24-Year-Old Indian National Among 12 Killed in Missouri Skydiving Aircraft Crash

A 24-year-old Indian national was among the 12 people who lost their lives when a skydiving aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff from Butler Memorial Airport in Bates County, Missouri, on Sunday.

The Indian victim has been identified as Sai Karthik Varma Datla, a technology professional based in the Kansas City metropolitan area. According to his public online profiles, he held a master’s degree in computer science from the University of Central Missouri and was employed in the healthcare technology sector. He had previously worked at Capgemini and possessed experience in cloud migration, automation, and software deployment, having moved to the United States for higher education.

Also among the deceased was Jen Sharp, the technology director of the United States Parachute Association, the national governing body for skydiving.

The aircraft involved was a 2010 Pacific Aerospace 750XL, a single-engine turboprop widely used for skydiving due to its ability to quickly climb to jumping altitudes using short runways. It had taken off just before 11:30 a.m. local time with a pilot and 11 skydivers on board. Shortly after departure, the plane made an abrupt left turn, lost control, and crashed into a field on the airport property, bursting into flames. All 12 occupants were killed.

Witnesses reported that the aircraft was at approximately 30 metres (100 feet) above ground when it turned sharply, appeared to lose power, and stalled, going down nose-first. The acting airport manager suggested the pilot may have been attempting to reach a nearby highway for an emergency landing.

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched an investigation. NTSB Vice Chairman Michael Graham stated that investigators are interviewing witnesses and collecting photos and videos of the incident, but it was too early to determine a cause. The aircraft was not fitted with a "black box" flight data recorder, as such devices are not mandatory on small planes, but investigators will search for other electronic devices that might provide useful data.

According to flight tracking service FlightAware, the aircraft had completed nine successful flights in the days leading up to the crash, including two earlier on Sunday morning.

The identities of all victims are being confirmed and their families notified. The Indian diplomatic mission in the United States is expected to extend consular assistance to the family of the deceased Indian national.

This tragic accident underscores the inherent risks of aviation sports, prompting a thorough review by aviation safety experts. The NTSB’s full investigation is likely to take several months, with a preliminary report expected in the coming weeks.