A mid-size air ambulance plane carrying a sick child and five others crashed on Friday night shortly after taking off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport, plowing into a residential area and setting off at least six house fires.
“At this time we cannot confirm any survivors,” said the Mexico-based air ambulance company Jet Rescue Air Ambulance that operated the Learjet 55 plane.
The Mexican government said all those on the plane were Mexican nationals. It is unclear whether anyone on the ground was injured.
The child was a girl on her way home with a final destination of Tijuana, Jet Rescue Air Ambulance told CNN. Her mother was also aboard, he said.
Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro told a press conference at the crash scene that "we know there will be loss in this region”.
President Donald Trump wrote on social media that it was "so sad to see the plane go down in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. More innocent souls lost."
The crash in Pennsylvania comes just two days after an American Airlines regional jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter carrying a combined 67 people collided, likely leaving no survivors, in Washington DC.
Key Points
- Plane crashes in busy residential area near Philadelphia mall, sparking fires
- WATCH: Philadelphia plane crash caught on Ring video
- 'There will be loss': Governor Shapiro on plane crash
- All on board plane were Mexican nationals, says government
- Donald Trump mourns ‘innocent souls lost’ in Philadelphia crash
- Everything we know about Philadelphia crash
Will Republicans blame this disaster on DEI too?
09:30
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Josh Marcus
Search and rescue teams hadn’t even finished pulling the bodies out of the Potomac River before Donald Trump began blaming diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs for the disastrous Wednesday night plane crash between a military helicopter and a commercial jet outside Washington that likely killed 67 people.
That leads one to wonder, will Trump politicize the Philadelphia crash too and blame DEI?
Earlier this week, we had this analysis on why the right is so quick to blame DEI in the wake of tragedy.
In video: Ring doorbell camera captures moment small plane explodes into fireball in Philadelphia neighborhood
09:00
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Namita Singh
A Ring doorbell camera has captured the horrifying moment an air ambulance plane crashed into a “high traffic” residential area, starting fires on Friday night (31 January).
Watch the video here:
Map: Philadelphia officials warn of road closures
08:30
,
Josh Marcus
Major road closures due to the aircraft response and investigation: Cottman Ave closed between Bustleton and Brous Aves. Roosevelt Boulevard outer lanes from Rhawn St to Tyson Ave. Saint Vincent St closed between Bustleton Ave and Castor Ave (1/2) pic.twitter.com/ZdVxOVixdo
— Philadelphia OEM (@PhilaOEM) February 1, 2025
‘I thought we were under attack’: Eyewitness describes seeing crash
08:25
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Namita Singh
One cellphone video taken by a witness moments after the crash showed a chaotic scene with debris scattered across the intersection. A wall of orange glowed just beyond as a plume of black smoke rose into the sky and sirens blared.
Michael Schiavone, 37, was sitting at his home in Mayfair, a nearby neighborhood, when he heard a loud bang and his house shook. He said it felt like a mini earthquake and when he checked his home security camera, it looked like a missile came down.
"There was a large explosion, so I thought we were under attack for a second," he said.
Final instructions from air traffic control before Philadelphia crash
08:07
,
Namita Singh
Shortly after 6pm, audio recorded by LiveATC captured an air traffic controller telling "Medevac Medservice 056" to turn right when departing.
About 30 seconds later it repeats the request before asking: "You on frequency?"
Minutes later, the controller says: "We have a lost aircraft. We're not exactly sure what happened, so we're trying to figure it out. For now the field is going to be closed."
What we know so far
08:01
,
Namita Singh
- An air ambulance plane crashed shortly after take-off into a row of houses in Philadelphia on Friday night
- Flight was operated by a Mexican NGO and transporting a child who had just completed treatment for a life-threatening condition, as well as her mother and four others
- No survivors have been found from the plane, while Pennsylvania's governor says 'there will be loss'
- All six people on board the flight were Mexican nationals
- At least six people on the ground were injured, with three of the six discharged after receiving treatment at Temple University Hospital
Red Cross on scene at Philadelphia plane crash
07:30
,
Josh Marcus
The Red Cross is joining the local, state, and federal officials racing to the scene of a plane crash in a residential neighborhood in Philadelphia.
