A plane carrying 12 people crashed near Butler Memorial Airport in Bates County, Missouri.

The crash happened during takeoff and was reported about 11:27 a.m., Bates County Sheriff Chad Anderson said in a news conference Sunday afternoon. A pilot and 11 skydivers were killed.

The crash was among the deadliest U.S. skydiving incidents in decades. And it was the third in two years involving an ...

Eleven skydivers and one pilot were killed in a plane crash near an airport in Butler, Missouri, Sunday, authorities said.

Our hearts go out (to) those who lost loved ones in today’s tragic crash of a skydiving plane near Butler Memorial Airport,” Kehoe said.

Several of the skydivers who were killed when their plane crashed moments after taking off from a Missouri airfield were experienced jumpers.

Authorities say a pilot and 11 others were killed when a plane taking people on a skydiving outing in Missouri crashed in a field and caught fire.