Five survive NetJets plane crash in Laredo after mechanical failure

A NetJets Cessna Citation Latitude broke apart on Loop 20 in Laredo, Texas, after the crew reported mechanical trouble and low fuel on a flight bound for Austin from Mexico. Five of the six people aboard survived, while one person was killed in the crash that left the twin jet tipped on its side, nearly sheared in half and burning on a busy highway near the Texas-Mexico border.

Flight-tracking data showed the aircraft, registered N523QS, left Los Cabos International Airport at about 6:19 p.m. on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, before diverting north toward Laredo. The jet came down shortly after 10 p.m. local time on the north side of Bob Bullock Loop, also known as Loop 20, near Laredo International Airport, and police said it struck a vehicle as it crashed.

The impact scattered debris across the roadway and poured jet fuel onto the pavement, complicating the response and shutting down Loop 20 in both directions for an extended cleanup and investigation. Bystanders and drivers rushed in before emergency crews fully took control, smashing a cockpit window and prying open a door with a sledgehammer and shovel in an effort to reach survivors. One witness said, “It looked like part of a movie. I was in shock.”

Laredo police investigator Jose Baeza said five first responders were taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation while helping pull people from the wreckage. Authorities initially said it was not clear whether the person who died was on the aircraft or on the ground, and they withheld the identity until next of kin are notified. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the National Transportation Safety Board were on scene or on the way as investigators began piecing together the sequence of mechanical failure, fuel concerns and emergency decision-making.

Laredo International Airport Director Gilberto Sanchez said the plane experienced a mechanical failure, though no immediate details were released. NetJets said it was aware of the incident and was working with authorities. Mayor Victor Trevino said, “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones affected by the recent private jet crash.” The accident underscored how quickly a private-aviation emergency can turn catastrophic when a diversion fails outside airport boundaries and onto a crowded highway.