TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A private jet carrying six people crashed onto a highway in Texas late Tuesday night, killing one passenger and triggering a fire that engulfed the aircraft, authorities said.
The Laredo Police Department said officers received a report at around 10 p.m. local time of a plane crash on Loop 20 near the Texas-Mexico border. The aircraft, a Cessna Citation Latitude twin-engine business jet, had departed Los Cabos International Airport in Mexico and was en route to Austin, Texas.
Video from the scene showed bystanders rushing to assist those trapped inside the wreckage, smashing cockpit windows and attempting to force open a door as flames spread through the aircraft.
As reported by CBS Austin, the jet was part of the NetJets fleet. The company, owned by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway, said it is cooperating fully with authorities investigating the incident.
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigators have launched an inquiry into the cause of the crash.
According to ABC News, the pilots had reported mechanical problems and requested an emergency landing before the aircraft went down on the highway.
Authorities later identified the sole fatality as Joshua Baer, co-founder and chief executive officer of Austin-based venture capital firm Capital Factory.
Capital Factory confirmed Baer's death on Wednesday, describing him as a longtime advocate for entrepreneurship and innovation in Texas.
"Josh was a fearless leader, a brilliant partner, and a dear friend to so many of us," Capital Factory President Bryan Chambers said in a statement. "While we are devastated by this unimaginable loss, Josh built an incredibly resilient organization and a deeply capable team."
Baer, 50, was widely regarded as one of the key figures behind Austin's emergence as a major technology hub. He often referred to himself as an "Austinpreneur," reflecting both his connection to the city and his passion for helping entrepreneurs launch new businesses.
His LinkedIn profile featured the slogan, "I help people quit jobs," a reference to his mission of encouraging people to start companies of their own.
After graduating from Carnegie Mellon University, where he founded an email marketing business, Baer moved to Austin in 1996 to work as a software developer. He later established Capital Factory in 2009, building it into one of Texas' most influential venture capital firms, supporting startups across sectors ranging from robotics to autonomous shipping technology.
Baer frequently mentored founders, hosted informal business discussions in Austin coffee shops, and served as entrepreneur-in-residence at the University of Texas.
"My hobby is startups," Baer told the Austin American-Statesman in 2012. "I don't watch sports or anything like that. So this is what I do. ... I want to be an investor in every great tech company that comes out of Austin. That's probably unrealistic, but I'm going to try anyway."
His influence extended beyond the startup community. In 2023, Austin Mayor Kirk Watson awarded Baer a key to the city in recognition of his contributions to the local economy and technology sector.
"Whether you're in technology or not, there's a hole in the heart of Austin today," said Thom Singer, chief executive officer of the Austin Technology Council.
Singer said Baer believed technology could improve lives while creating economic opportunities and strengthening communities.
"He was passionate that technology could change the world and make people's lives efficient and better," Singer said. "And if entrepreneurs did it right, they could make money and help their communities."
US Senator Ted Cruz also paid tribute to Baer, describing him as one of the country's most influential advocates for innovation and entrepreneurship.
"Josh has been one of the most significant figures driving innovation and entrepreneurship across America. In Texas, he made our state a global leader," Cruz said.
The crash occurred amid a series of recent aviation accidents in the United States. On Monday, a B-52 bomber crashed during a test flight at Edwards Air Force Base in California, killing eight people. A day earlier, 12 people died when a plane carrying skydivers crashed in Missouri.
Investigators have not yet determined what caused the Texas crash.
Read: Colombia Military Plane Crashes Killing Dozens
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