Six Presumed Dead After Business Jet Crash at Bangor International Airport

Business Jet Crashes at Bangor Airport During Snowstorm

Police in Maine stated that six people on a private business jet are presumed dead after the aircraft crashed at Bangor International Airport on the evening of January 25, 2026.

The aircraft, a Bombardier Challenger 600, crashed around 7:45 p.m. at the airport in Bangor, Maine. Authorities said the crash occurred during a snowstorm, as the region was experiencing steady snowfall. The National Weather Service in Caribou, Maine, reported that Bangor International Airport received nearly 10 inches of snow in total, and noted that snowfall was just beginning at the time of the crash.

Conflicting Early Reports Clarified by Police

A preliminary report posted online by the Federal Aviation Administration initially indicated that there were seven fatalities after the plane came to rest inverted and caught fire. The FAA had also previously said one crew member survived with serious injuries. Police later stated that, according to the flight manifest, there were six people on board and that all six were presumed to be deceased. The FAA deferred to local law enforcement and the National Transportation Safety Board regarding information on casualties.

The NTSB confirmed that it is investigating the crash, along with the FAA. The NTSB stated it has no role in releasing information about victims, indicating that such details are handled by local authorities.

Emergency Response and Airport Closure

Bangor International Airport issued a statement that emergency crews were on the scene following what it described as an incident involving a single aircraft departing the airport. In an image taken from video provided by WABI television, emergency crews were shown working at the crash site of the Bombardier Challenger 600 on January 25, 2026.

The airport was closed after the incident and remained closed on Monday morning, according to the Bangor Police Department. The airport urged people to avoid the area and said the crash led to the cancellation of other flights.

Details on Aircraft and Ownership

Records show that the crashed Bombardier Challenger 600 was registered to a law firm based in Houston, Texas. The plane had landed at Bangor from Houston at 6:09 p.m., according to FlightRadar24.com, placing it on the ground for more than an hour before the attempted departure during which the crash occurred.

The Bombardier Challenger 600 is a wide-bodied business jet typically configured to carry between nine and eleven passengers. It was launched in 1980 as the first private jet with a walk-about cabin and remains in use as a charter aircraft.

Conditions at the Time of the Crash

The crash took place as a massive winter storm affected New England and much of the United States, bringing sleet, freezing rain, and snow across a wide area. The storm halted air and road traffic in multiple regions and caused power outages for hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses in the Southeast. Commercial air traffic was heavily disrupted nationwide on the same weekend, with more than 11,000 flights canceled and nearly 5,500 delayed on Sunday, according to flight tracking data cited in the report.

According to audio captured by LiveATC.net, air traffic controllers and pilots discussed visibility conditions minutes before the crash, though it was not clear which specific aircraft were involved in those conversations. After the crash, one controller was heard reporting that there was a passenger aircraft upside down.

Airport and Official Statements

Bangor International Airport is located about 200 miles north of Boston and serves as the largest airport in northern and eastern Maine. Airport director Jose Saavedra declined to comment on victim information at a news conference on Monday, stating that he was awaiting guidance and support from federal partners.

Saavedra said the airport has crews that respond to weather storms on a regular basis and described such responses to weather events as normal operations for the facility.