Plane Crash: Civilians Rescue Survivors With Sledgehammers

LAREDO, Texas — When a business jet crashed on a darkened Texas highway late Tuesday night, bystanders didn’t wait for emergency services. Armed with sledgehammers, shovels, and fire extinguishers, they raced toward a burning aircraft to pull survivors from the wreckage, according to AP News.

The dramatic rescue unfolded on Loop 20 in Laredo, near the U.S.-Mexico border, shortly after 10 p.m. CT on June 16, when a Cessna 680 Citation Latitude operated by NetJets crashed after its pilots reported mechanical problems and requested an emergency landing at Laredo International Airport.

Bystanders Become First Responders

Ivan Franco, a 23-year-old tow truck driver from Laredo, was among the first to stop. Spotting the wreckage, he grabbed a sledgehammer and three fire extinguishers from his company’s rescue kit and rushed toward the smoke-filled cabin.

“At that moment, you don’t think much about what to do, because I knew the plane could explode since it was on fire,” Franco told the Associated Press. “My idea was to try to break the windows because the pilots hadn’t come out yet.”

Zayra Garza, an esthetician driving co-workers home, also stopped and recorded video as her husband ran to help. “It looked like part of a movie. I was in shock,” she said. “I was concerned that it could have just exploded at any time.”

Her footage captured the aircraft’s door popping open from inside as a voice cried for help. Rescuers strained to lift the door as three teenage passengers darted out, followed by the two pilots.

The Limits of Heroism

Despite their efforts, the rescuers discovered a harsh reality of aircraft design: cockpit windows are engineered to withstand bird strikes at cruising speed and extreme pressure differentials at high altitude. Franco’s sledgehammer blows and others’ shovel strikes only managed to spiderweb the glass.

“They are basically bulletproof,” retired airline pilot John Cox told the Associated Press.

Police officers arrived quickly and worked alongside the civilians, but the thickening smoke made rescue increasingly difficult. Firefighters with oxygen masks were ultimately needed to extract the final occupant from the cabin.

A Community Mourns

The sole fatality was identified as Joshua Baer, 50, co-founder and CEO of Capital Factory, a prominent Austin-based venture capital firm and startup incubator. Described as an “Austinpreneur,” Baer was a central figure in the city’s transformation into a major technology hub.

“Whether you’re in technology or not, there’s a hole in the heart of Austin today,” Thom Singer, CEO of the Austin Technology Council, told AP News.

Baer, a Carnegie Mellon University graduate who moved to Austin in 1996, founded Capital Factory in 2009. He received a key to the city of Austin in 2023 and was known for his motto: “Plant lots of seeds. Water everyone’s. Repeat.”

Five people survived the crash: the two pilots, three teenage passengers, and a truck driver whose vehicle was struck by the plane’s wing. Five police officers were treated for smoke inhalation. All survivors have been released from the hospital, officials said. Firefighters also rescued a dog from the plane suffering from smoke inhalation; the animal was expected to survive.

Investigation Underway

The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration have opened a joint investigation into the cause of the crash. The pilots had radioed Laredo International Airport reporting mechanical issues before losing contact.

Laredo Mayor Victor Treviño called the outcome “nothing short of a miracle that this tragedy did not become a mass fatality event,” crediting the late hour and the quick action of first responders and civilians alike.

Laredo Police Chief Mike Rodriguez said he has asked his staff to track down all the civilians who helped, as USA Today reported. “The officers and the good Samaritans that went to the scene, our firefighters that responded — I do also want to commend each and every one of them,” Rodriguez said.

A Week of Aviation Tragedy

The Laredo crash marked the third significant aviation accident in as many days in the United States. On Sunday, 12 people were killed when a plane on a skydiving outing crashed in Butler, Missouri. On Monday, a B-52 Stratofortress crashed during a test flight at Edwards Air Force Base in California, killing all eight people aboard.

Franco, reflecting on his split-second decision to help, said fear was ever-present. “You’re in constant fear,” he told the Associated Press. “You don’t know what situation you’re in.”

But he acted anyway — a sentiment echoed by every bystander who stopped their vehicle and ran toward the flames.