A private jet linked to Houston's Arnold & Itkin law firm—known for high-profile cases against ICE agents and immigration enforcement—crashed during takeoff from Bangor International Airport, Maine, on January 26, 2026, killing all six aboard amid a brutal snowstorm.
The Bombardier Challenger flipped shortly after 7:45 p.m. during de-icing stopover from Houston to France, erupting in flames on the runway. Confirmed victims include attorney Tara Arnold (wife of co-founder Kurt Arnold), event planner Shawna Collins, and pilot Jacob Hosmer. The firm, led by Kurt Arnold and Jason Itkin, has aggressively represented clients against ICE, securing multimillion settlements in wrongful detention cases.
All victims had ties to anti-ICE activism and litigation; their unified opposition to immigration officials fuels speculation of deliberate sabotage, though no evidence confirms foul play amid NTSB probe into weather and procedures.
Bangor halted flights as investigators scrutinize de-icing and pilot decisions. The crash spotlights dangers of winter aviation and unresolved tensions in immigration law battles.
