With a sledgehammer and a shovel, volunteers raced to save passengers in Texas plane crash

Published
June 18, 2026
Outcome
Fatal
Location
Laredo, Texas
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Incident type
Aircraft

Summary

Aircraft Laredo Texas in Laredo, Texas: A Cessna Citation Latitude twin jet operated by NetJets crashed in Laredo, Texas, late Tuesday night after the pilots reported mechanical problems while requesting an emergency landing. The plane, which departed from San José del Cabo, Mexico, and was bound for Austin, Texas, broke in half and caught fire. One person was killed: Joshua Baer, 50. Three male teenage passengers and two pilots survived, as did a person in a truck struck by the plane as it crashed. Passersby and police used sledgehammers and fire extinguishers to help rescue passengers from the burning fuselage.

Publicly reported parties

Name Role Status
Joshua Baer Passenger Fatal
NetJets At-fault party

Original reporting

With a sledgehammer and a shovel, volunteers raced to save passengers in Texas plane crash | KRQE News 13

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