“Our hearts go out to all those affected by the tragic incident in Northeast Philadelphia tonight,” the organization wrote on X. “A team of trained Red Cross disaster workers is on the scene to assist those who have been displaced, and we’re working with our partners to assess any other needs.”
Our hearts go out to all those affected by the tragic incident in Northeast Philadelphia tonight. A team of trained Red Cross disaster workers is on the scene to assist those who have been displaced, and we’re working with our partners to assess any other needs.
— Red Cross Philadelphia (@RedCrossPhilly) February 1, 2025
Six injured admitted to Temple University – reports
06:35
,
Namita Singh
At least six people injured in the crash were admitted to Temple University Hospital, the authorities told ABC News.
While three patients were treated and released, three remain hospitalised, the outlet reported. The nature of injuries sustained remains unclear.
Mexican officials work to confirm nationalities of passengers on downed medical plane in Philadelphia
06:30
,
Josh Marcus
The Mexican government is working to confirm the identities onboard an air ambulance flight that crashed in Philadelphia on Friday night.
The plane, from Mexico-based Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, was reportedly carrying a pediatric patient from Mexico and her mother, who were returning to Tijuana after getting treatment in the U.S.
All on board plane were Mexican nationals, says government
05:41
,
Namita Singh
The Mexican government said all those on the plane were Mexican nationals, CNN reported.
The child was a girl on her way home with a final destination of Tijuana, Shai Gold, who works on corporate strategy with Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, told CNN. Her mother was also aboard, he said.
"We are terribly shocked by this tragic turn of events," Mr Gold said. "This was a very seasoned crew. We are a leading air ambulance company, we fly 600 to 700 times a year."
He said the company had invested heavily in maintaining its aircraft to the highest international standards and that the plane that crashed had been in excellent flying condition.
"We really don't know what happened," Mr Gold said.
Have there been other fatal crashes with air ambulances?
05:39
,
Namita Singh
There were 87 accidents involving air ambulances in the US from 2000 to 2020, resulting in 230 deaths, according to a study in the journal Prehospital and Disaster Medicine.
Nearly three quarters of those accidents were on helicopters.
Human factors that can include pilot error or disorientation, impairment and fatigue contributed to 87 per cent of the fatal crashes.
The Philadelphia crash was the second fatal incident in 15 months for Jet Rescue. In 2023, five crew members were killed when their plane overran a runway in the central Mexican state of Morelos and crashed into a hillside.
Weather was poor above Philadelphia at time of crash
05:30
,
Josh Marcus
Poor weather conditions were occurring in the skies above Philadelphia on Friday night when a medical transit jet crashed shortly after takeoff.
Poor weather conditions this evening at Northeast Philadelphia Airport (KPNE) during the Learjet crash. The ceiling was only 600 feet. Rain was nearby. The jet crashed crashed three miles from the runway, in a densely populated area of northeast Philadelphia near Roosevelt Mall. pic.twitter.com/2Laq4WszV2
— Tyler Jankoski NBC5 (@TylerJankoski) February 1, 2025
The region was experiencing low clouds, light rain and fog.
“Unlike the midair collision in Washington, D.C., Wednesday night where adverse weather conditions were not present, inclement weather will likely be a key factor in the investigation into this small plane crash in Philadelphia,” AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jon Porter said in a statement.
“Light rain and fog were reported in northeast Philadelphia at the time of the crash. Visibility at the surface was 5-7 miles. The base layer of clouds was 400-600 feet above the ground. Winds from the southwest at 10 mph were reported in the area at the time of the crash.”
“Weather conditions are a critical factor that investigators review after plane crashes. Of course, it is unclear if Friday night's rainy and foggy weather was a direct factor in this plane crash,” Porter added.
Who rides air ambulances?
05:23
,
Namita Singh
People with traumatic injuries, pregnancy complications, heart attacks, strokes and respiratory diseases are the most common users of air ambulances, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.
More than 550,000 patients in the US use them every year.
