The fifth victim of a private jet crash has been identified as a successful wine expert, as a source told the Daily Mail why victims were trying to fly during a historic snowstorm.
Shelby Kuyawa, 34, was traveling with private chef Nick Mastrascusa, 43, when the Bombardier Challenger 650 business jet crashed on a snowy runway.
The plane departed Bangor International Airport in Maine about 7.45pm on Sunday after refueling for the trans-Atlantic flight, but rolled upside-down seconds later.
Legal scion Tara Arnold, 46, planned the trip as part of her new luxury travel company Beyond, a source close to the passengers told the Daily Mail.
Mastrascusa, Kuyawa, and event planner Shawna Collins, 39, were all on board with Arnold when the plane crashed and burst into flames.
Also killed was pilot Jacob Hosmer, 47. Another member of the crew is the sixth victim of the crash and has not been named.
Arnold started Beyond last year with her husband Kurt Arnold, named partner at powerful Houston law firm Arnold & Itkin, who was not on board.
Beyond provides invitation-only curated travel experiences for the extremely wealthy, including stays at five-star resorts and exotic culinary adventures.
Shelby Kuyawa, 34, successful wine expert, is the fifth victim of a private jet crash at Bangor International Airport in Maine on Sunday
Kuyawa was with private chef Nick Mastrascusa, 43, (center) on a location scouting trip for luxury travel company Beyond, started by powerful lawyers Kurt and Tara Arnold (pictured with Mastrascusa)
The Bombardier Challenger 650 business jet went down during takeoff from Bangor International Airport in Maine around 7.45pm on Sunday, killing six people on board
The bodies have not been touched since the crash and remain in the snow-covered wreckage as crash investigators struggle to reach the frozen runway
The group was on their way to tour a French chateau and other stunning locations for future intercontinental jaunts with their elite clients, the Daily Mail understands.
They arrived in Maine from Houston on Arnold & Itkin’s private jet, landing at 6.09pm, for refueling before flying across the Atlantic to Paris.
Questions have been raised about why such a flight was being attempted during the worst winter storm in 40 years.
The cause of the crash is under investigation, amid speculation that the jet may have overbalanced due to a buildup of ice on its wings.
‘Kurt is not just any wrongful death lawyer. He handled the Deep Water Horizon case when BP had that massive spill and recovered billions,’ the Daily Mail’s source said.
‘He is one of the most feared lawyers in America. And now his kids don’t have a mother, and the kids of his new employees are missing parents, too.
‘I can only imagine how aggressively his firm will pursue whoever is responsible.’
Kuyawa (back row right) was part of an elite team assembled to provide luxury travel and culinary experiences to extremely wealthy clients
Kuyawa was a keen surfer and runner while working at Hawaii’s most exclusive resort
Kuyawa spent her childhood living across Europe and Asia before studying at the University of New Mexico and has 15 years of experience in luxury hotels, resorts and private clubs
The bodies have not been touched since the crash and remain in the snow-covered twisted and charred metal as crash investigators struggle to reach the frozen runway.
Mastrascusa and Kuyawa knew the Arnolds for years while they worked at Kukio Golf and Beach Club in Kamuela, described as Hawaii’s most exclusive resort.
Kukio is a members-only billionaire’s retreat where only a privileged few owners of luxury bungalows worth up to $30 million can pass through the gates.
Tara and Kurt Arnold owned one of the stunning holiday homes with neighbors, including actor Matthew McConaughey and wealthy bankers.
When the culinary duo stepped down from Kukio late last year, the Arnolds scooped them up to play key roles in the new venture.
Mastrascusa was appointed executive vice president of hospitality and charged with designing the culinary adventures that would set the company apart.
‘Savor the luxury of a curated culinary experience that rivals the most exclusive private clubs and resorts in the world, all while relaxing in your home away from home,’ his bio on Beyond read.
Mastrascusa and Kuyawa knew the Arnolds for years while they worked at Kukio Golf and Beach Club in Kamuela, described as Hawaii’s most exclusive resort with owners including Hollywood actor Matthew McConaughey – whose holiday home is pictured
McConaughey bought this fairly modest – by Kukio standards – $7.85 million vacation home in December 2021. Grander ones go for up to $30 million
Journey’s advertised on Beyond’s website included from truffle hunts that end in private feasts to multi-course menus crafted by world-renowned chefs in Italy’s rolling vineyards
Beyond owns three luxury resorts in the Caribbean islands of the Turks and Caicos (pictured), and one in Telluride, Colorado
‘For those fortunate enough to dine under his care, Chef Nick Mastrascusa offers more than a meal – he offers an experience rooted in passion, heritage, and the joy of bringing people together.’
Journey’s advertised on Beyond’s website included from truffle hunts that end in private feasts to multi-course menus crafted by world-renowned chefs in Italy’s rolling vineyards to the Caribbean’s sunlit coasts.
Examples include tasting obscenely expensive wines in Tuscany, Champagne, Bordeaux, and Napa at vineyards not open to the public, and food treks through the mountains of Argentina.
The company also owns three luxury resorts in the Caribbean islands of the Turks and Caicos, and one in Telluride, Colorado.
Ultra-wealthy clients can enjoy helicopter tours, private concerts, seaside celebrations or almost anything their wanderlust desires.
Kuyawa spent her childhood living across Europe and Asia before studying at the University of New Mexico and has 15 years of experience in luxury hotels, resorts, and private clubs.
