CNN —
A twin-engine medevac jet crashed in a neighborhood in northeast Philadelphia Friday night, causing a fiery explosion, according to authorities and video from the scene.
A Learjet 55 crashed around 6:30 p.m. ET after departing from Northeast Philadelphia Airport, the Federal Aviation Administration told CNN in a statement.
The private business jet, which had six people on board, was en route to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri, the FAA said. Radio audio from air traffic control describes the downed Learjet in Philadelphia as a “medevac” flight.
The plane reached 1,650 feet shortly after takeoff before plunging, according to data from ADS-B Exchange. The data shows the final speed of descent was 11,000 feet per minute.
As the controller tries to contact the plane, there’s a callout, heard on LiveATC.net, “Medevac med service, northeast tower. Medevac med service, northeast tower. Are you on frequency?”
A little over a minute later, the controller is heard saying: “We have a lost aircraft. We are not exactly sure what happened, so we are trying to figure it out for now. So, for now the field is going to be closed. So, no inbounds or out bounds.”
Several houses and vehicles “were impacted,” Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker said at a news conference Friday evening.
“As of right now, we have no reports on the number of fatalities,” Parker said. CNN affiliate KYW reported there are several injuries reported on the ground.
One of the six people on board was a pediatric patient, said Jet Rescue, the air ambulance company operating the flight.
“At this time, we cannot confirm any survivors. No names are being released at this time until family members have been notified,” the company said in a statement. “Our immediate concern is for the patient’s family, our personnel, their families and other victims that may have been hurt on the ground. More information will be released as it becomes available.”
A photo of the twin-engine jet, which has a tail number that indicates it is registered in Mexico, shows it has “Jet Rescue” painted on it. It also has medical logos on its tail and wingtip.
Video from CNN affiliate WPVI showed flames and a large cloud of smoke at the scene as several fire trucks responded to the incident.
The fire is under control, Philadelphia Fire said in a post on X on Friday night.
Nearby, the Northeast Philadelphia Airport was closed for a brief time following the crash, but is now reopened, the airport told CNN.
Across the street from the crash, Roosevelt Mall was evacuated, mall spokesperson Kristen Moore told CNN. There were no injuries or damage at the mall, she said.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said he has spoken with the Philadelphia mayor and is offering all Commonwealth resources as the emergency response unfolds. Meanwhile, the city’s emergency management department said it was working on a “major incident” near Cottman and Bustleton avenues and that roads were closed in the area.
The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash.
The plane crash comes as authorities continue their probe into Wednesday’s deadly collision about 150 miles to the northeast in the Washington, DC, area, where an American Airlines regional jet and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter collided over the Potomac River. The jet, flying from Wichita, Kansas, was carrying 64 people, while three soldiers were aboard the helicopter. All are presumed dead.
One witness who witnessed the crash was at his job when he saw “this big ball of flames in the sky,” he told CNN affiliate WPVI.
“I was right here at the job and all I could see is this big ball of flames in the sky. Literally, we heard a loud, loud bang. It shook the entire building, the whole building shook,” Mikey Littlejohn told WPVI.
Another witness, Vadim Osipov, said: “I was in shock. I’m still in shock. Like this is insane.”
Osipov said the incident reminded him of the war in Ukraine, where he is from. “There’s always rockets coming in and stuff like that, then I see things flying.”
This is a developing story and will be updated.
