Private plane crashes at Maine airport; 7 killed, one seriously hurt

BANGOR, Maine — A Bombardier Challenger 600 crashed shortly after takeoff from Bangor International Airport in Maine.

Eight people were on board the plane when it crashed around 7:45 p.m., The Associated Press reported. Seven of those died while the eighth, a crew member, survived but had serious injuries.

Airport officials released a statement saying the crash involved a single aircraft that was departing.

Typically, Bangor International Airport has direct flights to Orlando, Florida; Washington, D.C. and Charlotte, North Carolina.

This plane was registered to a limited liability corporation in Houston, CNN reported.

Just before the plane crashed, controllers and pilots at the airport were talking about low visibility and deicing, but it was not known who exactly was speaking on the recordings CNN obtained from LiveATC.net.

A controller cleared the flight to take off from runway 33. Two minutes later, a controller loudly said, “All traffic is stopped on the field! All traffic is stopped on the field!”

Then a controller was heard saying, “Aircraft upside down. We have a passenger aircraft upside down.”

The airport closed and emergency vehicles responded.

A Bombardier Challenger 600 is a wide-bodied business jet that can carry nine to 11 passengers, the AP reported.