One Dead After NetJets Private Jet Crashes on Texas Highway During Emergency Landing

A NetJets-operated Cessna 680 Citation Latitude business jet crashed onto Loop 20 highway in Laredo late Tuesday night, killing one of the six people on board and sparking a dramatic roadside rescue as the aircraft caught fire.

The aircraft, registration N523QS, departed San José del Cabo International Airport in Mexico and was en route to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport when it diverted to Laredo International Airport due to an in-flight emergency. It came down shortly before 10 p.m. CDT on the highway, about four kilometers south of the airport, near Saunders Street and Clark Boulevard.

Bystanders and police rushed to the burning wreckage, smashing cockpit windows to pull survivors free. Five officers were treated for smoke inhalation after the rescue effort. No one on the ground was injured, though the plane reportedly struck a vehicle. The deceased victim’s identity is being withheld pending family notification.

NetJets confirmed the aircraft was part of its fleet and said it is cooperating with investigators. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have launched a full investigation into the cause of the crash and the events leading to the diversion.

The incident shut down sections of Loop 20, with northbound and southbound lanes expected to remain closed into Wednesday afternoon as crews work the active scene.