A crop duster aircraft crashed around 7 a.m. Friday morning in the vicinity of highways FF and CC in eastern Butler County, according to Poplar Bluff Regional Business Airport Director Gary Pride.
“It is a local pilot,” he clarified.
Butler County Coroner Jim Akers has confirmed that the victim was Ryan McCallister, 28, of Butler County. Pride said he was delivering fertilizer in his Air Tractor 602 to a nearby field when the accident occurred. The crash resulted in the fatality of the pilot.
Akers said the 3,000 lbs of nitrogen fertilizer caused a fire after the crash which destroyed the tail number of the aircraft. Due to the blaze, the coroner called in a forensic odontologist.
“No doubt who it is, but I want a scientific identification if possible,” Akers said.
He reported a positive dental identification at 3:45 p.m.
The Butler County Sheriff’s Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol are investigating. Pride said the National Transportation and Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration will send investigators to the crash site as well.
Butler County Sheriff Mark Dobbs speculated the crash came as a result of a mechanical failure. He said it appeared McCallister was off course and flying low to a treeline.
While the FAA and NTSB will make a final judgment, Dobbs said McCallister’s extensive flying experience likely precludes pilot error.
“It’s a very tragic situation,” he remarked. Dobbs affirmed McCallister was well known and respected in the community.
Aker said, “My condolences to the family. This is a sad day for all of us.”
McCallister spoke to the Daily American Republic in March about his long love of flying as part of Salute to Agriculture.
He shared he had made his first solo flight at age 16, earning his private pilot’s license at 17 and commercial license at 21.
He began crop dusting in 2021.
Editor's note: this article was updated at 2:15 p.m. with information from law enforcement
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