A high-profile Texas legal family and an aviation newcomer are among those grieving after officials identified some of the first victims in a tragic private jet crash in Maine that killed all six people on board over the weekend. The aircraft, a twin-engine Bombardier Challenger 600, flipped over and burst into flames during takeoff at Bangor International Airport Sunday evening — just moments after someone on the radio eerily declared, “Let there be light.”

Among the victims was 46-year-old attorney Tara Arnold, the wife of prominent Houston law firm founder Kurt Arnold. The couple lived with their two children in an $11 million home and worked together at Arnold & Itkin, a powerhouse personal-injury firm known for multimillion-dollar verdicts and political donations. Tara was reportedly en route to Paris with several others on board when the plane crashed shortly before 8 p.m. “She is a phenomenal person, a bold leader, and someone with a heart of service,” Texas lawmaker Lesley Briones said, describing Tara as a close friend.

The plane was registered to Arnold & Itkin, though neither Kurt Arnold nor his business partner Jason Itkin was aboard. Sources told ABC13 the trip was business-related. Event planner Shawna Collins was also identified as a victim; her daughter confirmed she had been heading to Europe for work.

The jet’s captain, 47-year-old Houston-area pilot Jacob Hosmer, also perished. His grieving father expressed both heartbreak and hope in the midst of unimaginable loss. “He’s in Heaven now with Jesus,” Gary Hosmer told KPRC2. Friends remembered Jake as joyful, kind, and deeply committed to his family. “I would describe him as a great pilot, a loving husband, and a phenomenal father,” one longtime friend said. “He was always kind. He was always laughing.” Hosmer had joined Arnold & Itkin as a pilot less than a year ago after working for several private aviation companies.

Officials say the runway was covered in snow as Winter Storm Fern pushed through the Northeast. Investigators have not determined whether the weather contributed, but aviation experts note that Challenger 600-series jets have a documented history of takeoff issues in cold, icy conditions. “If there was any kind of precipitation at all, freezing precipitation, they would have needed to clean off those wings before they took off,” aviation consultant Jeff Guzzetti told reporters, adding that the NTSB is likely to explore that angle closely.

The fiery crash shut down Bangor’s airport and left families, colleagues, and friends reeling. For those who knew the victims, the tragedy feels both sudden and deeply personal — lives interrupted mid-journey, families left with lingering questions, and a community now holding tight to faith amid grief.