Mastrascusa, 43, with his children Analani, 14, Mateo, ten and Noah, seven
Mastrascusa was appointed executive vice president of hospitality and charged with designing the culinary adventures that would set the company apart
A Bombardier Challenger 650, the same model involved in Sunday night’s runway incident
Inside a private jet of the same make and model as the one involved in the crash
Mastrascusa’s sister, Valeria, appealed for donations to pay for his funeral and support his wife, Natalia, and their three children, Analani, 14, Mateo, ten, and Noah seven.
‘Nick touched the lives of so many in our community through his kindness, dedication, generosity and friendship,’ she wrote.
‘As we grieve this unimaginable loss, our hearts are with the Mastrascusa family and all who knew and loved Nick.’
Mastrascusa grew up in Montevideo, Uruguay, until he moved to Miami aged 17 and later honed his craft at the Culinary Arts School at Greystone in California.
He also holds a master’s degree in caviar and exotic meats.
The rising chef worked his way through the Ristorante Giacosa, The Biltmore Hotel, The Ritz-Carlton Residences Palm Beach, and Four Seasons New York before relocating to Hawaii.
There, he ran the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai’s Beach Tree restaurant, where he was known for his paella.
He demanded a specific chorizo, saffron and rice that had been flown in from Spain, and delayed its introduction to the menu as he refused to use any substitutes – much to the hotel’s chagrin.
Mastrascusa served numerous celebrity diners throughout his career, including Jennifer Aniston, Bruce Willis, Leonardo DiCaprio, Cameron Diaz, Lenny Kravitz, Adam Sandler, Marc Anthony and former US presidents Bill Clinton and George Bush.
Tara Arnold, 46, wife of personal injury attorney Kurt Arnold, died in the crash. The couple are pictured with their children Jaxon and Isla
Event planner Shawna Collins was also killed in the private jet crash
Jacob Hosmer, 47, the pilot of the private jet, was also killed
Arnold was a top commercial lawyer at Arnold & Itkin, which she joined soon after it was founded in 2004.
She and her husband lived in an $11 million mansion in Houston with their two children, Jaxon and Isla.
Collins was a friend of Arnold and planned events for the firm through her company. Her social media pages include numerous photos with Arnold and her husband.
She was organizing her daughter Keaton Milburn’s upcoming wedding after she got engaged to Brandon Dawkins, a sports marketing staffer at Adidas.
Arnold & Itkin is known for defending undocumented migrants.
A page talking up the firm’s expertise in aviation accident litigation was quietly removed from its website after the crash.
Arnold earned her law degree from Tulane University in Louisiana, in the same state as the small town in Sabine Parish where she grew up.
Tara, a commercial lawyer with decades of experience, worked at her husband’s law firm, Arnold & Itkin, since it was established in 2005
Tara and Kurt (right) are honored as Humanitarian Heroes at the 2024 KNOW Autism Foundation Gala
Kurt and Tara (left) with the other half of Arnold & Itkin – Jason Itkin and his wife Kisha
While in Houston she met Kurt, with whom she has two children, Jaxon and Isla
She graduated magna cum laude and began her career at the Houston office of a large New York City law firm, specializing in mergers and acquisitions.
‘During her free time, Tara loves to travel to new places and enjoys being active outdoors,’ her bio read.
The Arnolds were noted philanthropists, particularly to Kurt’s alma mater, the University of Texas. They, along with Jason and his wife Kisha, have donated more than $40 million to the university’s athletics programs.
Collins’s daughter said she had spoken to her mother ahead of the flight on Sunday and Collins was excited about the upcoming business trip to Europe.
One of Hosmer’s friends also said he had known him for 15 years as an aviation specialist.
‘I would describe him as a great pilot, a loving husband and a phenomenal father,’ they. ‘He was always kind. He was always laughing.’
Hosmer’s LinkedIn profile lists Arnold & Itkin as his employer since May last year.
The National Transportation Safety Board said a few crash investigators reached the site by Tuesday afternoon, but a full team wouldn’t arrive until at least Wednesday.
Weather cameras capture the poor visibility at the airport around the time of the crash
Maine was among 35 states across the US hit by Winter Storm Fern, making access to the site difficult.
‘The NTSB has asked that the scene be preserved,’ police said on Tuesday.
‘At this time, the Bangor Police Department is awaiting NTSB’s approval to access the aircraft to begin the process of caring for and identifying the deceased in collaboration with the State Medical Examiner.’
Dramatic footage showed the burning wreckage upside down on the runway. Flight data showed it veered right during takeoff and flipped at 175mph.
Audio from the aircraft’s radio recording, heard by the Daily Mail, included a voice saying ‘let there be light’ minutes before the crash.
It was unclear whether the eerie line was spoken by one of the pilots or an air-traffic controller, or what they were referring to.
They may have been commenting on how Bangor’s Runway 33 went from pitch-black to brightly lit after the runway lighting was switched on.
A plume of smoke emerges from the plane after it crashed on the runway at Bangor airport
Visibility was poor due to the storm that’s pummeling America, which brought heavy snowfall
Less than two minutes after the tower cleared the plane for takeoff, they shouted, ‘All traffic is stopped on the field! All traffic is stopped on the field!’
Minutes later, another controller said: ‘Aircraft upside down. We have a passenger aircraft upside down.’
A witness claimed the plane lifted off the runway but then crashed back onto it and ‘exploded’.
