A medical evacuation aircraft, ferrying six individuals, including a young patient and her mother, met with a catastrophic accident in a residential neighborhood in Philadelphia on Friday. The crash resulted in several casualties and a massive explosion that lit up the night sky. The Learjet 55 had taken off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport and was headed to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri when it suddenly plummeted from the sky shortly after takeoff, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
The young patient, who had recently undergone critical medical treatment, was on her way back to Mexico. She was accompanied by her mother, a doctor, a paramedic, and two pilots. This information was shared by Shai Gold, the spokesperson for Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, the company that owned the aircraft. The company issued a statement indicating that they could not confirm any survivors at the time.
A passing motorist captured the crash on video. The footage showed a column of smoke rising from the crash site. The impact of the crash was so intense that it was likened to an “earthquake” by a witness. The crash resulted in several homes and cars being engulfed in flames, causing substantial damage to the surrounding area.
Flight data showed that the jet had taken off at 6:06 p.m. and had reached an altitude of 1,625 feet before it began to descend a minute later. The crash site was located in a residential area near Cottoman Avenue and Roosevelt Boulevard, just over three miles from the airport. Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker reported that the crash caused a large explosion and set multiple homes and cars ablaze.
The exact cause of the crash remains undetermined. Air traffic control reported a “lost aircraft” around the time of the crash. Six people not on the plane were hospitalized with injuries, three of whom were treated and released, while the other three were listed in stable condition.
Video footage showed a large fireball erupting after the plane nose-dived. Debris from the crash was scattered across the nearby Roosevelt Mall parking lot. A piece of metal debris even flew through the window of a diner located half a mile from the crash site, injuring a patron.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board will be investigating the incident. This tragic event follows closely on the heels of another aviation disaster in which a military helicopter collided with an American Airlines flight over Washington, DC, resulting in the loss of 67 lives.