A private jet carrying eight people caught fire and crashed during takeoff from a Maine airport, the United States aviation regulator reported, with the passengers’ identities and condition not yet confirmed.
The Federal Aviation Administration said the crash involved a twin-engine Bombardier Challenger 600 at Bangor International Airport around 7:45 p.m. on Sunday and that an investigation is planned.
Few details have emerged, but a government official familiar with the situation told Reuters that a large fire broke out following the crash.
Weather reports indicated light snow had begun falling at the airport before the incident, though authorities have not suggested that conditions contributed to the accident.
At the time, a winter storm warning was in effect for much of Maine, including Bangor, the state’s third-largest city.
The government official said the plane had flown to Maine from Texas. The registered owner shares a Houston address with Arnold & Itkin, a personal injury law firm.
FAA records indicate the aircraft entered service in April 2020.
