A fiery plane crash that killed 5 on Election Day rocked a community. Here's what we know

As Arizonans — along with the rest of the country — cast their ballots and awaited the results of the 2024 election late Tuesday afternoon, a hectic scene broke out after a small plane crashed on Greenfield Road near Falcon Field Airport in Mesa — killing five.

A heavy police presence blocked off the area soon after the crash occurred, and details about what happened remained sparse in the immediate aftermath.

Marrisa Ramirez-Ramos, a spokesperson for Mesa Fire and Medical, gave a brief statement at around 7:35 p.m. Tuesday where she confirmed that five people lost their lives due to the crash. She did not take questions.

"Our community suffered a tragic loss this afternoon," Ramirez-Ramos said.

Since then, more details have come forth about the identities of the deceased and the immediate events that preceded the deadly crash. Here's what we know so far:

How did the crash occur?

A multimillion-dollar business jet never left the ground before a fiery crash that killed five people on Tuesday in Mesa, according to witnesses.

The six-passenger jet plowed through a field at the end of a Falcon Field Airport runway, tore into a fence, slid onto Greenfield Road, hit a vehicle and crashed into an orchard, a witness told police.

It wasn't immediately clear why the plane failed to gain altitude.

Who died in the crash?

Officials said four people on board the plane and the driver of the vehicle that was hit died, including a 12-year-old boy and his father. A teenage passenger in the plane survived and was transported to the hospital with burns.

Police identified the four killed in the plane as Drew Kimball, 44, Grahm Kimball, 12, Spencer Lindahl, 43, and Rustin Randall, 48. They were all from Arizona. The name of the vehicle driver was not released pending identification, police said.

Family and friends of the victims shared memories and posted heartfelt messages Wednesday on social media.

Ward leaders at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Chandler where the families attended church called for prayers. Officials at the elementary school where Grahm Kimball attended sixth grade had counselors available for students.

"Our hearts are excruciatingly heavy," Tanya Kimball wrote of her son and husband on Instagram.

What type of plane was it?

The plane was a HA-420 HondaJet, which is described as a "light business jet" by the manufacturer. It has six seats and a range of 1,600 miles with a top speed of 483 mph. The HA-420 jet was the first aircraft developed by HondaJet and made its first flight in 2003, according to industry trade journals.

The plane is 46.6 feet long, 14.9 feet high and has a wingspan of 39.8 feet. It has two wing-mounted engines. The plane costs about $5.8 million new.

HondaJet operates an authorized service center at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. Its website lists one HA-420 for sale. It was built in 2017 with the asking price of $3.4 million. It was not the one involved in the crash.

Who owned the plane?

Records show the jet was owned by Ice Man Holdings LLC, a company operated by Lindahl and Rustin. Its address is on East McKellips Road at Falcon Field in a long building that backs onto an airport taxiway.

Officials said the plane was being used for personal activity. Flight data shows the plane was scheduled to land in Provo, Utah, about two hours after takeoff.

Who is investigating the crash?

The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation and said early details indicated the plane hit the airport perimeter fence and the vehicle during an "aborted takeoff."

The agency will examine a range of information and records, including recordings of air traffic control communications, aircraft maintenance records and surveillance videos.

Investigators were expected to document the area and examine the plane, which is expected to be taken to a secure facility for further examination.

Officials asked that any witnesses or people who have surveillance video or other information that could be relevant to the investigation to send it to reporters Robert Anglen and Elena Santa Cruz contributed to this .