As the American aviation industry continues to battle waves of emotions following the tragedy that took place in Washington D.C., another aviation disaster has occurred.
On the evening of Friday, January 31st, a Learjet 55 crashed in a Philadelphia residential area just minutes after departure.
What We Know
According to Flightradar24, the aircraft involved was a 43-year-old Learjet 55 registered XA-UCI. The registration indicates this aircraft was registered in Mexico and was operated by Jet Rescue Air Ambulance.
The aircraft was flying from Philadelphia Northeast Airport (PNE) to Springfield-Branson Airport in Missouri (SGF). Onboard were four crewmembers and two passengers.
Given that Learjet was an air ambulance, it was serving exactly that purpose. One passenger was a pediatric patient, while the other passenger was their escort.
The incident occurred after 6:00 pm local time near Cottman and Bustleton Avenues right in the area of the Roosevelt Mall.
The aircraft crashed in a residential area. Many people on the ground have been reported to be injured and multiple homes are on fire.
Debris from the crash hit a diner in the area, flying through a window and hitting a customer in the head.
Cherelle Parker, Philadelphia's Mayor, commented that:
"As of right now, we have no reports on the number of fatalities, so right now, we're just asking for prayers for any and everyone who may have been affected."
A statement released by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) noted that it was responding to the crash. This was alongside resources provided by Governor Josh Shapiro and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania which included the Philadelphia Police and Fire Departments.
It has not been specified what caused the crash. However, Flightradar24 playback data indicates that the aircraft took off from PNE Airport around 6:06 pm local time and seconds after climbing to 1,650 feet, disappeared from radar.
President Donald Trump expressed his dismay for the incident and noted that first responders were well in action addressing the scene.
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