SHOCK VIDEO: Plane Crashes On Texas Highway, Splits In Two; Citizens Use Sledgehammer To Open Cockpit

A business jet carrying six people crashed onto a Texas highway Tuesday night, burst into flames and split apart, killing one person and sending bystanders racing into danger to help pull survivors from the wreckage.

The plane went down shortly after 10 p.m. on Loop 20 in Laredo, Texas, according to police.

Laredo police investigator Jose Baeza said the aircraft struck a moving vehicle as it descended, though it was not immediately clear whether the person killed had been aboard the plane or on the ground.

The aircraft, a NetJets-operated Cessna Citation Latitude business jet, had departed from San José del Cabo, Mexico, around 6:18 p.m. local time and was headed for Austin, Texas, before being diverted toward Laredo, according to flight data.

The jet, identified by tail number N523QS, reportedly experienced mechanical issues before the crash.

UPDATE: A private plane carrying six people crashed onto a Texas highway late Tuesday, killing one person and sending the five other occupants to area hospitals. pic.twitter.com/0dy4wQ3kfq

— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) June 17, 2026

Authorities said the plane reported trouble to the local airport tower, then lost contact with air traffic controllers before slamming onto the highway roughly 2.5 miles short of the runway.

Flight data showed the jet making a steady descent toward Laredo International Airport before its signal cut out around 600 feet.

Video from the scene showed the wrecked aircraft on its side against a highway barrier, with its tail torn from the fuselage and debris scattered across multiple lanes.

Other footage showed first responders and bystanders working together to break into the cockpit area as flames and smoke surrounded the battered plane.

Witness video showed emergency crews trying to crack open the windshield while civilians helped passengers escape from the burning wreckage.

Some survivors were seen walking away from the crash site after being pulled from the aircraft.

Five survivors from the plane were transported to a hospital for treatment, Baeza told CNN.

At least one person in the vehicle struck by the aircraft was also taken to the hospital in stable condition, authorities said.

Five responding officers were transported to a hospital for smoke inhalation or other injuries sustained during the rescue, police said.

Loop 20 was shut down in both directions after the crash and was expected to remain closed into Wednesday morning as investigators worked the scene.

NetJets confirmed that one of its planes was involved and said it was cooperating with local authorities.

“Our immediate concern is for the well-being of our Crewmembers, our passengers, and their families during this time,” the company said in a statement.

The company said it deployed crisis response and family support teams to the crash site.

Federal Aviation Administration records show the plane was built in 2016.

The Cessna Citation Latitude has a wingspan of 72 feet and can cruise faster than 500 mph.

The cause of the crash was not immediately clear, though Laredo International Airport Director Gilberto Sanchez told CNN affiliate KGNS that the aircraft suffered a mechanical failure before going down.

The National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA were notified, and FBI personnel were also on scene, Baeza said.

The NTSB will lead the investigation, the FAA said.

Police had not publicly identified the six people aboard the aircraft or released full details on their injuries.

The terrifying crash turned an ordinary Texas highway into a disaster zone, but video from the scene showed ordinary citizens and first responders rushing toward the flames instead of away from them.

Download the FREE Trending Politics App to get the latest news FIRST >>