A small medical transport plane carrying six people crashed into a densely populated neighbourhood in northeast Philadelphia on Friday (Jan 31) evening, setting homes and vehicles ablaze.
The Learjet 55, en route to Missouri, had taken off just minutes earlier from Northeast Philadelphia Airport before plunging into a row of buildings, sending debris flying across the area.
The aircraft, operated by Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, was transporting a child patient, their escort, and four crew members. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro described the incident as an "awful aviation disaster," acknowledging the likelihood of casualties.
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A fireball erupts in a residential block
Flames quickly spread through homes and parked cars, forcing residents to flee the "awful aviation disaster". Responders arrived within minutes, battling the fire and searching for survivors amid the wreckage. Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker urged the public to stay clear of the crash site.
Local residents described the terrifying moment the plane went down.
"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," said a witness speaking to WPVI-TV, as reported by the BBC news.
Federal investigation underway
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have launched an investigation into the cause of the crash. Officials initially reported two people aboard the flight but later confirmed six.
Flight data shows the plane had arrived from Florida earlier in the day before taking off for Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri. Weather conditions at the time included rain and winds of 10-20 mph, but it remains unclear if they contributed to the crash.
Aviation safety concerns grow
This crash comes just two days after a deadly collision in Washington, DC, involving a commercial jet and a military helicopter, which claimed 67 lives.
(With inputs from agencies)