A private jet carrying eight people crashed while attempting to take off Sunday night at Bangor International Airport in Maine, federal aviation officials said, as a powerful winter storm battered much of the eastern United States.
The aircraft, identified as a Bombardier Challenger 600, went down at about 7:45 p.m., according to the Federal Aviation Administration. There was no immediate information on the condition of those on board.
The FAA said it is investigating the crash alongside the National Transportation Safety Board.
Bangor International Airport confirmed that emergency crews responded to what it described as an incident involving a single departing aircraft. The airport was temporarily closed following the crash as first responders secured the scene.
The accident occurred amid widespread severe weather across New England and large parts of the country. Bangor experienced steady snowfall throughout Sunday as the winter storm system brought snow, sleet and freezing rain to much of the eastern half of the United States.
The storm caused extensive travel disruptions nationwide, grounding flights, snarling road traffic and knocking out power to hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses, particularly across the Southeast.
Commercial aviation was heavily affected, with flight-tracking service FlightAware reporting about 12,000 flight cancellations and nearly 20,000 delays on Sunday alone. Major airports in Philadelphia, Washington, Baltimore, North Carolina, New York and New Jersey were among those impacted.
Bangor International Airport, located about 200 miles north of Boston, serves as a regional hub with direct flights to destinations including Orlando, Florida; Washington, D.C.; and Charlotte, North Carolina.
The Bombardier Challenger 600 is a wide-body business jet typically configured to carry between nine and 11 passengers. Introduced in 1980, it was the first private jet designed with a full “walk-around” cabin and remains a popular option for charter operations.
Authorities said the cause of the crash has not yet been determined, and investigators will examine weather conditions, aircraft performance and other factors as the inquiry continues.
AP
