A private jet registered to Houston plaintiff’s firm Arnold & Itkin crashed upon take-off at Bangor International Airport late Sunday killing all six aboard.
By Tuesday evening, officials had yet to release the names of those killed in the fiery crash, but the victims reportedly included Tara Arnold, 46, an attorney at the firm and the wife of one of its founders, Kurt Arnold.
There was also no acknowledgment of the tragedy on the firm’s website late Tuesday and media requests for information from the firm have gone unanswered.
In a statement released Tuesday, the State Bar of Texas acknowledged the Bangor tragedy and its tragic relationship to the Houston firm but cautioned that it could not confirm the identities of the victims.
Said State Bar President Santos Vargas: “The leadership and staff of the State Bar of Texas are mourning the loss of life from this tragic incident in Maine. We extend our deepest sympathy and condolences to our colleagues in Houston, and to the families and friends of the victims.”
However, Lesley Briones, a Harris County commission, who described herself as a close friend of Arnold, telling Houston’s ABC affiliate WMTW that she is mourning her loss.
“My heart hurts for them and their children and their families. I worked at Arnold & Itkin for a time and so I know them well. This is just a tragedy and in particular Tara, she is just a phenomenal person, a bold leader and somebody who had a heart of service,” Briones said.
Tara Arnold is listed as an attorney at Arnold & Itkin, a plaintiff’s law firm founded by her husband, Kurt Arnold, and Jason Itkin — neither of whom were reportedly on the plane Sunday night.
A graduate of Tulane Law School, Tara Arnold described herself on LinkedIn as a lawyer first influenced by her mother’s advocacy for victims of crime. Confessing a “relentless commitment to excellence” she notes that she graduated as valedictorian of her high school class, was summa cum laude in college and graduated magna cum laude from law school.
The private aircraft, described as a Bombardier Challenger 650, had reportedly stopped at the Bangor airport to refuel on a flight plan that would take it from Houston to Paris. The jet was taking off at about 7:45 p.m. Sunday evening when witnesses said it flipped over and erupted in flame on the tarmac killing everyone aboard.
Other victims thus far identified in media accounts include Shawna Collins, 53, who describes herself on social media as a coordinator for high-profile events. Her death as one of the passengers was confirmed Joel Osteen Ministries, one of her longtime employers, according to Houston Public Media.
Another has been identified as Nick Mastrascusa, according to the Houston Chronicle, which reported that Mastrascusa most recently served as executive chef and director of food & beverage at Discovery Land’s Kūki’o Golf and Beach Club in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.
The family of the plane’s pilot Jacob Hosmer, 47, has been acknowledged by his father as having died in the crash. “He’s in heaven now with Jesus,” Gary Hosmer told KPRC2.
Hosmer’s LinkedIn site says he started full-time as team captain with Arnold & Itkin in May 2025.