The attorney wife of an elite Texas law-firm partner and a pilot who joined the company less than a year ago were among six people killed when a private jet flipped over and burst into flames at a Maine airport over the weekend — just after a voice over the radio said, “Let there be light.’’

Tara Arnold — a 46-year-old powerhouse lawyer who lived with her two kids and mega-wealthy husband in a Houston mansion — was en route to Paris with those on board the plane when it crashed Sunday evening, killing everyone, according to records and reports.

The plane was registered to Tara’s husband Kurt Arnold’s successful personal-injury firm — Arnold & Itkin Law — where she also worked. The other five fatal victims aboard the jet have not yet not publicly identified.

“I am close friends with Kurt and Tara Arnold,” said Lesley Briones, a local Texas lawmaker, to WMTW on Monday.

“My heart hurts for them and their children and their families,” Briones said. “I worked at Arnold & Itkin for a time and so I know them well. This is just a tragedy and in particular Tara, she is just a phenomenal person, a bold leader and somebody who had a heart of service.”

Jacob Hosmer, a 47-year-old Houston-area pilot who was the captain of the flight, also died during the wreck, his father confirmed to KPRC2.

“He’s in Heaven now with Jesus,” grieving dad Gary Hosmer told the outlet. 

Hosmer has been working as a pilot for Arnold and Itkin since May 2025. He has held previous positions with Wing Aviation, Apollo Aviation and Priester Aviation, all of which frequently run private charter jets, according to his LinkedIn.

Friends of Hosmer described him as a loving and kind father and husband. 

“I would describe him as a great pilot, a loving husband, and a phenomenal father,” a longtime friend told the outlet. 

 “He was always kind. He was always laughing.”

The plane — a twin-engine Bombardier Challenger 600, which can seat up to 11 people — was taking off from a snow-covered runway at Bangor International Airport around 7:45 p.m. when it crashed back into the runway and exploded, killing everyone on board, officials said.

A moment before take-off, a voice was eerily heard over the flight’s radio communications saying, “Let there be light,” although it’s unclear what that meant.

“All traffic is stopped on the field!” an air-traffic controller then quickly shouted.

“Aircraft upside down, we have a passenger aircraft upside down,” a controller added as emergency crews rushed to the wreck.

Kurt Arnold and his law partner Jason Itkin — as well as both their wives — were known to make multimillion-dollar donations to Lone Star State Republican causes, as well as to such things as the Texas Longhorns football program, which they pledged $40 million to.

Tara, a Louisiana native, worked at the firm, specializing in offshore workplace injuries after graduating with high honors from Tulane Law School.

She and her husband and kids lived together in an $11 million Houston home.

The doomed jet’s flight had landed in Bangor around 6 p.m. for apparent refueling after taking off from Houston and then was taking off again in the blizzard en route to Paris when the tragedy struck, KHOU reported.

It remains unclear what role the ongoing Winter Storm Fern may have played in the wreck.

Several other planes were taking off before the wreck, but the airport was also de-icing aircraft waiting on the tarmac — and it remains unclear whether the ill-fated jet had been a part of those procedures.

It remains unclear what role the ongoing Winter Storm Fern may have played in the wreck.

Several other planes were taking off before the wreck, but the airport was also de-icing aircraft waiting on the tarmac.

The private jet had landed in Maine just after 6 p.m. after departing Houston, and had been sitting in the cold since then — and it remains unclear whether it had been a part of the de-icing procedures.

Bombardier Challenger 600s have had a history of takeoff troubles during inclement cold-weather takeoffs — with small ice accumulations being known to affect the craft, according to aviation consultant Jeff Guzzetti.

“Given the weather conditions at the time and the history of wind contamination with this particular aircraft, I’m sure that’s something the NTSB is going to look into immediately,” he said.

“If there was any kind of precipitation at all, freezing precipitation, they would have needed to clean off those wings before they took off,” Guzzetti added.

The wreck left the airport closed, and it is not expected to reopen until Wednesday.