Private Jet Linked To Houston Attorneys Crashes During Takeoff Amid Winter Storm
A private jet carrying eight people crashed while attempting to take off from a Bangor, Maine, airport Sunday evening (Jan. 25).
UPDATE (8:00 p.m. EST Jan. 27):
Nick Mastrascusa has been identified as the fourth victim in Sunday’s tragic plane crash in Bangor, Maine.
Mastrascusa’s wife confirmed to ABC13 that her husband was among those killed. Mastrascusa was serving as the executive vice president of hospitality for Go Beyond Luxury, a travel company owned by Kurt and Tara Arnold. Tara also perished in the crash.
Mastrascusa was a Culinary Institute of America alum and trained at some of the most elite restaurants in the world. His resume includes roles as Executive Chef at the Ritz-Carlton, Palm Beach, Executive Chef and Director of Food & Beverage at Discovery Land’s Kuki’o Golf and Beach Club on the Big Island of Hawaii, and Executive Chef at Four Seasons Resort New York and Four Seasons Hualalai.
UPDATE (11 a.m. EST Jan. 27):
A third victim has been identified as Shawna Collins, a Houston-area event planner. Collins’ daughter confirmed the news to a local media outlet. She shared that she last spoke to her mother just before the flight and her mother expressed her excitement over the upcoming trip to Europe.
UPDATE (7:30 p.m. EST on Jan. 26):
The names of some of the victims are emerging following Sunday’s tragic plane crash in Bangor, Maine. As of press time, two of the deceased have been identified by family or friends.
Houston pilot, Jacob Hosmer, was the captain of the Bombardier Challenger 600 at the time of the crash. Hosmer’s father spoke with Houston new station KPRC2 and confirmed the news, saying, “He’s in Heaven now with Jesus.”
“My heart hurts for them and their children and their families,” Briones said. “I know them well. This is just a tragedy and in particular, Tara, she is just a phenomenal person, a bold leader and somebody who had a heart of service.”
Tara Arnold is listed as an attorney for Arnold & Itkin, a Houston-area law firm her husband founded with partner Jason Itkin. She was the mother of two children, Jaxon and Isla. Her bio notes that she was active in the community and is involved in numerous community oragnizations.
UPDATE (2:30 p.m. EST on Jan. 26):
Bangor Police Sergeant Jeremy Brock issued a press release stating that previous reports have not been vetted or verified and include incorrect information.
Brock contradicted previous reports, including the official FAA incident notification, about the number of victims and their status, saying:
“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. The identities of the people on the flight are not being released publicly at this time, pending positive identification.”
This continues to be a developing story.
UPDATE (2:05 p.m. EST on Jan. 26):
The FAA released an incident report on Monday that confirmed 7 fatalities and 1 serious injury. The report indicates that those who perished were passengers and that the pilot survived but was seriously injured.
The FAA also reported that the jet came to a rest upside down and caught fire.
UPDATE (11:30 a.m. EST on Jan. 26):
On Monday morning, authorities spoke to the press and revealed new details about the plane crash that took place at the Bangor International Airport on Sunday (Jan. 25).
Airport director Jose Savedra spoke briefly to the press, offering little new information. Savedra said that authorities will not confirm the number of victims, their identities, or status until after the NTSB arrives on scene later today.
He confirmed previously released information about the timing of the crash and shared that first responders were on the scene in “under a minute.” Other emergency personnel, including National Guard and 10 municipal fire departments, arrived shortly thereafter.
The Bangor International Airport is currently closed and is expected to remain closed for at least another 24 hours.
A report issued by the NTSB states that a team of investigators is on its way to the crash site, where it will “document the scene and examine the aircraft.” A preliminary report will be available within 30 days and a full report can be expected in 12 to 24 months.
Additional updates will be posted here as they become available.
ORIGINAL STORY:
A Bombardier Challenger 600 business jet with connections to a Houston law firm landed in Bangor Sunday afternoon. Two hours later, around 7:45 p.m. local time, the aircraft was set to return to Houston, according to reports.
Audio obtained by LiveATC.net revealed a conversation between air traffic control and pilots. In the audio, they can be heard talking about low visibility and de-icing just minutes before takeoff.
The aircraft was cleared for takeoff shortly thereafter. Two minutes after being cleared, a controller can be heard saying, “All traffic is stopped on the field! All traffic is stopped on the field!”
Another controller is then heard saying, “Aircraft upside down. We have a passenger aircraft upside down.”
Witnesses reported that they saw the plane flip over while attempting to take off and burst into flames.
The crash comes amid a massive winter storm in the northeast. Temperatures in Maine are well below freezing, with snow causing very low visibility. The cause of the crash is still under investigation.
The status of those onboard is currently unknown.
In a statement posted to Facebook, the Bangor International Airport shared that the airport is closed and first responders are on scene and “are expected to be actively working the site for several more hours before additional information is available.”
The identities of those on board have not been released, but the jet’s tail number has been linked to a Houston-based law firm, Arnold & Itkin. It is unclear if the firm’s partners, Kurt Arnold and Jason Itkin, were aboard.
Both Arnold and Itkin are University of Texas graduates and made one of the largest donations in the school’s history in 2024, according to The Sporting News.
The University said that over the past nine years, the Arnold and Itkin families have pledged millions of dollars to support the school’s athletic program. According to a press release, the Kurt & Tara Arnold Family Foundation and the Jason & Kisha Itkin Family Foundation have collectively pledged $40 million to support the University of Texas athletics program.
