First Victims Identified After Private Plane Crashed During Takeoff, Killing 6 on Board

Pilot Jacob Hosmer was among those killed in the crash at Bangor International Airport in Maine on Jan. 25, according to his father

Abigail Adams is a Human Interest Writer and Reporter for PEOPLE. She has been working in journalism for seven years.

The first victims of the fatal Maine plane crash have been identified.

A Bombardier Challenger 650 crashed during takeoff at about 7:45 p.m. local time on Sunday, Jan. 25, at Bangor International Airport, according to a statement from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) obtained by PEOPLE.

According to an updated accident notice from the FAA, six people died in the incident. Four of the deceased were passengers, while the other two on board were flight crew. There were no survivors. (The FAA said in an initial notice that seven had died, with one survivor, who was seriously injured.)

Shawna Collins/Instagram; Jacob Hosmer/Facebook; Arnold & Itkin LLP

A news release shared by the airport on Monday, Jan. 26, read, “According to the flight manifest there were six people on the flight. No one from the incident was transported to the hospital, and all on the flight are presumed to be deceased. The identities of the people on the flight are not being released publicly at this time, pending positive identification.”

Jacob Hosmer was the captain of the flight, NBC affiliate KPRC reported. The Houston-area pilot, 47, was confirmed to have been among the victims of the crash by his father, Gary.

A friend, who knew Hosmer for 15 years as an aviation specialist, said, “I would describe him as a great pilot, a loving husband, and a phenomenal father,” adding, “He was always kind. He was always laughing.”

The plane involved in the crash had arrived from Texas, according to Reuters. It is registered to a company with a Houston address shared with the personal injury law firm Arnold & Itkin.

Hosmer had Houston-based injury law firm Arnold & Itkin LLP listed as his employer on LinkedIn since May 2025

The firm’s founders, Kurt Arnold and Jason Itkin, were not on the aircraft, multiple sources told ABC affiliate KTRK.

However, Kurt’s wife, attorney Tara Arnold, was reportedly killed in the crash, sources told the outlet.

Harris County Commissioner Lesley Briones, a close friend of the family, told the outlet, “I’m close friends with Kurt and Tara Arnold, and we’re still waiting for additional information. Unfortunately, the plane went down (Sunday) evening in Maine, and my heart hurts for them, for their children, and for their families.”

Arnold & Itkin have not shared an official statement about the crash as of Tuesday, Jan. 27.

“She was a phenomenal person, a bold leader, and someone with a heart of service,” Briones continued of Tara, according to KTRK. “She was very involved in Precinct 4 and our nonprofit, Precinct 4 Forward. My heart is with Kurt, their children, and everyone affected.”

Event planner Shawna Collins was also on board the aircraft, according to her daughter, the outlet reported. Collins reportedly spoke to her daughter about the business trip just before the flight, which was heading to Europe.

The Bangor Police Department did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for confirmation of the victims’ IDs on Tuesday, Jan. 27.

In an audio recording of air traffic controllers’ conversation following the crash, one person said, “Aircraft upside down. We have a passenger aircraft upside down.”

First responders arrived at the scene less than a minute after the conversation about the upside-down aircraft, airport director Jose Saavedra said, according to the Associated Press.

The plane caught fire after the crash, according to the FAA. The exact circumstances surrounding the crash remain unclear.

The airport was being impacted by Winter Storm Fern, with snow falling at the time of the crash, CBS affiliate KHOU and Reuters reported.