Tragic Crash of Private Jet in Maine Amidst Winter Storm

Tue Feb 03 2026 14:24:54 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A private jet carrying eight people has crashed in Maine during a severe winter storm, raising concerns over safety as travel chaos spreads across the U.S.

A Bombardier Challenger 600 private jet crashed shortly after takeoff from Bangor International Airport in Maine, carrying eight individuals. The incident occurred around 7:45 PM local time amid a dangerous winter storm affecting much of the country. As of now, the fate of those onboard remains unknown, and emergency services are on the scene as the airport is closed. Visibility issues were reported minutes before the crash, contributing to widespread flight cancellations and disruptions due to heavy snowfall forecasted in the region.

A private jet carrying eight people has crashed while taking off from Bangor International Airport in the US state of Maine, aviation authorities have said.

The Bombardier Challenger 600 went down at around 19:45 local time (00:45 GMT on Monday). The fate and identities of those on board were not immediately clear.

The incident occurred as a dangerous winter storm barreled across a large swathe of the US, resulting in fatalities and power outages. Pilots had reportedly been struggling with visibility at the airport before the crash.

Bangor has been under a winter storm warning until Tuesday, with heavy snowfall forecast.

Following the incident, Bangor International Airport was closed, and emergency crews are responding, urging the public to avoid the area.

Audio captured from air traffic control, reported by CBS News, revealed discussions about poor visibility minutes before the crash. Soon after, a controller reported an 'upside down passenger aircraft'. Images from the scene depict smoke and flames on the runway.

Travel chaos continues due to the storm, with over 11,000 flights canceled and nearly 5,500 delayed across the US on Sunday, based on data from FlightAware. Major airports in Philadelphia, Washington DC, Baltimore, North Carolina, New York, and New Jersey are particularly affected.

The National Weather Service forecasts between 10 to 16 inches (25-40 cm) of snow to accumulate in parts of Maine, including Bangor, by Tuesday morning.