A medical transport jet crashed in a residential area of Philadelphia on Friday, just 30 seconds after takeoff, igniting fires, scattering debris, and alarming residents. This incident marks the second aviation disaster in the region within two days. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), there were two people on board the aircraft.

Plane crash in Philly near Cottman Ave, yall be safe out there 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/PMenA6jLZq

— BOOKER (@215Booker) January 31, 2025

A doorbell camera captured the plane plummeting from the sky in a white streak before exploding into a fireball upon impact near a shopping mall and a major roadway. Jim Quinn, the homeowner who recorded the footage, described the moment: “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.”

The crash occurred less than 3 miles (4.8 kilometers) from Northeast Philadelphia Airport according to reports, which primarily handles business jets and charter flights. The aircraft, a Learjet 55, took off from the airport at 6:06 p.m. and climbed to 1,600 feet (487 meters) before vanishing from radar. It was en route to Springfield, Missouri, and registered to Med Jets, a company specializing in medical transport, as reported by the flight-tracking website FlightAware.

The air ambulance that just crashed in Philadelphia is registered in MEXICO.

In America, all aircraft registrations start with the letter N.

In Mexico, they start with X.

The XA prefix designates the jet as a MEXICAN CIVIL AIRCRAFT. #Philadelphia #PlaneCrash pic.twitter.com/FX5zSJw5Fm

— Pete James Peterson (@PJPNIG) February 1, 2025

This tragedy follows another devastating aviation incident just two days prior, when an American Airlines jet collided midair with an Army helicopter in Washington, D.C., killing all 64 people on board. It was the deadliest U.S. aviation disaster in nearly 25 years.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro pledged the state’s full support, stating that all “Commonwealth resources” would be made available to respond to the crash.

The jet crashed near Roosevelt Mall, a bustling outdoor shopping center, causing chaos in the residential neighborhood of Rhawnhurst. First responders blocked traffic as onlookers gathered at the scene. Philadelphia’s emergency management office confirmed road closures in the area.

Local FOX station is reporting 6 deceased.

It was a medical transport per reports.

A ring camera caught the concussive explosion.#Philadelphia #planecrash pic.twitter.com/d8IuerDTA2

— Jennifer Coffindaffer (@CoffindafferFBI) February 1, 2025

A witness’s cellphone video captured the aftermath, showing debris scattered across the intersection and a towering plume of black smoke rising into the sky. Michael Schiavone, a resident of nearby Mayfair, described hearing a loud bang and feeling his house shake. “It felt like a mini earthquake,” he said. Reviewing his home security footage, he initially feared an attack, saying, “There was a large explosion, so I thought we were under attack for a second.”

The plane was owned by Jet Rescue, a Mexico-based company providing global air ambulance services. Jet Rescue gained attention in 2019 for flying baseball legend David Ortiz to Boston after he was shot in the Dominican Republic and has also transported critically ill COVID-19 patients. A request for comment was sent to Jet Rescue’s U.S. headquarters in Boca Raton, Florida, but no response has been provided.

The FAA confirmed that the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will lead the investigation into the crash. The NTSB, responsible for probing aviation accidents, is currently gathering information about the incident.

🚨🚨🚨Breaking news!!!🚨🚨🚨

Another plane accident in Philadelphia!!! #planecrash #Philadelphia #BreakingNews https://t.co/TVbTWJ0ZJu

— DebateMeBro (@Debate_Me_Bro) February 1, 2025