A Hawaiian chef has been confirmed as one of the six individuals who tragically lost their lives in a plane crash at Bangor International Airport in Maine over the weekend. The ill-fated incident occurred during takeoff amidst Winter Storm Fern.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported that the Bombardier Challenger 600 jet, which was en route to Paris, France, flipped and subsequently caught fire around 7:45 p.m. on Sunday.
Among those killed was Nick Mastrascusa, a beloved figure known in his community as a parent, coach, and friend. A GoFundMe page dedicated to his memory describes the deep loss felt by his ‘ohana. He leaves behind his partner Natalia and three children who are in ninth, fifth, and second grades.
The jet was registered to a partner of the Houston-based personal injury law firm, Arnold and Itkin Trial Lawyers. According to sources from ABC13, Tara Arnold, a lawyer at the firm and the spouse of founding partner Kurt Arnold, was also on the tragic flight.
Additionally, the crash claimed the life of the pilot, Jacob Hosmer, aged 47, as confirmed by his father, Gary, in a conversation with KPRC2. Another victim identified was Shawna Collins, as reported by ABC13.
This devastating event has left families and communities mourning, as they rally to support those affected by this profound loss.
Mastrascusa was the executive vice president of hospitality for Beyond, a luxury travel company founded by the Arnolds, according to the New York Post.
“Nick Mastrascusa is an award-winning chef and sommelier whose culinary career has spanned more than two decades in some of the world’s most celebrated luxury hotels, private clubs, and resorts,” read a biography on the company’s website. “Most recently, he served as Executive Chef and Director of Food & Beverage at Discovery Land’s Kūkiʻo Golf and Beach Club on the Big Island of Hawaiʻi, where he oversaw three restaurants, an exclusive wine program, and a culinary vision rooted in sophistication, soul, and a sense of place.”
Tara and Kurt Arnold are seen in a photograph posted on social media. Tara was reportedly killed in a plane crash in Bangor, Maine. (Kurt Arnold/Facebook)
“Educated at Johnson & Wales University in Miami and later at the Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley, Nick honed his craft under the rigorous standards of luxury hospitality,” it added.
FAA officials have not yet released the cause of the crash, citing “unknown circumstances” on departure. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has been notified and will investigate.
Jacob Hosmer, a man identified as a victim in a fatal plane crash in Maine. (Jacob Hosmer/Facebook)
Multiple emergency crews rushed to the accident, and controllers were heard saying, “Aircraft upside down. We have a passenger aircraft upside down.”
A departing plane ahead of them radioed to the tower that visibility wasn’t great and they chose not to fly, but the winds were relatively mild and the snow, powdery and fine in the near-zero temperatures, had accumulated only a dusting, according to The Associated Press.
Shawna Collins, was identified by family members as one of the victims in a fatal plane crash in Maine. (Shawna Collins/Instagram)
Airport officials say the plane – which had stopped to refuel in Bangor — went through the standard de-icing process and got in line with other jets that took off safely, the AP reported.
