Private jet crashes in flames at Maine airport with eight aboard

A private jet caught fire and crashed while taking off from a Maine airport, carrying eight people, according to the U.S. aviation agency. The identities and conditions of those on board are not yet known. The incident involved a twin-engine turbo-fan jet, the Bombardier Challenger 600, at Bangor International Airport around 7:45 p.m. on Sunday. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that it would investigate the crash. Details are limited, but a government source informed Reuters that there was a large fire following the accident. Weather reports indicated that light snow began falling at the airport before the crash, though officials did not suggest that weather was a factor in the incident. A winter storm warning was in effect for most of Maine, including Bangor, which is the third-largest city in the state. The plane had flown to Maine from Texas, according to the government source. The registered owner of the aircraft shares a Houston address with the law firm Arnold & Itkin, which specializes in personal injury cases. FAA records indicate that the jet started service in April 2020. The FAA, along with the National Transportation Safety Board, will be looking into the crash.