A private jet carrying eight people crashed during takeoff at a Maine airport Sunday night, sparking a fiery scene as a powerful snowstorm battered the region — and leaving the condition of everyone on board unclear.
Emergency crews rushed to Bangor International Airport around 7:45 p.m. after the aircraft went down shortly after departing the runway. Authorities have not confirmed how many people were injured, or the severity of any injuries, according to a source briefed on the incident.
Federal investigators say the jet — a Bombardier Challenger 650 business aircraft — crashed moments after takeoff and caught fire. The plane is registered to a Houston-based limited liability corporation, according to federal records.
“The preliminary information we have is the plane crashed upon departing the airport and experienced a post-crash fire,” the National Transportation Safety Board said in a statement Monday.
Air traffic control audio paints a dramatic picture of the moments leading up to the crash. Minutes before the incident, controllers and pilots discussed low visibility and deicing concerns as light snow fell and temperatures dipped well below freezing.
A controller cleared the jet for takeoff on Runway 33. Less than two minutes later, panic erupted over the radio.
“All traffic is stopped on the field! All traffic is stopped on the field!” a controller urgently announced.
Moments later, another voice added: “Aircraft upside down. We have a passenger aircraft upside down.”
The airport was immediately shut down as emergency vehicles flooded the runway. Controllers later indicated there were “three crew and possibly five passengers” on board.
The crash occurred as a major winter storm slammed the Northeast, creating dangerous flying conditions and severely reduced visibility across the region.
Both the Federal Aviation Administration and the NTSB are investigating the cause of the crash. Investigators plan to travel to Bangor, but officials say severe weather could delay their arrival.
The NTSB is urging anyone with surveillance footage or information related to the incident to come forward by emailing witness@ntsb.gov.
The airport remained closed Monday morning as crews continued to respond to the scene and assess the damage.
Why would they even try to fly somewhere knowing a storm was going on? That was a suicide mission.
From other sources, it was a Houston law firm… not chained together on the bottom of the ocean, but STILL A GOOD START.
Nothing flies well with ice on things and control surfaces .