Philadelphia plane crash – latest: Medical jet crashes into busy residential street moments after take-off
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A small plane crashed on Friday night shortly after taking off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport, plowing into a residential area with densely packed row houses, setting off fires.
The flight, a Learjet 55 registered to a company called Med Jets, was reportedly carrying six passengers.
It crashed near Cottman Avenue and Roosevelt Boulevard near the Roosevelt Mall, according to officials.
“There was a large explosion, so I thought we were under attack for a second,” local resident Michael Schiavone told NPR.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said the state was offering all “Commonwealth resources as they respond to the small private plane crash in Northeast Philly.”
PHOTOS: Crews put out fires after jet crash in Philadelphia
Josh Marcus1 February 2025 01:32
Plane crashes in busy residential area near Philadelphia mall, sparking fires
A business jet has crashed near a mall in Philadelphia, with multiple casualties reported, according to several law enforcement sources.
Harrowing footage of the incident, from multiple angles, showed an enormous explosion after a twin-engine Learjet 55 came down in a “high traffic” residential neighborhood of northeast Philadelphia.
Eyewitnesses said the sky was “lit up” by the explosion, which was later declared a “major incident” by the Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management.
According to the FAA, the plane departed from Northeast Philadelphia Airport at 6:30 p.m. local time, en route to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri and was airborne for only about 40 seconds, reaching an altitude of just 1,600 feet.
Mike Bedigan has the story.
Josh Marcus1 February 2025 01:27
