A devastating plane crash rocked a Philadelphia neighborhood Friday evening when a medical transport jet carrying a child patient and five others went down shortly after takeoff, exploding into a fiery inferno.
The Learjet 55, operated by Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, had departed Northeast Philadelphia Airport en route to Springfield, Missouri, when it quickly lost altitude and vanished from radar.
The jet crashed just three miles from the airport, igniting several homes and vehicles. Authorities have not confirmed any survivors.
“Our immediate concern is for the patient’s family, our personnel, and anyone impacted on the ground,” Jet Rescue Air Ambulance stated.
Doorbell footage captured the terrifying moment as the plane streaked through the sky before crashing near Roosevelt Mall. Witnesses described hearing a loud roar before seeing an explosion that sent a plume of black smoke into the sky.
Michael Schiavone, a local resident, said his house shook from the impact. “It felt like an earthquake. When I checked my security camera, it looked like a missile coming down.”
The crash follows another tragic aviation disaster just days earlier, when an American Airlines jet collided midair with a military helicopter in Washington, D.C., leaving no survivors.
Governor Josh Shapiro assured full state support in response to the incident, while the National Transportation Safety Board has launched an investigation into the cause of the crash.
