Pediatric patient among 6 people on plane that crashed in Northeast Philadelphia | LIVE

Pediatric patient among 6 people on plane that crashed in Northeast Philadelphia | LIVE

Pediatric patient among 6 people on plane that crashed in Northeast Philadelphia | LIVE

Medical Transport Jet Crashes in Northeast Philadelphia, Erupting in Fireball

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) – A medical transport jet carrying six people crashed into a Northeast Philadelphia neighborhood shortly after takeoff on Friday, igniting a massive fire that engulfed several homes.

The crash occurred near Cottman Avenue and Roosevelt Boulevard just after 6 p.m.
Flight Details and Passengers

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Learjet 55 had departed from Northeast Philadelphia Airport and was en route to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri when it went down.

Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, a Mexico-based company providing global air ambulance services, confirmed that the plane was carrying six people: four crew members, an escort, and a pediatric patient.

Shriners Children’s Philadelphia stated that the young patient and her mother had completed treatment and were being transported back to Mexico.
Impact and Aftermath

The crash site was engulfed in flames, with vehicles and nearby structures catching fire. Several bystanders in the immediate area sustained burn injuries and were transported to the hospital.

Temple University Hospital confirmed receiving six patients from the crash. Three were treated and released, while three remain hospitalized in fair condition.

Officials also reported that a firefighter was hospitalized due to a breathing issue.
Eyewitness Accounts

Witnesses described the horrifying moment of impact.

“It was just horrific. I was driving to Wendy’s when I saw a plane hit a building and explode. The sky lit up, and I pulled over—it was real bad around here,” one witness recalled.

Doorbell camera footage captured the plane streaking through the sky before crashing in a fiery explosion near Roosevelt Mall.

Another witness, Jimmy Wiess, who was nearby looking for a dinner spot, said, “We heard an explosion and saw flames and smoke. Common sense told me not to get close.”

Mikey, an employee at a nearby gas station, described how the explosion shook the area. “Once I saw the big ball of fire, I came outside and saw plane pieces everywhere. It looked like a human foot with a shoe still on the street.”
Response and Official Statements

Mayor Cherelle Parker urged residents to avoid the area and not to touch debris. A shelter has been set up at Samuel Fels High School for displaced residents.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro commended first responders and said 45 state troopers, PennDOT personnel, and emergency management teams were on-site. He also confirmed that the FAA and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) dispatched investigators.
Aviation Safety Concerns

The crash follows another deadly aviation incident just two days prior, when an American Airlines jet and an Army helicopter collided midair over Washington, D.C., killing all on board.

“You don’t want to think the worst, but having two aviation disasters so close together is very concerning,” said Wiess.

The FAA temporarily halted flights at Northeast Philadelphia Airport in response to the crash. Investigations are ongoing.

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Fireball caught on video

A doorbell camera captured footage of the plane plunging in a streak of white and exploding as it hit the ground near the Roosevelt Mall.

"All we heard was a loud roar and didn't know where it was coming from. We just turned around and saw the big plume," said Jim Quinn, the owner of the doorbell camera.

"We heard an explosion and then saw the aftermath of flames and smoke. Common sense told me that I should not get close to it," said witness Jimmy Wiess, who was in the area looking for a spot to have dinner.

"It was a big ball of fire that went up into the sky and the whole gas station just started shaking. Little debris and stuff was flying so I tried to keep the door shut and not let customers out until the debris was gone," said Mikey, who works at a gas station near the crash site.

"Once I saw the big ball of fire, I came outside and started seeing a bunch of plane pieces. It looked, honestly, like a human foot or something and a shoe still on the side of the street."

The FAA issued a ground stop at Northeast Philadelphia Airport due to "an aircraft incident."

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro joined second press conference held after the crash and started by saying, "tonight we saw the best of Philly. We saw neighbor helping neighbor. We was Pennsylvanians looking out for one another."

The Governor reiterated the Mayor's gratitude for the Philadelphia Fire Department and Philadelphia Police Department for their work.

There are currently 45 state troopers on the ground in Northeast Philadelphia, 25 members of PennDOT, members of the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Authority and members of the Department of Environmental Protection.

Governor Shapiro said he spoke with Transportation Secretary Duffy, who offered his full support to Northeast Philadelphia and has dispatched 4 members of the FAA and 4 members of the NTSB to the scene.

President Donald Trump released this statement on his Truth Social account, "So sad to see the plane go down in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. More innocent souls lost. Our people are totally engaged. First Responders are already being given credit for doing a great job. More to follow. God Bless you all."

A continuous stream of police vehicles and fire trucks initially poured into the scene, taking over business parking lots as emergency responders to the crash and fire directed people away and set up a perimeter stretching blocks in each direction.

Within about an hour, the cry of sirens and shouted orders had faded into relative quiet at the edges of the closed-off area, and darkness settled in as drivers passing by peered out trying to see what was happening.

Videos posted to social media show fiery scene after plane crash in Philadelphia

The crash came just two days after the deadliest U.S. air disaster in a generation.

On Wednesday night, an American Airlines jet carrying 60 passengers and four crew members collided in midair in Washington, D.C., with an Army helicopter carrying three soldiers. There were no survivors in that crash.

"You don't want to think the worst things, but obviously it is very concerning to have two aviation disasters so close together when we haven't had one in quite some time. So it's very concerning, for sure," said Wiess.

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