In brief
A serious incident occurred on Sunday night when a Bombardier Challenger 600 aircraft attempted to take off from Bangor International Airport, Maine, during a heavy snowstorm. The aircraft flipped over and caught fire shortly after takeoff. Federal authorities, including the FAA and NTSB, are conducting an investigation, with reports indicating there were no immediate details on the conditions of the passengers onboard. The incident occurred amidst widespread flight cancellations and disruptions across the United States due to the ongoing winter storm affecting New England and beyond.
BANGOR, Maine (OnPoint News) — A Bombardier Challenger 600 aircraft carrying eight individuals met with disaster as it flipped over and caught fire while trying to take off from Bangor International Airport in the midst of a heavy snowstorm. The crash occurred around 7:45 p.m. on Sunday, prompting investigations by federal authorities including the FAA and the NTSB.
Preliminary updates suggest that the aircraft crashed immediately after departure, which was followed by a post-crash fire. However, official details regarding the condition of the passengers have yet to be shared as investigators begin their inquiry.
Air traffic control recordings captured the chaos of the moment, elucidating the turmoil within the control tower as one officer noted, “Aircraft upside down. We have a passenger aircraft upside down,” roughly 45 seconds post-takeoff clearance.
In the wake of the crash, Bangor International Airport, which serves various destinations including Orlando, Florida, and Washington, D.C., was promptly closed and remained shut the following day. The airport is positioned approximately 200 miles north of Boston.
The crash coincides with a massive winter storm that has significantly affected travel across the eastern United States, resulting in the cancellation of around 12,000 flights and delays for nearly 20,000 others. Airports in major cities such as Philadelphia, Washington, and New York experienced severe disruptions.
The Bombardier Challenger 600, a long-standing choice for private air travel since its debut in 1980, is generally configured to accommodate nine to eleven passengers with its unique walk-about cabin design.
