12 Skydiving Plane Crash Victims Identified, Including Grandpa of 6 and Technology Director with a 'Passion for the Skies'

12 Skydiving Plane Crash Victims Identified, Including Grandpa of 6 and Technology Director with a 'Passion for the Skies' https://ift.tt/I4bF6oT

The Bates County Coroner's Office announced the names who were on the aircraft that crashed on June 14

Dustin McKinney; Jen Sharp; Mike Shanahan
Credit: Gofundme (2); United States Parachute Association

NEED TO KNOW

• Twelve people, including one pilot and 11 passengers, died after a plane carrying a group of skydivers crashed in Missouri on June 14
• Many of the witnesses on the ground who watched as the plane crash-landed in a field adjacent to the airport were loved ones of the people on board
• Bates County Coroner Jerret J. Reno announced the names of the 12 victims on June 16

The 12 people who died after a skydiving plane tragically crashed near an airport in Missouri last weekend have been identified.

On Sunday, June 14, the Federal Aviation Administration confirmed to PEOPLE that a crash took place near the Butler Memorial Airport just after 11:30 a.m. local time, killing 11 passengers and one pilot.

In a Tuesday, June 16, social media post, Bates County Coroner Jerret J. Reno identified the victims as: Kurt John Roy, 69, of Windber, Pa.; Michael R. Shanahan, 54, of Kansas City, Mo.; David Hershberger, 54, of Liberty, Mo.; Sai Karthik Varma Datla, 24, of India; Matthew Swope, 39, of Independence, Mo.; Dustin McKinney, 44, of Stilwell, Kan.; Jennifer L. Sharp, 55, of Grand Junction, Colo.; Blake Thacker, 25, of Olathe, Kan.; Marcus Miller, 30, of Lawrence, Kan.; Nicholas Nash, 40, of Harrisonville, Mo.; William Fischer, 23, of De Soto, Kan.; and Dane Cordes, 26, of Richmond, Mo.

"While the investigation is still ongoing and we work to reunite the deceased with their loved ones, we feel comfortable that we have the identities of those twelve passengers on board," Reno wrote.

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

Missouri Highway Patrol Sgt. Justin Ewing previously told the Associated Press that the aircraft was taking passengers up to skydive at the time of the crash. 

Speaking with USA Today, Dennis Jacobs, the acting airport manager and Bates County Emergency Management Agency director, said that nine of the 11 passengers on board were experienced skydivers. 

"They weren't able to get over 100 feet off the ground," he said, noting that the weather was very clear at the time of the crash. "It very likely will be an engine problem, but we won't know until the [National Transportation Safety Board] report."

Many of the witnesses on the ground who watched as the plane landed in a field adjacent to the airport were loved ones of the people on board. 

"One lady who was there was watching her brother [on the plane], and his wife was there, too, and she was supposed to be on the plane with them," Jacobs told USA Today.

Skydive Kansas City, the operator of the Pacific Aerospace P750 that crashed, issued a statement following the tragic event. 

"This is a devastating loss for everyone connected to Skydive Kansas City and for the wider skydiving community,” the company said. “Our deepest sympathies are with the families, friends, and loved ones of all who were lost.”

“Our immediate focus is on supporting the National Transportation Safety Board investigation and the people affected by this tragedy,” Stephen Burrows, the CEO of NZAero, which purchased Pacific Aerospace in 2021, added in a separate statement.

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In the wake of the tragedy, stories have started to emerge about the victims who perished in the crash. 

In an interview with The Washington Post,  Gloria Shanahan, the mother of victim Michael Shanahan, said her son was a union steelworker who took up skydiving more than 10 years ago after his sister died of breast cancer. She described him as “a wonderful son, a great dad and doted on his six grandchildren immensely.”

Loved ones said he was also "excited" to retire, a milestone that was about a year away, per the Kansas City Star.

Another person killed in the crash, David Hershberger, was identified as a music teacher with the North Kansas City School District and a member of Kansas City Wind Symphony, per ABC affiliate KMBC.

“He shared his talent with many groups across the KC metro, including the Liberty Symphony Orchestra, and was always eager to help and give freely of his time and his talent. He will be dearly missed,” the Kansas City Wind Symphony wrote in a Facebook tribute to Hershberger.

In a GoFundMe created to support victim Dustin McKinney's family, friend Jessica Cook described McKinney as “the most unapologetically authentic person i have ever known and would help anyone with his caring and love.”

Meanwhile, Dorcie Swope said son Matthew Swope died doing what he loved. "Please pray for his 3 sisters, 2 brothers, myself and entire family as we traverse this unknown territory," she wrote.

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Connor Habiger, a friend of victim William Fischer, told the Kansas City Star in a statement that Fischer was introduced to skydiving during a trip to Colorado. 

"For him, it was love at first sight," Habiger told the outlet. "I think skydiving made him feel free."

Another victim with a "passion for the skies" was Jen Sharp, worked for the United States Parachutes Association as its director of technology.

"Jen was a remarkable force whose passion for the skies was matched only by her dedication to the people in our sport," Albert Berchtold, USPA's executive director, said in a statement. "Her loss leaves an unfillable void in our office, our community, and our hearts. We are incredibly grateful for the years of laughter, innovation, and friendship we shared with her." 

In announcing the names of the victims Tuesday, coroner Reno added: "We ask that you allow time and pray for everyone involved as this investigation will take months to complete and has touched people nationwide."