Six people were killed Sunday night when a private business jet crashed during takeoff at Bangor International Airport in Maine, authorities confirmed, as new details emerged about the victims, the final moments of the flight, and the severe weather conditions surrounding the tragedy.
The aircraft, a Bombardier Challenger business jet, went down around 7:45 p.m. shortly after departing the runway in heavy winter weather. The plane was preparing to cross the Atlantic to Paris when it veered during takeoff, flipped, and caught fire, according to flight data and emergency radio traffic reviewed by multiple outlets.
Victims identified as prominent attorney, event planner, and pilot
Among those killed was Tara Arnold, a 46-year-old attorney with the Houston-based firm Arnold & Itkin. Arnold, a mother of two, worked alongside her husband, Kurt Arnold, at the firm, which confirmed she was on board the aircraft. Neither Kurt Arnold nor named partner Jason Itkin was on the flight, the firm told ABC 13.
Arnold, a Louisiana native and Tulane Law School graduate, built her legal career focusing on offshore workplace injury cases. Harris County Precinct Four Commissioner Lesley Briones, a former colleague and close friend, described her as “a phenomenal person, a bold leader, and somebody who had a heart of service,” according to remarks reported by local media.
Also killed was event planner Shawna Collins, whose daughter confirmed her death to ABC 13. Collins had spoken with her daughter shortly before the flight and was looking forward to the business trip to Europe.
The pilot was identified as Jacob Hosmer, 47, a Houston native who had been flying for Arnold & Itkin for several months. His father, Gary Hosmer, told KPRC2, “He’s in Heaven now with Jesus.” Friends described Hosmer as an experienced pilot, a devoted father, and a kind husband.
Three additional victims have not yet been publicly identified as the investigation continues.
Final moments, weather conditions, and ongoing investigation
The jet had arrived earlier Sunday from Houston and was preparing for refueling and ice removal before departing Maine, according to flight details cited by the Daily Mail. Audio from air traffic control recordings captured a voice saying, “let there be light,” minutes before the crash. Investigators have not clarified whether the remark came from a pilot or an air traffic controller, or what it referenced.
Less than two minutes after clearance for takeoff, controllers radioed that all traffic on the field had been stopped, followed by reports that an aircraft was upside down on the runway. Witnesses later told reporters the plane briefly lifted before slamming back down and erupting in flames.
The crash occurred amid harsh winter conditions. Temperatures were near 1 degree Fahrenheit, with snow accumulation reported between six and eight inches. Maine has been battered by sleet, freezing rain, and snow as Winter Storm Fern moved through the region.
The Federal Aviation Administration and other agencies are investigating the cause of the crash. Officials have said all six people on board are believed to have died almost instantly.
