The wife of a prominent Texas attorney was among those killed in a private jet crash Sunday evening at Bangor International Airport in Maine, according to officials and family statements.

Tara Arnold, 46, the wife of Houston-based personal injury attorney Kurt Arnold, died when a Bombardier Challenger 650 business jet crashed during takeoff at approximately 7:45 p.m.

The aircraft was departing Bangor after a scheduled stop for refueling and de-icing before a planned transatlantic flight to Paris. Arnold was traveling with several friends on a leisure trip.

Emergency responders arrived to find the aircraft severely damaged and overturned on the runway, with fire and heavy smoke visible at the scene. Video and photographs from the aftermath showed the jet resting upside down as firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze.

Preliminary flight data reviewed by investigators indicates the aircraft veered to the right during the takeoff roll before losing control.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) initially reported that eight people were on board, including crew members; however, officials later acknowledged that early information may have been incomplete.

Authorities have not yet released a final passenger and crew manifest or confirmed casualty figures pending family notifications.

The jet was reportedly registered to Arnold & Itkin LLP, the Houston-based law firm co-founded by Kurt Arnold.

The firm has acknowledged the loss and requested privacy for the families involved. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have launched a joint investigation into the cause of the crash.

Tara Arnold was an accomplished attorney who had worked at Arnold & Itkin since its founding in 2005.

She earned her law degree from Tulane University and graduated magna cum laude. Early in her career, she worked in mergers and acquisitions at a large New York-based law firm before joining her husband’s practice, where she focused on complex litigation, including cases involving offshore and industrial accidents.

In professional biographies, Arnold credited her mother—also an attorney—for inspiring her to pursue a legal career. She frequently spoke about the responsibility attorneys hold in protecting clients’ futures and livelihoods.

Outside of her legal work, Arnold was known for her philanthropy and community involvement.

She and her husband were significant donors to the University of Texas, Kurt Arnold’s alma mater, contributing tens of millions of dollars to university and athletic programs. Friends and colleagues described her as deeply committed to service, family, and mentoring others.

Local officials and friends expressed condolences following news of her death. Harris County Precinct Four Commissioner Lesley Briones, who previously worked with the Arnolds, described her as “a phenomenal person, a bold leader, and someone with a genuine heart for service.”

The crash occurred amid severe winter weather conditions. At the time of the incident, temperatures at Bangor International Airport were near 1 degree Fahrenheit, with six to eight inches of snow on the ground and low visibility reported.

Air traffic control recordings indicate pilots and controllers discussed weather conditions and de-icing procedures shortly before the aircraft was cleared for takeoff. Within minutes, air traffic was halted after controllers reported an aircraft overturned on the runway.

The incident took place during Winter Storm Fern, which caused widespread travel disruptions across the United States, including thousands of canceled flights and declared states of emergency in multiple states.

The FAA and NTSB will continue their investigation, examining weather conditions, aircraft performance, runway conditions, and crew actions. Officials have stated that a full report is expected to take several months.