Investigators Search for Cause of Texas Jet Crash
Investigators examined wreckage on Wednesday to determine why a business jet crashed on a Texas highway, resulting in the death of one person aboard. The pilots had reported mechanical problems and requested an emergency landing at a nearby airport.
The crash on Tuesday night in Laredo, near the Mexican border, spurred bystanders to leave their cars and assist police in rescuing passengers and crew from the burning plane. Videos from the chaotic scene showed individuals attempting to break the cockpit glass with a sledgehammer and using makeshift tools to open the aircraft door. A firefighter entered the smoke-filled jet to rescue one person who remained inside after others escaped.
“While the loss of life is deeply regrettable, it is a miracle that this tragedy did not become a mass fatality event,” said Laredo Mayor Victor Treviño during a news conference on Wednesday.
The cause of the crash is yet unknown. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating. Laredo Police Chief Miguel Rodriguez Jr. mentioned that crash reconstruction investigators were present at the site on Wednesday.
Authorities withheld the name of the deceased, respecting family privacy. The plane carried two pilots and three teenagers. It was a Cessna Citation Latitude twin jet, departing from San José del Cabo, Mexico, and heading to Austin, Texas. The plane was operated by NetJets, a company owned by Berkshire Hathaway, which offers fractional ownership in private jets. NetJets stated cooperation with the investigation.
The jet crashed around 10 p.m. on the Loop 20 highway, shortly after the pilots requested an emergency landing. They reported low fuel and a power outage, according to Laredo International Airport Director Gilberto Sanchez. The plane lost communications with the tower during these mechanical issues, leading to the crash.
Dashcam footage on social media showed the aircraft descending along the highway, striking a light post, and halting near the airport. The plane also hit a car, with one motorist hospitalized in stable condition, said Laredo police investigator Jose Baeza.
Social media videos depicted the plane on its side against a highway barrier, with the tail detached. Witness Zayra Garza, who captured the crash on video, noted seeing motorists help bash the cockpit glass. Three teenagers and a pilot managed to escape, while another crew member attempted to rescue an unconscious passenger. Smoke overwhelmed police officers assisting at the scene, resulting in five officers being treated for smoke inhalation.
Garza, an esthetician driving coworkers, worried about the potential for explosion. “What was worrying me was the fire,” she said. “I was concerned that it could have exploded at any time.”
This accident followed two other significant aviation incidents in three days. A B-52 crashed on Monday during a test flight at Edwards Air Force Base in California, killing all eight aboard. On Sunday, a skydiving plane crashed in Missouri, killing 12 people.