LAREDO, Texas — A midsize business jet crashed onto a major highway on Tuesday night, June 16, 2026, while attempting an emergency landing at Laredo International Airport (LRD). The aircraft, a twin-engine Cessna 680 Citation Latitude operated by NetJets, was en route from Los Cabos, Mexico, to Austin, Texas, when the crew reported mechanical issues and requested a diversion to Laredo. Air traffic controllers lost contact with the jet shortly before it came down at approximately 10:00 p.m. local time on Texas State Highway Loop 20, striking a car, skidding against a barrier, and bursting into intense flames.

The crash triggered a chaotic and heroic rescue effort as passing motorists and first responders rushed toward the burning wreckage. Eyewitness footage captured bystanders and police officers desperately smashing the cockpit glass and forcing open the cabin doors to free those trapped inside. Three teenage passengers and one of the pilots managed to escape first, followed closely by another crew member who heroically dragged an unconscious individual away from the spreading fire just moments before the fuselage was completely engulfed.

Authorities have confirmed that there were six people on board the aircraft. The incident resulted in one fatality, though officials have not yet clarified whether the deceased was an occupant of the plane or someone on the ground. The five survivors from the jet were transported to a local hospital with varying degrees of injuries, while five Laredo police officers were also hospitalized and treated for smoke inhalation sustained during the rescue. No injuries were initially reported from the vehicle struck on the highway.

Loop 20 remained entirely closed in both directions through Wednesday as emergency crews secured the scene and cleared debris. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have launched a joint investigation into the cause of the crash. Preliminary flight-tracking data indicates that the aircraft experienced a rapid loss of altitude and unusually low ground speed during its final moments before impact.