Aircraft with 8 aboard crashes and overturns at Bangor International Airport in US

A small passenger aircraft crashed and flipped over at Bangor International Airport in Maine on Sunday night (local time), prompting a major emergency response and forcing authorities to shut down the runway, the Federal Aviation Administration said. 

The airport confirmed the situation in a brief statement on social media, writing: "Please avoid the airport. The runway is closed at this time." Emergency crews were first called to the scene at around 8 pm local time following reports of an aircraft in distress. 

Flight-tracking service FlightRadar24 reported that the aircraft involved in the Bangor International Airport crash was a Bombardier Challenger 600. Data from its ADS-B signal shows the jet had arrived from Houston and was attempting to take off again when the incident occurred.

Emergency response underway

A source briefed on the situation told CNN that the private jet was carrying eight people when it crashed during take-off on Sunday evening. The source said the severity of their injuries was not yet known, stressing that the details were still preliminary.

Firefighters and rescue personnel from several departments across Maine – including crews from Bangor, Glenburn and Hermon – rushed to the airfield after initial alerts indicated an aircraft incident on the runway. Responders arrived to find the aircraft overturned, according to preliminary accounts.

Local broadcaster WABI-TV aired images showing a heavy presence of emergency vehicles across the runway, with plumes of smoke rising from the area. Snowfall appeared dense at the time, though it remains unclear whether weather conditions played any role in the crash.

Federal records list the aircraft as being registered to a limited liability company based in Houston.

Airport confirms ongoing investigation

Officials at Bangor International Airport issued a public update at 8:25 pm, confirming that an incident had occurred and that emergency responders were at the site. They also urged the public to avoid the airport while operations remained suspended.

Authorities have not yet disclosed the type of aircraft involved or how many individuals were on board, though initial indications suggest the plane may have been a small passenger jet or business aircraft. No official word has been released regarding injuries or casualties.

Scene shrouded in heavy snow

Footage from the scene showed the aircraft lying upside down on the airfield as poor weather conditions persisted. Smoke could be seen in some images, though officials have not yet identified what caused the crash.

The incident occurred as a powerful snowstorm moved across the northeastern United States. Temperatures in Maine had plunged well below freezing on Sunday night, and light snowfall contributed to severely reduced visibility.

Bangor International Airport offers direct flights to cities like Orlando, Florida, Washington, D.C., and Charlotte, North Carolina, and is located about 200 miles (320 kilometers) north of Boston.

The Bombardier Challenger 600 is a wide-bodied business jet configured for 9 to 11 passengers. It was launched in 1980 as the first private jet with a walk-about cabin' and remains a popular charter option.