In an extraordinary escape from disaster, a pilot and six skydivers parachuted to safety moments before their small plane crashed in a hayfield near Butler Memorial Airport in Missouri, according to federal authorities. The single-engine Cessna U206C, on a skydiving mission, crashed around 1 p.m. on Saturday, leaving the aircraft a "total loss."
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that the seven individuals aboard the aircraft, including the pilot, managed to escape unscathed before the plane met its unfortunate end. The pilot was later found in a hangar at the airport, while the six passengers were located nearby, having also parachuted from the plane prior to the crash.
The Bates County Sheriff's Office, which responded to the incident, described the plane as a "total loss." The wreckage was discovered in a hayfield east of the airport’s runways. "All passengers parachuted to safety before the pilot did the same," Bates County Sheriff Chad Anderson stated in an email.
The FAA confirmed that there were seven people on board at the time of the flight. Paramedics treated the pilot and passengers at the scene before they were all released. The NTSB will recover the wreckage and transport it to an offsite facility for further examination as part of its ongoing investigation.
The Butler Memorial Airport, located approximately 62 miles south of Kansas City, became the scene of a miraculous survival story that could have ended in tragedy. The circumstances leading up to the crash remain unclear, and further details are expected to emerge as the investigation proceeds.
The Bates County Sheriff’s Office is assisting the NTSB and the FAA in their investigations. "Thank you to Butler Fire, Adrian Fire, Butler Police and Bates County EMS for your response and assistance at the scene," the sheriff’s office expressed in a Facebook post.
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