Portland, Maine — Six people were killed in a fire Plane crash In Maine, they were traveling to determine the next travel destination for high-net-worth clients when their small plane flipped over on the runway during takeoff.
They included a celebrity chef, a bartender and an event planner who works for Tara Arnold, 46, a Houston lawyer turned businesswoman and philanthropist. Local police confirmed the deaths of Arnold and three others on Tuesday. They were flying from Houston to the Champagne region of France, stopping in Bangor to refuel, when the Bombardier Challenger 600 plane crashed. It crashed when a blizzard moved in And it caught fire.
Police on Tuesday also confirmed the death of bartender Shelby Koiawa, 34, of Hawaii. Pilots Jacob Hosmer, 47, of Pearland, Texas, and Jordan Riddle, 33, of Texas; The victims previously identified by family or others are event planner Shawna Collins, 53, of Houston, and chef Nick Mastrascosa, 43, of Hawaii.
A Louisiana native, Arnold began her career in mergers and acquisitions, some in the oil and gas industry, and then represented clients that included victims of marine accidents. She was married and had two young children. Her husband, Curt, co-founded Arnold & Itkin, a personal injury firm where she worked.
The Arnolds recently started a concierge service behind For travelers who can meet all their real estate needs in Turks & Caicos and Telluride, Colorado, for up to $15,000 to $30,000 per night.
The couple, along with company co-founder Jason Itkin and his wife, pledged $40 million to the University of Texas in 2024, and their names were placed on the school’s towering football scoreboard.
Mastrascosa, an executive chef on Hawaii’s Big Island, was overseeing restaurants at the Four Seasons and other resorts. He was married and the father of three children.
“This was the role he cherished most. He shared with them everything he loved: football, nature, curiosity, and a deep appreciation for life,” a family statement said.
“Nick loved life. He embraced it with joy, humor, compassion and spirit. He believed in connection — in bringing people together, in shared meals, stories, laughter, and simply being there for each other,” the family said.
Mastrascosa told his father that he was going to France for his new job to look for property to build a hotel, his father, Jorge Mastrascosa, told The Associated Press.
Koyawa, 34, a wine connoisseur, spent time growing up in Europe and Asia, which led her to a career in hospitality, according to the travel company’s website. She worked at high-end properties in Hawaii and Vail, Colorado, after graduating from New Mexico State University, and has worked with Mastrascosa at Kona Golf Resort in recent years.
The website said she is looking forward to sharing her “love of storytelling through food and wine” in her latest job. Family members did not respond to messages seeking comment.
Lakewood Church in Houston, run by Joel Osteen Ministries, confirmed that Collins, a longtime employee, was among those killed.
“Everyone loved her,” said church spokesman Donald Iloff Jr. “She had that kind of personality.”
Her social media posts showed Collins planned parties for the law firm and children’s birthday parties for the Arnold family in Hawaii, Italy and at the University of Texas Stadium. She was also looking forward to her daughter’s wedding this year.
“She celebrated it all, whether it was something huge or very mundane. She loved deeply, cared deeply, showed up fully, and gave of herself without hesitation,” friend Amy McDonald wrote in a social media post.
Hosmer, remembered by friends for his ever-present smile and love of pickleball, joined Arnold & Aitken in May as flight crew commander. He is a longtime pilot and flight instructor, and registered a company called Platinum Skies Aviation LLC in Texas in late 2024, online records showed.
He was married with two sons, according to a GoFundMe set up on behalf of the family. His relatives confirmed his death to The Associated Press.
“Knowing Jake, as he was affectionately called, meant knowing love, kindness, hospitality and true friendship,” the fundraising flyer said. “He had the kind of laugh that made you laugh just by hearing it.”
The plane, a 2020 model, made short flights in the days before the crash between Houston and Austin, Texas. Bangor International Airport is one of the closest refueling stations in the United States for private planes bound for Europe.
The cause of the accident has not been determined. Experts say the NTSB will likely focus on getting closer storm And questions about whether ice accumulated on the wings prevented the plane from taking off in the air, as had happened at least twice before in this model. However, the agency will take into account all possible factors.
___ Kelleher reported from Honolulu and Dale reported from Philadelphia.