In Hawaii, for example, they are frequently used to take patients from less populated islands, where health care is more limited, to Honolulu, where the state's biggest hospitals are located.
The owner of the plane that crashed in Philadelphia, Jet Rescue, flew baseball Hall of Famer David Ortiz to Boston after he was shot in the Dominican Republican in 2019.
Air ambulances will often have similar life-saving equipment like ventilators and blood transfusion devices. They will have stretchers and incubators.
The Mayo Clinic, for example, said its air ambulances will have an external defibrillator, an external pacemaker and more than 60 medications.
Paramedics and emergency medical technicians care for patients on board. Sometimes doctors and nurses are on board.
What is an air ambulance?
05:20
,
Namita Singh
An air ambulance provides transportation to people in critical or life-threatening situations when a ground ambulance can't reach a patient or wouldn't get to them fast enough.
They help boost a patient's odds of surviving and recovering, particularly in rural areas that don't have trauma or burn centers, according to a 2017 US Government Accountability Office report.
They've grown in importance as more rural hospitals have closed, according to a medical journal report from 2022.
Air ambulances can be either a helicopter or a fixed wing aircraft. Helicopters are generally used to take patients between hospitals or from the scene of an accident to a hospital. The airplane versions fly longer distances between airports.
Helicopters make up 74 per cent of all air ambulances, according to the GAO report.
The Philadelphia crash involved a Learjet 55, a small business jet.
NTSB to lead investigation as first responders reach crash site
05:10
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Namita Singh
A continuous stream of police vehicles and fire trucks initially responded at the crash site, taking over business parking lots.
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.
The plane crashed in a busy intersection near Roosevelt Mall, an outdoor shopping center in the densely populated neighborhood of Rhawnhurst.
One cellphone video taken by a witness moments after the crash showed a chaotic scene with debris scattered across the intersection. A wall of orange glowed just beyond as a plume of black smoke rose into the sky and sirens blared.
Michael Schiavone, 37, was sitting at his home in Mayfair, a nearby neighborhood, when he heard a loud bang and his house shook. He said it felt like a mini earthquake and when he checked his home security camera, it looked like a missile came down.
"There was a large explosion, so I thought we were under attack for a second," he said.
Jet Rescue, which provides global air ambulance services, flew baseball Hall of Famer David Ortiz to Boston after he was shot in the Dominican Republic in 2019 and was involved in transporting patients critically ill with Covid-19.
The FAA said the National Transportation Safety Board will lead the investigation. The NTSB said an investigator arrived and more officials would be there Saturday.
Donald Trump mourns ‘innocent souls lost’ in Philadelphia crash
05:05
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Namita Singh
President Donald Trump has given his first response to the Philadelphia plane crash in a social media post.
Writing on his platform Truth Social, he said: "So sad to see the plane go down in Philadelphia."More innocent souls lost," he added.
"Our people are totally engaged."
Six people were on board the plane that crashed shortly after take-off, sparking a large fire. No survivors have yet been reported.
‘All we heard was a loud roar’
04:49
,
Namita Singh
In Philadelphia, a doorbell camera captured video of the plane plunging in a streak of white and exploding as it hit the ground near a shopping mall and major roadway.
"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.
The crash happened less than 5km from Northeast Philadelphia Airport, which primarily serves business jets and charter flights.
The Learjet 55 quickly disappeared from radar after taking off from the airport at 6.06pm and climbing to an altitude of 487 meters.
It was registered to a company operating as Med Jets, according to the flight tracking website Flight Aware.
US rocked by two plane crashes in three days
04:35
,
Namita Singh
The Philadelphia crash comes just two days after the deadliest US air disaster in a generation.
On Wednesday night, an American Airlines jet carrying 60 passengers and four crew members collided in midair in Washington, DC, with an Army helicopter carrying three soldiers. There were no survivors.
The Philadelphia crash was also the second fatal incident in 15 months for Jet Rescue.
In 2023 five crew members were killed when their plane overran a runway in the central Mexican state of Morelos and crashed into a hillside.
‘We know there will be loss’
04:31
,
Namita Singh
Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro said at a news conference late on Friday that officials expected fatalities in the "awful aviation disaster”.
