A tragic crash involving a small Learjet 55 aircraft occurred on Friday evening in Northeast Philadelphia, causing multiple fatalities and widespread destruction.
The plane, a medical evacuation air ambulance, crashed shortly after departing from Northeast Philadelphia Airport, reportedly killing all six people on board. The victims included four crew members, a pediatric medical patient, and the patient's escort.
The aircraft was en route to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri when it crashed, bursting into flames and setting several nearby homes on fire. Local authorities have confirmed that at least one house and multiple vehicles were consumed by the fire, while visibility was significantly reduced due to rain at the time of the incident.
Philadelphia's emergency management office responded swiftly, labelling the crash a "major incident" and confirming road closures in the vicinity.
The crash site, located just under five kilometers from the airport, has been described as chaotic, with emergency responders working tirelessly to manage the crisis.
Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy confirmed the number of people on board as six, while noting that both the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) would conduct a joint investigation into the cause of the crash.
In a statement, Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, the company operating the aircraft, expressed sorrow over the tragedy, stating that it was unable to confirm any survivors. As the incident unfolded, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker assured the public that authorities were doing everything possible to assess the situation, though she could not provide any details on the exact number of casualties.
The crash came just days after a devastating mid-air collision between a US Army Black Hawk helicopter and a passenger plane near Washington D.C., which resulted in the deaths of 67 people
A Learjet 55 had just departed from Northeast Philadelphia Airport and was headed to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri when it crashed around 6:30 p.m., the Federal Aviation Administration told The Post.
The FAA, in a preliminary statement, said the plane was carrying two passengers. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy later wrote on X that there were reportedly six people on the jet.
A small private plane crashed in Philadelphia, the United States, shortly after takeoff on Friday. Multiple casualties were reported.
"We are offering all resources as (emergency services) respond to the small private plane crash in Northeast Philly," Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro wrote on social media.
"We'll continue to provide updates as more information is available."The crash happened just blocks from the Roosevelt Mall, a three-story shopping centre in a densely populated part of the Pennsylvania city, according to BBC's US partner CBS News.
The area where the crash occurred is filled with terraced housing and shops.
Disturbing video of the incident online show the plane coming down quickly and sparking a huge fireball that rocketed into the sky.
Witnesses describes shrapnel from the crash damaging cars, and strewing burning debris in the streets.
The plane, a Learjet 55, took off from from the Northeast Philadelphia Airport about 18:30 local time and crashed less than four miles (6.4km) away, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The FAA said in a statement that the flight was en-route to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri.
The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating.
Weather forecasts in the area show it's been a cloudy and rainy evening with winds measured around 10 to 20 mph.
One witness told local media that the explosion "lit up the whole sky".
"I just saw a plane basically hit the building and it exploded. The sky lit up and I pulled over and basically, it was just real bad around here," the witness told WPVI-TV, describing the crash as feeling like an earthquake.
Ryan Tian, 23, told The Philadelphia Inquirer said he was getting dinner when he saw a "massive fireball" that turned the sky orange.
"I thought we were getting attacked by something," he said. As he saw people start to flee, he decided to get "outta there".
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro wrote on X that he's in touch with local authorities and is "offering all Commonwealth resources as they respond to the small private plane crash".
The plane crash comes just days after a much larger collision happened between a commercial jet and a military helicopter in Washington DC, where officials suspect all 67 people aboard both aircraft were killed.
