Laredo Fatal Jet Crash
NetJets Business Jet Crashes in Laredo, Killing One, Injuring Five, Amid Investigation.
Key Points
Laredo International Airport said the aircraft reported mechanical difficulties at about 9:58 p.m. CDT while en route from Los Cabos to Austin, and quoted: “The aircraft was attempting to divert to LRD when it went down on Loop 20, several miles short of the airfield, and came to rest after striking a passenger vehicle on the highway.”
Laredo Police Department spokesman Joe Baeza said authorities would not release details about the deceased victim (“who the person was, their sex, their age or anything else”) because next-of-kin notification had not been completed, adding: “We’re not going to give many details… because the notification… has not taken place.”
Laredo police provided a specific public evidence-submission portal and Baeza told residents: “We will kindly take anyone’s video or dashcams, to go ahead and send it our way. ‘It will be useful.’”
TxDOT advised motorists on detours during the closure: northbound drivers were directed to exit at 359, while southbound traffic was required to detour on Saunders; police also advised taking Bartlett or I-35 for north and south travel.
A NetJets-operated business jet crashed onto Loop 20 in Laredo, Texas, just after 10 p.m. Tuesday, killing one person and injuring five others aboard. The Cessna Citation Latitude was carrying six people from Los Cabos, Mexico, to Austin when it went down roughly three miles short of Laredo International Airport, striking a passenger vehicle on the busy highway. iHeart Radio reported that the vehicle's occupants survived and were receiving medical care.
Five Laredo police officers were hospitalized for smoke inhalation after rushing into the wreckage to pull victims free. Bystanders also stopped to help before emergency crews arrived. The FBI, NTSB, and FAA launched a joint investigation Wednesday morning as Loop 20 remained closed for much of the day.
Pilot Reported Trouble Minutes Before Contact Was Lost
At 9:58 p.m. CDT, the flight crew called Laredo International Airport to report mechanical difficulties and request an emergency diversion. Laredo International Airport stated: "The aircraft was attempting to divert to LRD when it went down on Loop 20, several miles short of the airfield, and came to rest after striking a passenger vehicle on the highway." The tower lost radar contact and radio communication just minutes after that call.
The plane descended rapidly in the dark and hit Loop 20 — one of Laredo's busiest roads — around 10:05 p.m. The impact sparked a fire. Five Laredo police officers entered the smoke-filled wreckage to extract survivors before fire crews could fully contain the blaze. All five officers were taken to local hospitals with smoke inhalation but were expected to recover.
One Dead, Five Stable — Identity Withheld Pending Family Notice
One passenger died at the scene. Five others on the plane were taken to local hospitals in stable condition. Laredo Police Department spokesman Joe Baeza said officials would not share any details about the victim. "We're not going to give many details… because the notification [to next-of-kin] has not taken place," Laredo PD said. The identities of other passengers and crew were also not released.
The struck vehicle had at least two occupants. Both survived and were also being treated at area hospitals. Officials praised the bystanders who stopped to help pull people from the burning aircraft before first responders arrived. Local media described several "Good Samaritans" who acted quickly in the chaos.
FBI, NTSB, and FAA Take Over as Loop 20 Stays Shut
Federal investigators arrived at the scene by 8 a.m. Wednesday. The NTSB is the lead agency and will work to find the probable cause of the mechanical failure. The FAA and FBI are also involved. Laredo police said they handed the investigation over to federal authorities after completing initial scene work and notifications. If the failure is traced to a maintenance problem, the FAA could ground similar aircraft across the NetJets fleet.
Loop 20 remained closed in both directions for much of Wednesday. TxDOT directed northbound drivers to exit at Highway 359 and southbound drivers to detour on Saunders Street, with Bartlett Avenue and I-35 as alternatives. The closure hit trucking traffic hard — Loop 20 is a key artery for cross-border commerce with Mexico. NetJets, a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, said it is "cooperating fully with federal investigators" and expressed condolences to those affected.
Police Ask Public to Submit Dashcam and Video Evidence
Laredo police set up a public evidence portal for residents to submit footage from the crash. Spokesman Joe Baeza made a direct appeal: "We will kindly take anyone's video or dashcams... It will be useful." Because Loop 20 is a heavily trafficked road, investigators expect a large number of submissions. Dashcam footage could help reconstruct the aircraft's final approach angle, speed, and impact point.
Officials noted that heavy smoke, fire suppression efforts, and rescue activity disturbed parts of the crash scene quickly. Community video could fill critical gaps. Austin American-Statesman reported that photos and video from the scene showed significant wreckage spread across the highway. Investigators say the evidence-collection phase will take days, and the road may face further closures as the NTSB Go-Team completes its on-site work.
Sentiment
Mostly NegativePublishers
17
Articles
9
Reach
26