"We know that there will be loss," he said.
Map shows location of Philadelphia plane crash
04:30
,
Josh Marcus
‘We cannot confirm any survivors’
04:22
,
Namita Singh
Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, which operated the Learjet 55, said in a statement: "We cannot confirm any survivors."
There was no immediate word whether anyone on the ground was killed.
All six people aboard were from Mexico. The child had been treated in Philadelphia for a life-threatening condition and was being transported home, according to Jet Rescue spokesperson Shai Gold.
The flight's final destination was to have been Tijuana after a stop in Missouri.
The patient and her mother were on board along with four crew members. Mr Gold said this was a seasoned crew and everyone involved in these flights goes through rigorous training.
"When an incident like this happens, it's shocking and surprising," Mr Gold told The Associated Press. "All of the aircraft are maintained, not a penny is spared because we know our mission is so critical."
Photos capture dramatic Philadelphia plane crash
04:10
,
Josh Marcus
Video: Philadelphia plane crash in residential area captured by Ring video
03:40
,
Josh Marcus
A Ring doorbell camera has captured the horrifying moment an air ambulance plane crashed into a “high traffic” residential area, starting fires on Friday night.
The Learjet 55 jet was registered to a medical transport company and was carrying six passengers, including a pediatric patient, Jet Rescue Air Ambulance said.
It crashed near Cottman Avenue and Roosevelt Boulevard, near the Roosevelt Mall, according to officials.
In the Ring video, the plane can be seen careening towards the ground before disappearing behind a row of houses, igniting the night sky with massive flames.
What we know so far after Learjet crash goes down in huge explosion near mall
03:31
,
Josh Marcus
An air ambulance carrying a pediatric patient, their escort and four crew members crashed into a busy residential area of northeast Philadelphia Friday, erupting in a fireball.
The aircraft came down just after 6 p.m. local time near the Roosevelt Mall, damaging several homes and vehicles. Shocking footage showed a large mushroom-shaped fireball shooting into the sky.
City law enforcement quickly declared the crash a “major incident” and urged residents to stay away from the area.
Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker said that “several dwellings and vehicles” were impacted in the crash.
Mike Bedigan reports.
Philadelphia flight was carrying Mexican medical patient
03:20
,
Josh Marcus
One of those onboard the plane that crashed in Philadelphia tonight was a Mexican child who came to the U.S. for “life-saving” medical care.
"The treatment ran its course. She was ready to go home, and we were contracted to bring her back home to Mexico," Shai Gold, a spokesperson for Jet Rescue Air Ambulance told NBC Philadelphia. "Ultimate destination was the Tijuana International Airport and was scheduled to go home by ground ambulance."
'There will be loss': Governor Shapiro on plane crash
03:10
Governor Josh Shapiro is on the scene in Philadelphia, where a plane crashed into a residential area shortly after taking off.
“There will be loss in this region,” Shapiro said at a press conference on Friday night. “We want to offer our thoughts and our serious prayers for those who are grieving at this moment.”
The governor praised the work of first responders and the communal spirit of the city.
“Tonight we also saw the best of Philly,” he said. “We saw neighbor helping neighbor. We saw Pennsylvanians looking out for one another.”
The governor said he had spoken with Trump administration Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
Plane was part of Mexico-based air ambulance company
03:00
,
Josh Marcus
The jet that crashed into a Philadelphia neighborhood on Friday night belonged to a company called Jet Rescue, an air ambulance provider based in Mexico.
The company, which has been in operation as a medical transporter since 1994, serves private clients and insurance companies throughout North America.
Firefighters fought six house fires from crash, with no apparent deaths
02:50
,
Josh Marcus
Tonight’s plane crash in Philadelphia set off at least six house fires, according to city officials.
Firefighters fought blazes in six houses on the 7200 block of Calvert Street, a fire union official told The Philadelphia Inquirer.
The official added he wasn’t aware of any casualties inside the houses, saying “our members got everybody out pretty quick.”
Transportation Secretary briefs president, Penn. governor
02:40
,
Josh Marcus
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s office has been in close contact with the White House and the governor of Pennsylvania’s office, according to the DOT.
