Father of 3 young children and former Big Island chef dies in Bangor, Maine plane crash

A former Hawai’i Island chef, youth coach and father of three young children died Sunday evening in the crash of a private jet that had just taken off from Bangor International Airport in Maine.

A GoFundMe account begun by a family member identifies Nick Mastrascusa as one of the six people who died after a Bombardier Challenger 600 crashed after taking off at about 7:45 p.m. in bad weather. The jet took off from Houston and stopped in Maine for refueling before heading to its final destination in Paris, France, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

The jet came to a rest inverted and caught fire, the FAA said.

“Nick touched the lives of so many in our community through his kindness, dedication, generosity, and friendship,” said Valeria Mastrascusa, organizer of the GoFundMe page.

Nick Mastrascusa had worked as Chef de Cuisine at the Four Seasons Resort Hualālai’s restaurant, the Beach Tree, according to TheGourmetReview.com.

The article said Nick Mastrascusa also had worked at the more urban Four Season’s 57 Restaurant in New York City before moving to Hawaiʻi.

“His knack of knowing what people like for both casual and elegant dishes was honed while going out to dinner six nights a week in New York,” the article said.

Valeria Mastrascusa of Waimea said Nick was widely known in his community as a parent, coach and friend. He is survived by his “dearest Natalia,” and their three children: ninth-grader Analani, fifth-grader Mateo and second-grader Noah.

The corporate jet was owned by the Houston-based Arnold & Itkin law firm. Mastrascusa was the executive vice president of hospitality for a luxury travel company owned by the Arnold family, according to a report by ABC 13 in Houston.

“As we grieve this unimaginable loss, our hearts are with the Mastrascusa family and all who knew and loved Nick. We are coming together to support Natalia and the children during this unthinkable time, helping to provide for their immediate needs and future as they navigate life without Nick,” the GoFundMe account said.

In less than 24 hours, 106 people had donated more than $100,000 toward the $110,000 GoFundMe goal.

On Monday, multiple sources confirmed that attorney Tara Arnold, wife of Arnold & Itkin founder Kurt Arnold, was on board. Jacob Hosmer, the pilot, and Shawna Collins, an event planner, also died on the plane, according to the FAA.

Authorities said details about the crash remain under investigation.