Latest / Aviator Daily Briefing / Aviator Daily Briefing — Thursday, June 18th, 2026
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- Aviator Daily Briefing — Thursday, June 18th, 2026 [Today's Top Stories] • 12 Dead After Skydiving Plane Crashes at Butler, Mo., Airport • 12 Dead as Skydiving Aircraft Crashes After Takeoff in Missouri • Eve Air Mobility Funding 2026: $230M Raised to Push eVTOL Certification • One Killed in NetJets Citation Latitude Crash on Laredo Highway 12 Dead After Skydiving Plane Crashes at Butler, Mo., Airport BUTLER, Mo. — Federal investigators are examining a fatal aviation accident that killed 12 people shortly after takeoff from Butler Memorial Airport on Sunday, June 14, 2026. The aircraft — a Pacific Aerospace 750XL operated for Skydive Kansas City — crashed and caught fire approximately 300 yards past the runway end, according to Bates County Sheriff Chad Anderson. All 11 skydivers and the pilot aboard were killed. Witnesses and airport officials say the aircraft experienced a loss of power during its initial climb. Dennis Jacobs, an airport official, said the plane made a sharp left turn before stalling and striking the ground nose-first. Aviation analyst Jeff Guzzetti said the sequence is consistent with an "impossible turn" scenario, in which a pilot attempts to circle back to the runway after engine failure at too low an altitude to do so safely. The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation with support from the Federal Aviation Administration. A preliminary report is expected within 30 days; a final probable-cause determination typically takes 12 to 24 months. Missouri State Highway Patrol confirmed no evidence of criminal activity. Victims included both experienced and novice jumpers, among them community member Jen Sharp. The crash is reported to be Missouri's deadliest aviation accident since 2004. 12 Dead as Skydiving Aircraft Crashes After Takeoff in Missouri BUTLER, Mo. — A skydiving aircraft carrying 11 jumpers and one pilot crashed and burst into flames shortly after takeoff from Butler Memorial Airport on Sunday morning, killing all 12 people on board. The aircraft — a Pacific Aerospace 750XL operated by Skydive Kansas City — was approximately 100 feet above the ground when it encountered trouble, according to ABC News. Witnesses and city officials said the aircraft struggled to gain altitude and appeared to attempt an emergency landing on a nearby roadway before stalling and going down in a field roughly 300 yards from the runway. The Missouri State Highway Patrol confirmed there were no survivors among the 12 on board, which included seven solo jumpers, two tandem pairs and the pilot. The National Transportation Safety Board is leading a joint investigation with the FAA. Early focus has centered on a possible engine malfunction immediately after takeoff. Aviation analysts, including former NTSB investigator Jeff Guzzetti, noted that low-altitude engine failures often leave pilots with insufficient airspeed and altitude to safely return to the runway — a scenario commonly referred to as the "impossible turn." Skydive Kansas City said it is cooperating fully with federal and local investigators. A final NTSB probable-cause report is expected within 12 to 24 months. Eve Air Mobility Funding 2026: $230M Raised to Push eVTOL Certification Eve Air Mobility has secured $230 million through a registered direct offering of 47.4 million shares, priced at $4.85 per share, marking a major milestone in the company's eve air mobility funding 2026 strategy. The raise is anchored by Embraer and BNDESPAR — the investment arm of Brazil's national development bank, BNDES — alongside additional institutional investors. According to SEC filings, proceeds are designated for development, certification and industrialization of the company's electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, with the offering expected to close by Aug. 15, 2025. Beyond the aircraft itself, funding will support expansion of Eve's broader urban air mobility (UAM) ecosystem, including air traffic management software and support services. The capital injection provides a critical liquidity runway as Eve navigates the resource-intensive transition from prototyping to full-scale production — a stage that has challenged multiple eVTOL competitors globally. Eve is pursuing type certification simultaneously with ANAC, the FAA and EASA, leveraging Embraer's deep aerospace engineering and regulatory expertise. In a concurrent move to broaden its investor base, Eve is implementing a dual listing in the U.S. and Brazil. The company has received approval to list Brazilian Depositary Receipts (BDRs) on the B3 exchange under the ticker "EVEB31," priced at R$26.21 per BDR. The structure gives Eve access to both North American and Brazilian capital markets at a pivotal moment in the competitive global eVTOL race. One Killed in NetJets Citation Latitude Crash on Laredo Highway A NetJets-operated Cessna Citation Latitude crashed onto Texas State Highway Loop 20 near Laredo on Tuesday evening, killing one person and injuring five others. The aircraft, registration N523QS, was en route from San José del Cabo, Mexico, to Austin when the crew declared an emergency, reporting mechanical difficulties, low fuel and a loss of engine power while diverting to Laredo International Airport (LRD). The airport's director, Gilberto Sanchez, said the crew lost radio contact with the control tower shortly before impact, indicating the aircraft may have been gliding unpowered toward the runway when it went down. The aircraft burst into flames on impact, triggering a desperate rescue by witnesses and first responders. According to the Laredo Police Department, multiple bystanders stopped their vehicles and ran toward the burning fuselage to pull occupants free. A firefighter entered the smoke-filled cabin to reach at least one remaining survivor. Two pilots and three teenage passengers survived the crash; all five have since been released from the hospital. The sole fatality has been identified as Joshua Baer, CEO and co-founder of Capital Factory and a prominent figure in the Austin technology community. The National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA have opened a formal investigation into the cause of the accident. Preliminary indications point to a total loss of power during the final approach, though investigators have not yet determined a root cause. You can get the latest aviation news at https://aviatordb.com