Just briefed the President and @GovernorShapiro from FAA HQ. I offered the full support of the @USDOT to the Governor and local officials.
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) February 1, 2025
Investigators are on site. @FAANews pic.twitter.com/CZOjE8TFKk
Police warn of 'extended' street closure as responders battle blaze
02:34
,
Josh Marcus
Expect the extended closure of Cottman Avenue between the Roosevelt Boulevard and Bustleton Avenue and outer southbound lanes of the Boulevard for the incident response. Avoid area and make alternate travel plans. pic.twitter.com/nmpR5SoLrb
— Philadelphia OEM (@PhilaOEM) February 1, 2025
Audio captures air traffic controllers discussing 'lost' plane
02:27
,
Josh Marcus
Audio captures air traffic controllers in Philadelphia attempting unsuccessfully to reach a medical transport plane that crashed into a city neighborhood Friday night.
“Are you on frequency?” a controller asks, after the plane does not respond to a previous message, according to audio obtained by CNN.
“We have a lost aircraft,” the controller continues. “We’re not exactly sure what happened, so we’re trying to figure it out for now.”
Trump White House 'totally engaged' in crash response
02:20
,
Josh Marcus
The president has weighed in on the Philadelphia plane crash.
“So sad to see the plane go down in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Friday. “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.”
New details on medical flight that crashed in Philadelphia
02:12
,
Josh Marcus
An air ambulance carrying six people, including a child, has crashed near a mall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, according to law enforcement.
Harrowing footage of the incident, from multiple angles, showed an enormous, billowing explosion after the twin-engine Learjet 55 came down in a “high traffic” residential neighborhood in the northeast of the city.
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 more.
Air ambulance 'cannot confirm any survivors'
02:06
,
Josh Marcus
It’s still too early to tell if any people survived a Friday night plane crash in a residential area in Philadelphia.
“At this time, we cannot confirm any survivors. No names are being released at this time until family members have been notified,” Jet Rescue Air Ambulance said in a statement of its downed plane.
“Our immediate concern is for the patient's family, our personnel, their families and other victims that may have been hurt on the ground,” the company added.
Air ambulance was carrying pedtric patient
02:00
,
Josh Marcus
The plane that crashed into a Philadelphia neighborhood tonight was carrying a child patient, according to its operator.
The Learjet 55 was carrying six people total: a pediatric patient, their escort, and four crew, according to Jet Rescue Air Ambulance.
Live feed: Scene after a small plane carrying two people crashed in Philadelphia
01:49
,
Josh Marcus
Mayor has 'no reports' on number of fatalities
01:44
,
Josh Marcus
Mayor Cherelle Parker said during a press conference Friday night that officials have “no reports” so far on the number of deaths from a jet that crashed into a residential area in Philadelphia.
“As of right now we have no reports on the number of fatalities so right now we’re just asking for prayers,” she said, noting the crash had impacted "several dwelling and vehicles.”
She urged residents to call 911 about debris and avoid the crash scene.
The FAA has said six people were onboard.
WATCH: Philadelphia plane crash caught on Ring video
01:38
,
Josh Marcus
Transportation Secretary provides update on Philadelphia plane crash
01:36
,
Josh Marcus
Transportation Sean Duffy has provided an initial update about the plane that just crashed in Philadelphia.
The aircraft, a Learjet 55, crashed around 6:30 p.m, as it left Philadelphia on its way to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri.
“There were reportedly 6 people on board,” Duffy said.
The FAA and NTSB will investigate the crash.
Here is what we’ve learned thus far.
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) February 1, 2025
A Learjet 55 crashed around 6:30 p.m. after departing from Northeast Philadelphia Airport. There were reportedly 6 people on board.
The plane was en route to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri. The @FAANews and @NTSB will…
PHOTOS: Crews put out fires after jet crash in Philadelphia
01:32
,
Josh Marcus
Plane crashes in busy residential area near Philadelphia mall, sparking fires
01:27
,
Josh Marcus
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.
A plane crash in Philadelphia
01:26