Posted on 06/16/2026 8:58:38 PM PDT by Red Badger
The wreckage of a plane crash burns in a field in Butler, Mo, Sunday, June 14, 2026. (Mid America News Review via AP Photo )
KANSAS CITY — Eleven skydivers and the pilot were killed Sunday morning in a plane crash at Butler Memorial Airport in Butler, Missouri. The Bates County Coroner’s Office released the victims’ names Tuesday, two days after the accident, noting some were experienced skydivers.
Individuals:
Kurt John Roy: 69 years old, Windber, PA
Michael R. Shanahan: 54 years old, Kansas City, MO
David Hershberger: 54 years old, Liberty, MO
Sai Karthik Varma Datla: 24 years old, India
Matthew Swope: 39 years old, Independence, MO
Dustin McKinney: 44 years old, Stilwell, KS
Jennifer L. Sharp: 55 years old, Grand Junction, CO
Blake Thacker: 25 years old, Olathe, KS
Marcus Miller: 30 years old, Lawrence, KS
Nicholas Nash: 40 years old, Harrisonville, MO
William Fischer: 23 years old, De Soto, KS
Dane Cordes: 26 years old, Richmond, MO
The aircraft departed just before 11:30 a.m. Sunday, then turned around for an unknown reason, lost control, crashed into a field on airport property and caught fire, killing everyone on board. The coroner delayed publishing names to give family and friends time to notify extended relatives. Officials said the investigation will take months, asked for privacy and prayers for those affected, and noted the incident has had nationwide impact.
“nationwide impact”
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No, just Missouri impact...
Looking at the ages, I wonder how many were tandems. :(
A different article said 2 tandems.
“A different article said 2 tandems.”
Thank you. That answers the question of whether it was a tandem mill or included fun jumpers.
~NZ Parachutist Over Phorty #88 (US Pops # too long. LOL)
The article doesn’t say what the national impact would be. The implications I’ve read in another article is moving skydiving operations currently general aviation part 91 to charter flights part 135. In other words, it will cost skydivers a lot more money to skydive.
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