New Delhi: Seven people were killed and one crew member survived with serious injuries after a private business jet crashed during takeoff amid a snowstorm
at Bangor International Airport in the US state of Maine, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The Bombardier Challenger 600, which was carrying eight people, went down around 7:45 pm on Sunday as severe winter weather affected New England and large parts of the country. The aircraft overturned and caught fire shortly after attempting to depart, federal authorities said.
Crash during takeoff
Audio recordings from air traffic control captured the moment the situation became clear, with one voice heard saying, “Aircraft upside down. We have a passenger aircraft upside down,” roughly 45 seconds after the jet was cleared for takeoff. Airport officials said emergency crews reached the crash site in less than a minute.
The airport, located about 200 miles north of Boston, was shut down soon after the incident and will remain closed until at least noon on Wednesday.
Investigation underway
Both the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have launched investigations into the crash. The NTSB said early information indicates the plane crashed upon departure and was followed by a fire, but added that no further details would be released until investigators reach the site in the coming days.
The agency also clarified that it does not release victim information, leaving that responsibility to local authorities. However, airport director Jose Saavedra declined to comment on the victims, saying at a Monday news conference that he was “awaiting guidance and support from federal partners.”
Severe weather backdrop
At the time of the crash, Bangor was experiencing steady snowfall, though flights were continuing to land and depart, Saavedra said. He stressed that the airport regularly operates during harsh winter conditions.
“We have crews on site that respond to weather storms on a regular basis,” Saavedra said. “This is normal for us to respond to weather events.”
The incident occurred as a powerful winter storm swept across the eastern half of the United States, bringing snow, sleet and freezing rain. The storm disrupted air and road travel and knocked out power to hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses, particularly in the Southeast.
Nationwide travel disruption
Commercial aviation was severely affected across the country, with about 12,000 flights canceled on Sunday and nearly 20,000 delayed, according to flight tracking service FlightAware. Major disruptions were reported at airports in Philadelphia, Washington, Baltimore, North Carolina, New York and New Jersey.
Bangor International Airport normally offers direct flights to cities such as Orlando, Washington, D.C., and Charlotte.
The Bombardier Challenger 600 is a wide-body business jet designed to carry between nine and 11 passengers. Introduced in 1980 as the first private jet featuring a “walk-about cabin,” it continues to be widely used for charter operations.
