Federal investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board arrived Monday at the site near Butler, located about 65 miles south of Kansas City. While the cause remains under investigation, acting airport manager Dennis Jacobs noted the plane appeared to lose power and may have been attempting an emergency landing on a nearby highway before it veered left and struck the ground nose-first. The aircraft, a Pacific Aerospace 750XL, had completed two successful flights earlier that Sunday.
Among the victims was Jen Sharp, the technology director for the United States Parachute Association. A veteran of 6,800 jumps, Sharp was a prominent figure in the industry known for her contributions to training and educational materials. The loss has sent shockwaves through the skydiving community, where colleagues described the victims as a tightly knit "sky family." NTSB Vice Chairman Michael Graham confirmed that while the plane lacked a standard flight data recorder, investigators are currently gathering witness accounts and video footage. The agency is also reviewing the operator's maintenance records, highlighting long-standing concerns regarding the regulatory oversight of skydiving flight operations.
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