or data recorder, not being required to have one. However, investigators managed to recover damaged GoPro cameras from the crash site. The investigation is ongoing, and a final report could take a year or more.
The crash occurred on June 14, about an hour south of Kansas City, as the Pacific Aerospace 750XL took off from Butler Memorial Airport at 11:25 a.m. During the initial climb, the plane made a left turn, with its wings becoming nearly perpendicular to the ground before it crashed nose-first into a field and caught fire. This position prevented enough aerodynamic lift to keep the plane airborne, according to NTSB.
The fire caused significant damage to the aircraft’s structural components, cockpit, cabin, and fuel system. Family members of the victims were present at the airport and witnessed the crash.
Skydive Kansas City described the crash as a “devastating loss,” and the United States Parachute Association confirmed that its technology director, Jen Sharp, was among the victims. Although previous investigations highlighted poor maintenance as a frequent factor in skydiving plane crashes, Skydive Kansas City adheres to stringent safety standards.
In past reports, NTSB expressed concerns about weak oversight of skydiving operators. It cited a 2019 crash in Hawaii that killed 11 people, urging stronger FAA regulations to ensure skydiving safety. Although the FAA has not yet implemented those recommendations, it announced a committee formed in April to propose measures for improving skydiving safety, considering NTSB’s suggestions.
Despite these concerns, the skydiving industry reports a strong safety record. Last year, around 3.5 million jumps were completed, with 16 civilian fatalities, mostly attributed to human error. The crashed plane was built in 2010 and had successfully completed two flights earlier that morning, according to the NTSB.