The Bangor International Airport will remain closed until at least Wednesday as federal officials begin their investigation into a fatal plane crash.
The airport cannot reopen until cleared to do so by the National Transportation Safety Board, which is leading the investigation, said Aimee Thibodeau, a spokesperson for the airport. Investigators arrived late Tuesday morning, she said.
“We cannot provide an estimate at this time but the current (notice to airmen) is that we are closed until at least noon Wednesday,” Thibodeau told the Press Herald.
Additional personnel from the NTSB and Federal Aviation Administration are expected to arrive on the scene within 48 hours, she said in a Tuesday afternoon update.
A spokesperson for the NTSB said it is unlikely to have an update on the crash until Wednesday. Investigators will document the scene, examine the aircraft and collect records like air traffic control communications and maintenance histories, the NTSB said.
After being examined at the scene, “the aircraft will then be recovered to a secure facility for further evaluation,” the board said in a written statement.
The crash, which took place around 7:45 p.m. Sunday, killed six, according to airport officials. The FAA initially reported eight onboard, but by Tuesday, it had revised that preliminary report to reflect six fatalities: two crew members and four passengers. Airport officials later confirmed those numbers.
It was the deadliest passenger plane crash in Maine in over 40 years.
Officials have not publicly named any victims. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is actively working with law enforcement to identify remains, a spokesperson said Tuesday morning.
“The NTSB has asked that the scene be preserved and at this time, the Bangor Police Department is awaiting NTSB’s approval to access the aircraft to begin the process of caring for and identifying the deceased in collaboration with the State Medical Examiner,” Thibodeau said in an email Tuesday afternoon.
The wreck was covered in a blanket of snow and ice Tuesday afternoon. A tent bearing fire department markings was set up nearby.
Snow began to fall over the Bangor airport about two hours before the crash, the National Weather Service said Sunday. By the storm’s end, more than 15 inches of snow had fallen over the Bangor airport, the weather service reported Tuesday.
A Harris County, Texas, commissioner identified one of those onboard as Tara Arnold, of the Houston-based law firm Arnold & Itkin. The plane was owned by a Texas LLC that shares an address with the firm, according to FAA and Texas public records, but a spokesperson for the firm has declined to comment on any connection to the aircraft.
Lakewood Church in Houston, run by Joel Osteen Ministries, confirmed to The Associated Press on Tuesday that longtime employee Shawna Collins, 53, was among those killed.
“She oversaw our customer service department,” church spokesperson Donald Iloff Jr. told the AP. “Everybody loved her. She just had that kind of personality.”
ABC News and local outlets in Texas have identified the pilot as Jacob Hosmer. The Press Herald has not independently verified whether Collins and Hosmer were on the plane, and family members have not responded to messages from reporters.
The plane flew to Bangor from Houston on Sunday afternoon, landing at 6:09 p.m., about an hour and a half before the crash, according to data tracked by Flightradar24.
The flight was ultimately headed to the Paris-Vatry Airport in France, the Bangor airport confirmed Tuesday afternoon. It had stopped in Bangor to refuel and be de-iced, Thibodeau said.
Bangor’s proximity to Europe makes it a relatively common stop for private planes to refuel before crossing the ocean, several aviation experts said.
Experts have suggested that ice could have been a factor in the crash. The type of plane involved, a Bombardier CL 600, has had takeoff issues related to ice before, prompting the FAA to issue guidance.
“The aircraft did receive de-icing services” before attempting to take off, Thibodeau told the Press Herald Tuesday morning, though she did not know exactly when it occurred.
Those who may have witnessed or have footage of the crash are encouraged to contact the NTSB at [email protected]. A preliminary report will be available within 30 days, and a final report issued within 12-24 months, according to the board.
Airport officials are urging those with scheduled flights to contact their airlines for guidance.
The last departure from Bangor took off at 5:33 p.m. Sunday, and the last arrival landed at 7:38 p.m., Thibodeau said.
Between Sunday evening and the airport’s projected reopening, Thibodeau said at least 35 domestic arrivals and 35 departures “have been or will be impacted” by the crash and the weather.
On Jan. 19, the airport saw more than 20 departures and more than 20 arrivals, according to data tracked by FlightAware.
Staff Writer Gillian Graham and Staff Photographer Anna Chadwick contributed to this story.
