The community is grappling with grief following the tragic loss of six lives in a private jet crash. The aircraft, en route to France, met a fatal fate during its takeoff from Bangor International Airport in Maine on Sunday night. The crash resulted in a fiery wreckage, leaving no survivors.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported that the jet flipped upside down and caught fire around 7:45 p.m. local time. This incident occurred amidst the harsh conditions brought on by Winter Storm Fern.

Moments before departure, a voice on the flight radio was heard saying, “Let there be light,” according to the New York Post. This chilling communication precedes the tragic event that unfolded.

Emergency response teams quickly arrived at the scene, as air traffic controllers relayed the grim situation, “Aircraft upside down. We have a passenger aircraft upside down.”

While the FAA has yet to determine the cause of the crash, they have described the circumstances during departure as “unknown.” The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has been informed and will be undertaking an investigation to uncover the details surrounding this devastating incident.

Tara and Kurt Arnold are seen in a photograph posted on social media. Tara was reportedly killed in a plane crash in Bangor, Me., Sunday. (Kurt Arnold/Facebook)

The jet was registered to a partner of personal injury law firm Arnold and Itkin Trial Lawyers in Houston.

Sources told local news station ABC13 Tara Arnold, an attorney at the firm and wife of founding partner Kurt Arnold, was aboard the doomed flight.

The Louisiana native was a 46-year-old mother of two, according to the firm’s website.

Kurt Arnold, who has won more than $20 billion in verdicts and settlements for his clients, and his business partner, Jason Itkin, were reportedly not on the flight.

Arnold and Itkin Trial Lawyers did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

Jacob Hosmer, a man identified as a victim in a fatal plane crash in Maine. (Jacob Hosmer/Facebook)

The pilot, Jacob Hosmer, 47, also perished in the crash, his father, Gary, told KPRC2.

Fellow aviator Bob Howie shared a photo of Hosmer on Facebook, describing him as a “very good friend.”

“I’m on the right, but, on the left, is my very good friend Jacob Hosmer who was pilot-in-command last night when his Challenger 650 crashed on takeoff from Bangor, Maine,” Howie wrote in a post. “I knew Jake’s co-pilot equally well and had flown with him too. God bless, you guys! Godspeed and fair winds, fellas. Loved sharing the skies with y’all. Big loss.”

Hosmer’s cousin, David Lopez Jr., also took to social media following the tragedy, calling him “a role model.”

“It’s surreal to think my cousin Jacob is no longer with us. He was the light of the room and his big smile was infectious,” Lopez wrote on Facebook. “I don’t know that I ever told him, but he was a role model to me and will be forever missed. Please pray for the entire Hosmer family during these difficult times.”

Hosmer, an experienced pilot, started working for Arnold and Itkin in May 2025, according to his LinkedIn account.

Shawna Collins, was identified by family members as one of the victims in a fatal plane crash in Maine. (Shawna Collins/Instagram)

A third victim was identified as Shawna Collins, according to ABC13.

Collins’ daughter reportedly told the outlet her mother, an event planner, was traveling to Europe for a business trip.

The identities of the six people killed on the flight have not yet been confirmed by authorities.

The airport canceled or diverted flights following the crash, and remained closed on Monday, according to a statement posted on the Bangor Maine Police Department Facebook page.