Four out of six victims in fatal plane crash identified by loved ones

BANGOR, Maine (WABI) - Officials continue to search for answers as to what caused a private plane to crash during an attempted takeoff at Bangor International Airport on Sunday night.

The aircraft, which was enroute to France, had stopped at BGR after departing Houston to receive fuel and to get de-icing services prior to the accident.

According to investigators, six people on board died during the fiery crash that happened around 7:45 p.m. Sunday.

The FAA said Tuesday four were passengers and two were flight crew.

The names of the victims have not been released by investigators, but loved ones have come forward to name some of the individuals on board the Bombardier Challenger-600 N10KJ.

FAA records show the plane was registered to an address in Houston that is home to personal injury law firm Arnold & Itkin Trial Lawyers.

While the identities of the victims have yet to be confirmed by officials, at a press conference, Harris County, TX Commissioner Lesley Briones spoke about one of those deceased as her friend, Tara Arnold. According to the law firm’s website, Tara Arnold was an attorney at Arnold & Itkin and wife of the firm’s co-founder, Kurt Arnold.

“My heart goes out to them and their children and their families. I worked at Arnold & Itkin for a time and so I know them well and this is just a tragedy,” Briones said. “In particular Tara is- she’s just a phenomenal person, a bold leader, and somebody who had a heart of service. So she was very involved in Precinct 4 and our sister non-profit Precinct 4 Forward. My heart and my prayers are with Kurt and their children and all of those affected members.”

Houston CBS affiliate KHOU has identified two others on board as Shawna Collins and Nick Mastrascusa.

Shawna Collins, 53, was a staff member for Joel Osteen Ministries’ Lakewood Church. “We can confirm with great sadness that a beloved member of our church staff and treasured friend, Shawna Collins, was on the plane that crashed in Maine on Sunday evening,” the church said in a statement. “She was a light that brightened our days, and she possessed a beautiful spirit that lifted everyone she met. We loved Shawna dearly, and we will miss her more than words can express. We pray for her entire family and offer them our love and support during this difficult time.”

CBS News reports Collins’ social media posts show her work organizing parties and events in Italy, Hawaii and elsewhere, for clients that included Arnold and Itkin Trial Lawyers.

“Everybody loved her. She just had that kind of personality,” Lakewood Church spokesperson Donald Iloff Jr. told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

Collins, who was married with children and grandchildren, had also been helping plan her daughter’s wedding set for this year, Iloff added. “She was very good at it. Everybody wanted her to plan her events for them.”

A fundraiser for Nick Mastrascusa’s family says he was a chef and father of three from Hawaii who touched many lives through his “kindness, dedication, generosity and friendship.”

Another on board has been identified by friends and family as pilot Jacob Hosmer, according to CBS News.

The family of Jacob Hosmer, 47, confirmed his death on Tuesday but declined to comment further. Hosmer started working for Arnold and Itkin seven months ago as a “team captain,” according to his LinkedIn page. He had been a licensed flight instructor and the managing member of Platinum Skies Aviation LLC, incorporated in Texas in late 2024, online records show. There is no confirmation at this time if Hosmer was captaining the plane at the time of the crash.

KHOU spoke to some of Hosmer’s friends, who say outside of flying, Hosmer had a passion for pickleball. Over the years, he gained multiple friends and playing buddies on the court.

The news of his passing shocked this tight-knit community of players. And those who knew him take comfort in realizing he was doing what he loved and sharing that joy with the people he cared about.

“He sends a text that he’s in front of the beach and I’m like, ‘Man you have the life,’ and he said, ‘You know what? One of these days I’m gonna take all of my pickle ball buddies we’re going to come here,” said Shay Alhalaby, one of Hosmer’s friends.

Friends hope to coordinate a memorial event for Hosmer in the coming weeks.

CBS News reports a founding partner of the Arnold & Itkin is listed as the agent for the company that owns the plane. Partners at the firm are major donors to the University of Texas football as well as other causes. The firm has so far declined to identify the passengers or comment on the crash.

Bangor officials say the National Transportation Safety Board is now handling the investigation.