All six people aboard a private jet were killed in Maine on Sunday when the aircraft flipped upside down and crashed during take-off in heavy snow – with chilling audio capturing someone saying, “Let there be light” moments before the tragedy.
The victims were not immediately identified, but the doomed jet was registered to one of the founding partners of a major Texas personal-injury law firm, Arnold & Itkin.
Kurt Arnold and Jason Itkin, the firm’s owners, are mega-donors to Texas Longhorns football — pledging a combined $40 million to the college program — and to local Republican causes, the Houston Chronicle reported.
A crashed private jet on the ground with smoke and emergency personnel in the snow at night.4
The twin-engine turbo-fan Bombardier Challenger 600 flipped upside down during a deadly crash at Bangor International Airport.WABI
The twin-engine turbo-fan Bombardier Challenger 600 went up in flames after it went down at Bangor International Airport at about 7:45 p.m. during Winter Storm Fern, the Federal Aviation Administration said.
In a radio recording taken as the plane was preparing to take off, an unidentified voice could be heard saying, “Let there be light.”
It wasn’t clear if a pilot or an air traffic controller made the remark or what specifically they may have been referring to at the time.
Minutes later, another voice could be heard repeatedly shouting, “All traffic is stopped on the field!” — as emergency crews rushed to the scene.
Emergency services at the scene of the Bombardier Challenger 600 crash at the Bangor Airport in Maine.4
The fatal incident at the Maine airport left at least six people dead.AP
Audio from air traffic controllers captured someone saying, “Aircraft upside down, we have a passenger aircraft upside down,” roughly 45 seconds after the jet was cleared to take off.
Officials initially said there were seven people aboard the doomed plane, with six killed but a crew member miraculously surviving with serious injuries.
The airport later said in a statement on its Web site Monday, “According to the flight manifest there were six people on the flight.
“No one from the incident was transported to the hospital, and all on the flight are presumed to be deceased.”
Firefighters attending to a crashed Bombardier Challenger 650 private jet at Bangor International Airport, Maine.4
The twin-engine turbo-fan Bombardier Challenger 600 went up in flames after it went down at Bangor International Airport at about 7:45 p.m. during Winter Storm Fern, the Federal Aviation Administration said.@Turbinetraveler/X
Sgt Jeremy Brock, public information officer with the Bangor Police Department, reiterated what the airport said about the flight manifesto saying six people were onboard at the time, adding, “We are operating under the presumption that all that were on the aircraft are deceased until we can officially confirm that information through the investigation.
“I have no information available to me over the past 24 hours that indicates that ground staff was injured as a result of this incident,” he added.
The cause of the wreck is still under investigation.
Preliminary details indicate the business jet crashed as it was trying to take off and quickly exploded into flames, investigators said.
Snowfall was heavy at the time, but only a couple of inches had fallen at that point.
Other planes were taking off safely at the time, officials said.
The Bombardier Challenger 600 has a history of problems with icing on takeoff – with even a little bit of ice on the wings known to cause issues, according to aviation safety consultant Jeff Guzzetti.
The plane, which had landed at Bangor from Houston at 6:09 p.m., would have been sitting outside in the snowstorm before trying to take off again.
Planes were being deiced at the airport at the time of the crash, airport officials said — but it wasn’t known if the business jet had been treated.
A snow-covered field at night with flashing red and blue lights and smoke in the distance.4
Preliminary details indicate the business jet crashed as it was trying to take off and quickly exploded into flames, investigators said.WABI
“Given the weather conditions at the time and the history of wind contamination with this particular aircraft, I’m sure that’s something the NTSB is going to look into immediately,” Guzzetti said.
“If there was any kind of precipitation at all, freezing precipitation, they would have needed to clean off those wings before they took off,” he said.
In addition to Texas college football, both lawyers Arnold and Itkin are also political donors who created a PAC to “protect the constitutional rights of all Texans” — contributing to Republicans in the Lone Star State.
The airport was closed immediately after the crash and won’t reopen until at least noon on Wednesday.
The attorney wife of an elite Texas law firm partner, an event planner and a pilot who joined the company less than a year ago were among six people killed when a private jet flipped over and burst into flames at a Maine airport over the weekend — just after a voice over the radio said, “Let there be light.’’
Tara Arnold — a 46-year-old powerhouse lawyer who lived with her two kids and mega-wealthy husband in a Houston mansion — was en route to Paris with those on board the plane when it crashed Sunday evening, killing everyone, according to records and reports.
Tara Arnold was killed when the plane registered to her husband Kurt Arnold’s personal-injury firm — Arnold & Itkin Law — crashed Sunday evening, with friends recalling her as a “phenomenal person” after her death was confirmed, according to WMTW.9
Tara Arnold was killed when the plane registered to her husband Kurt Arnold’s personal injury firm, Arnold & Itkin Law, crashed Sunday evening in Bangor, Maine.Arnold & Itkin LLP
The plane was registered to Tara’s husband Kurt Arnold’s successful personal injury firm — Arnold & Itkin Law — where she also worked.
Kurt Arnold and his business partner Jason Itkin were not on the plane when it crashed, sources told ABC 13.
