Preliminary report didn't flag an engine failure before a skydiving plane crash that killed 12

Emergency personnel investigate the site of a plane crash at the Butler Memorial Airport in Butler, Mo., Sunday, June 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann)

BUTLER, Mo. (AP) — A preliminary report issued by federal safety investigators did not flag any serious safety failures that could have led to the fiery crash of a plane last month on a skydiving outing in Missouri that killed all 12 people aboard, including several very experienced jumpers.

The National Transportation Safety Board issued a preliminary report Thursday based on inspections of the wreckage. The report said it found no indication of any pre-crash mechanical malfunctions or failures in the engine that would have prevented the normal operation of the plane.

The Associated Press