A private jet carrying six people came down on a busy Texas highway late Tuesday night, erupting in fire and very nearly cutting itself in two before coming to rest against a highway barrier. What followed was the kind of improvised rescue you’d expect from a disaster film, not a Tuesday commute.
The aircraft went down on Loop 20 in Laredo, just a short distance from Laredo International Airport, shortly after 10 p.m. local time. The plane, a Cessna Citation Latitude twin jet, had departed from Los Cabos International Airport in Mexico earlier that evening. One person died as a result of the crash, though authorities have not confirmed whether the victim was aboard the aircraft or on the ground.
Dashcam footage quickly circulated on social media showing the jet skidding down the highway, clipping a light post before grinding to a halt. The tail section was sheared clean off the fuselage and came to rest on a lower roadway beneath the main crash site. The cockpit ended up on its side, with fire working its way along the fuselage while at least one occupant could be seen trying to break through the cockpit glass from inside.
Drivers who stumbled onto the scene did not keep moving. Two bystanders ran up with a sledgehammer and shovel and started hammering the cockpit window. Others used rods to prop the door open while firefighters worked hoses on the burning wreckage. Five officers were later hospitalized for smoke inhalation. The plane belongs to NetJets, the fractional jet ownership company owned by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway, which confirmed the crash in a statement and said it is cooperating with investigators.
What Is a Cessna Citation Latitude?
The Citation Latitude is a midsize business jet built by Cessna, seating up to nine passengers and cruising at around 446 mph at altitudes up to 45,000 feet. It entered service in 2015 and has become one of the more popular aircraft in the fractional ownership market precisely because of its combination of range, cabin size, and operating efficiency.
The Latitude is not a small puddle-jumper. It weighs around 30,500 pounds at max takeoff, which makes the highway landing sequence on Loop 20 all the more remarkable to witness.
What NetJets Is and Why It Matters
NetJets pioneered the fractional jet ownership model, letting buyers purchase a share of an aircraft rather than owning one outright. The company operates one of the largest private aviation fleets in the world. Berkshire Hathaway acquired NetJets in 1998, and it has remained a flagship holding.
When a NetJets aircraft is involved in an incident of this magnitude, the aviation industry pays close attention.
What Caused the Crash
The cause remains under investigation. Laredo International Airport Director Gilberto Sanchez told a local news station that the plane experienced a mechanical failure, but offered nothing further. The National Transportation Safety Board will lead the formal investigation.
The aircraft had originated in Los Cabos, Mexico, suggesting a relatively short domestic leg was underway when something went wrong on approach.
A Brutal Week for Aviation
This crash is the third serious aviation incident in as many days. On Monday, a B-52 crashed during a test flight at Edwards Air Force Base in California, killing all eight crew members aboard. On Sunday, a plane carrying skydivers went down in Missouri, claiming twelve lives. Three incidents inside 72 hours is not normal, and each involves a different category of aircraft under entirely different circumstances.
Investigators and aviation observers will be watching all three closely.