All six people on board a medical transport jet that crashed into homes in a Philadelphia neighborhood Friday night are dead. One person who was in a car at the time of the crash has also died, and at least 19 others were injured and transported to area hospitals.
A Learjet 55 carrying a medical team and a pediatric patient crashed moments after taking off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport on Friday, erupting in flames near Roosevelt Boulevard and Cottman Avenue, NBC Philadelphia reported.
Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, the flight’s operator, stated: “There were four (4) crew members and two (2) passengers (pediatric patient and her mother) on board. There were no survivors. No names are being released at this time until family members have been notified.”
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Officials have not released the names of those on board either but said all six were from Mexico.
The crash happened about 30 seconds after departure, around 6 p.m. Eastern time. It was expected to head from Philadelphia to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri before continuing to Tijuana, Mexico.
Nearby homes caught fire, and multiple videos showed a fireball followed by heavy smoke.
Eyewitnesses described hearing an explosion and seeing debris.
“More innocent souls lost,” President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Our people are totally engaged. First Responders are already being given credit for doing a great job. More to follow.”
Mayor Cherelle Parker urged people to avoid the area, while local authorities closed part of Cottman Avenue and opened a shelter at Samuel Fels High School on Langdon Street for those displaced.
The Federal Aviation Administration announced that the National Transportation Safety Board would lead the investigation. An NTSB investigator arrived Saturday to begin examining the site.
“The Jet Rescue Air Ambulance family extends its heartfelt condolences and deepest sympathy to the family of the patient, families of our team members, and anyone who was hurt on the ground,” said the operator in the statement. “Jet Rescue Air Ambulance extends sincere thanks to the many first responders, as well as the city, county and state leadership who mobilized emergency resources to the crash site. Thank you Philadelphia and Pennsylvania for a remarkable response.”
The operator experienced a fatal incident in 2023, when one of its planes overran a runway in Morelos, Mexico, causing five deaths.
Philadelphia International Airport and Northeast Philadelphia Airport remain open, according to a spokesperson.
The Philadelphia crash occurred shortly after a separate fatal aviation event near Washington, D.C., involving an American Airlines jet and a U.S. Army helicopter. Trump addressed that previous collision on social media, mourning those who perished and commending first responders.
Air ambulance trips can cost anywhere from $12,000 to $25,000, depending on factors such as patient condition, according to The Associated Press.
