7 dead, 1 injured after Houston-registered jet crashes in Maine

This image taken from video provided by WABI television, emergency services work on a scene of the Bombardier Challenger 600 crash at the Bangor Airport in Maine, late Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (WABI via AP)

Seven people were killed and one was seriously injured after a private plane registered to a Houston address crashed Sunday night while attempting to take off from an airport in Maine, federal officials said.

The Bombardier Challenger 600 went down around 7:45 p.m. EST at Bangor International Airport as heavy snow fell across the region, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Eight people were on board. The FAA said one crew member survived the crash and was hospitalized with serious injuries.

The jet was registered to a corporation that shares a Houston address with the personal injury law firm Arnold & Itkin, according to the Associated Press. Their report named one of the firm’s founding partners as the registered agent for the company that owns the aircraft.

Arnold & Itkin represents the Getten family, one of the families currently suing Camp Mystic in Kerr County for wrongful death after 25 campers and two counselors died at the camp during historic flooding in July 2025.

Federal investigators said the jet crashed shortly after takeoff and caught fire. The National Transportation Safety Board and FAA are investigating, but officials said no additional details would be released until investigators reach the site.

An air traffic control recording captured someone saying, “Aircraft upside down,” about 45 seconds after the plane was cleared for takeoff, officials said. Investigators were unable to reach the site Monday because of heavy snow, with nearly 10 inches falling at the airport Sunday, according to the National Weather Service.

The incident came as a massive winter storm swept across much of the eastern United States, grounding thousands of flights nationwide and severely disrupting air travel. The crash triggered an immediate closure of Bangor International Airport, canceling all flights. Airport officials said the facility will remain closed until at least noon Wednesday.