But Kurt’s wife was a passenger on the doomed aircraft, the sources said.
Local Texas lawmaker Lesley Briones on Monday spoke highly of Tara — but later acknowledged not having firsthand knowledge she was killed in the plane wreck.
DEVELOPING: CHALLENGER 650 CRASHES DURING TAKEOFF IN MAINE 9
The twin-engine Bombardier Challenger 600 was taking off from a snow-covered runway at Bangor International Airport when it crashed and exploded, killing everyone on board, officials said.@Turbinetraveler/X
“I am close friends with Kurt and Tara Arnold,” Briones reportedly said.
“She is a phenomenal person, a bold leader, and someone with a heart of service,” Briones said.
Jacob Hosmer, a 47-year-old Houston-area pilot who was the captain of the flight, also died during the wreck, his father confirmed to KPRC2.
“He’s in Heaven now with Jesus,” grieving dad Gary Hosmer told the outlet.
Hosmer had been working as a pilot for Arnold and Itkin since May 2025. He had held previous positions with Wing Aviation, Apollo Aviation and Priester Aviation, all of which frequently run private charter jets, according to his LinkedIn.
Pilot Jacob Hosmer was killed in the Bangor Maine plane crash9
Jacob Hosmer, a 47-year-old Houston-area pilot who was captain of the flight, also died in the wreck.LinkedIn
Pilot Jacob Hosmer was killed in the Bangor Maine plane crash9
Hosmer had been working as a pilot for Arnold and Itkin since May 2025.LinkedIn
Friends of Hosmer described him as a loving and kind father and husband.
“I would describe him as a great pilot, a loving husband, and a phenomenal father,” a longtime friend told the outlet.
“He was always kind. He was always laughing.”
A third victim was identified by ABC13 as event planner Shawna Collins.
Collins’ daughter confirmed her mom’s death to the outlet and said the passengers aboard the plane were going to Europe for a business trip.
Shawna Collins was ID’d as the third victim of the deadly Bangor Maine plane crash9
The third victim was identified as event planner Shawna Collins.Instagram / Shawna Collins
The plane — a twin-engine Bombardier Challenger 600, which can seat up to 11 people — was taking off from a snow-covered runway at Bangor International Airport around 7:45 p.m. when it crashed back onto the runway and exploded, killing everyone on board, officials said.
A moment before takeoff, a voice was eerily heard over the flight’s radio communications saying, “Let there be light,” although it’s unclear what that meant.
“All traffic is stopped on the field!” an air traffic controller then quickly shouted.
“Aircraft upside down, we have a passenger aircraft upside down,” a controller added as emergency crews rushed to the wreck.
Tara Arnold was part of a prominent Texas family known for multi-million-dollar donations to Lone Star State Republican causes, as well as to the Texas Longhorns football program.9
Arnold was part of a prominent Texas family known for multimillion-dollar donations to Lone Star State Republican causes, as well as to the Texas Longhorns football program.LinkedIn
Private jet with 8 people on board crashes in Bangor, Maine 9
The crash occurred as Winter Storm Fern was battering Maine and much of the East Coast.FAA
Kurt Arnold and his law partner Jason Itkin, as well as both their wives, were known to make multimillion-dollar donations to Lone Star State Republican causes, as well as to such things as the Texas Longhorns football program, to which they pledged $40 million.
Tara, a Louisiana native, worked at the firm, specializing in offshore workplace injuries, after graduating with high honors from Tulane Law School.
She and her husband and kids lived together in an $11 million Houston home.
The doomed jet had landed in Bangor around 6 p.m. for apparent refueling after taking off from Houston and then was taking off again in the blizzard en route to Paris when the tragedy struck, KHOU reported.
Tara and Kurt Arnold with their kids9
The Arnolds with their children.KNOWAutism Foundation
Founders of the Arnold and Itkin Law Firm and their wives are seen from left; Kurt Arnold, Tara Arnold, Kisha Itkin, and Jason Itkin in an undated Facebook photo. Six people aboard a private jet were killed in Maine on Sunday, Jan, 25, 2026 when the aircraft flipped upside down and crashed during take-off in heavy snow from Winter storm Fern. 9
Kurt and Tara Arnold with Kisha and Jason Itkin. Kurt and Jason founded the Arnold and Itkin Law Firm.Arnold & Itkin LLP
Arnold & Itkin Law has not issued any public statements on the tragedy and did not respond to requests for comment from The Post.
It remains unclear what role Winter Storm Fern may have played in the wreck.
Several other planes were taking off before the wreck, but the airport was also de-icing aircraft waiting on the tarmac — and it remains unclear whether the ill-fated jet had been a part of those procedures.
Bombardier Challenger 600s have had a history of takeoff troubles during inclement cold-weather takeoffs — with small ice accumulations being known to affect the craft, according to aviation consultant Jeff Guzzetti.
“Given the weather conditions at the time and the history of wind contamination with this particular aircraft, I’m sure that’s something the NTSB is going to look into immediately,” he said.
“If there was any kind of precipitation at all, freezing precipitation, they would have needed to clean off those wings before they took off,” Guzzetti added.
The wreck left the airport closed, and it is not expected to reopen until Wednesday.
