PHILADELPHIA ‒ A medical evacuation jet tragically crashed into a crowded neighborhood on Friday evening, resulting in at least seven fatalities and leaving 19 individuals injured. The crash created widespread devastation.

Investigators were on the scene the following day, sifting through the debris as shocked residents in Northeast Philadelphia gathered to witness the aftermath of the calamity. From early morning until well into the afternoon, locals approached the area to observe the remnants of the crash, standing close to the wreckage that included shattered pieces of the plane and burnt vehicles.

A large crater carved into the street where a Learjet 55, transporting six Mexican nationals, spiraled down at nearly 300 mph was evident. Charred sections of the plane’s fuselage lay scattered in the road, and several cars caught in the explosion were left angled awkwardly—one vehicle completely reduced to a blackened frame.

Witnesses described the crash scene akin to a battlefield. Andre Boldin recalled the jet sounded like a missile soaring overhead. Nearby, Andre Gary expressed a feeling of dread, believing he was witnessing the end of the world as the plane descended like a falling star.

“I couldn’t sleep last night,” shared Bill Vitelli, whose home shook during the impact. “We will eventually understand what occurred, but why do these tragedies happen? Perhaps only God knows.”

Deaths and injuries reported

Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker confirmed on Saturday that all six passengers on the plane perished, alongside one individual in a nearby car when the aircraft crashed, sending debris flying. Authorities indicated that the number of injured and deceased could rise as recovery operations proceed.

The mayor expressed gratitude to first responders and mentioned that crews and investigators worked through the night, promising to uncover the cause of the tragedy.

“We will determine what led to this disaster,” she stated.

The Learjet carried six individuals from Mexico, including a young girl, her mother, medical staff, and the pilots, according to a spokesperson for Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, Shai Gold.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed the loss of lives and expressed condolences to the affected families in a post on X, previously known as Twitter.

The Federal Aviation Administration reported that the jet took off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport and crashed around 6:30 p.m. on Friday while en route to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri. The incident occurred close to the Roosevelt Mall on Cottman Avenue and Roosevelt Boulevard, an area bustling with numerous businesses and residences.

This dreadful event in Philadelphia follows a recent midair collision in Washington D.C. that resulted in 67 fatalities, marking the deadliest U.S. passenger aircraft disaster in over two decades.

Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are examining the crash site, with the FAA providing assistance for the investigation.

Search for missing cockpit recorder

NTSB investigator Ralph Hicks described the flight’s last moments, noting it made “a slight right turn, followed by a slight left turn and then a steep descent” before crashing.

“This was a high-impact crash, and the aircraft is heavily fragmented,” stated NTSB chairman Jennifer Homendy during the press briefing.

Consequently, there is an extensive amount of debris that investigators aim to recover, an effort expected to last weeks. While they have located both engines of the aircraft, the cockpit voice recorder is still missing. Homendy encouraged anyone who encounters debris to reach out to the NTSB via email (witness@ntsb.gov).

Referring to the cockpit recorder, which may have been damaged, she said, “If we manage to find it, we can bring it to our lab for further evaluation.”

Finding the recorder is crucial as it could provide insights into the cockpit activities, she added. “However, the investigation can continue without it; it simply offers us additional details.”

Politicians respond to the disaster

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro acknowledged the federal officials aiding in the crash investigation and emphasized community solidarity during this difficult time.

“This is not only a collaboration among emergency response teams at all levels, but also neighbors coming together to support one another,” he remarked on Saturday morning.

In a Truth Social post, President Donald Trump praised the first responders and conveyed his sympathies to the victims’ families.

“It is heartbreaking to witness the plane crash in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. We have lost more innocent lives,” Trump expressed. “First responders are doing an exceptional job. More updates will follow. May God bless you all.”

Philadelphia air traffic control tried to reach doomed plane

Air traffic control recordings reveal the moments when they attempted to communicate with the jet.

The Medevac pilot did not report any problems over the radio; however, air traffic controllers sensed that something was amiss.

“Medevac med service zero-five-six, northeast tower, are you on frequency?” a controller queried nearly four minutes after the jet lifted off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport, according to an audio file sourced from liveatc.net.

Moments later, another voice inquired about the situation, “What’s happening down there?”

“We have a lost aircraft,” the operator reported.

Read more.

Crews inspect crash site

Adam Thiel, the managing director of the City of Philadelphia, mentioned that teams are performing thorough checks of the neighborhood surrounding the crash site to identify any concealed damages. He estimated it may take several days to grasp the full extent of this disaster.

The impact area is estimated to span approximately four to six blocks, with debris extending even further.

Philadelphia fire officials reported that five homes caught fire due to the crash but have since been extinguished. Officials have not disclosed the total number of vehicles affected.

What is a Medevac jet?

Medevac, short for “medical evacuation,” flights utilize aircraft equipped with advanced medical equipment such as ventilators, defibrillators, and monitoring systems, along with trained medical personnel to provide care during transit to medical facilities, as described by aviation news site Simple Flying.

These aircraft essentially function as “flying ambulances,” staffed by specially trained healthcare professionals, according to Fly REVA, an international air ambulance service with operations across Arizona, Florida, New York and Puerto Rico.

While helicopters can serve as Medevac aircraft, fixed-wing planes like the Learjet are preferred for their ability to take off and land at shorter airfields, along with large cargo doors that facilitate the loading and unloading of stretchers.

According to Medical Air Service Worldwide, an air ambulance company with locations in New York and London, the team on a Medevac can consist of intensive care doctors, flight physicians, and flight nurses.

The medical equipment on board a Medevac flight might include a satellite phone, an intensive care unit, a respirator, a defibrillator, a blood gas analyzer, and oxygen tanks, as stated by the company.

Pilots may receive additional medical training that includes infection control and procedures for loading and unloading patients, according to MedicTests, an assessment site.

– Mike Snider

Child onboard was receiving treatment in Philadelphia

Gold stated that Jet Rescue was hired to transport a child from Philadelphia to Tijuana, Mexico. He confirmed that a third-party charity funded the flight, but he couldn’t disclose the charity’s name.

“Our thoughts are with the families,” Gold expressed. “It’s truly an irreplaceable loss.”

Shriner’s Hospital in Philadelphia mentioned they had been caring for the girl and honored her with a sendoff on Friday prior to her flight, according to an interview with a hospital spokesperson shared with CBS3 in Philadelphia.

Gold pointed out that the company experienced a tragic crash in Mexico in 2023, which resulted in the loss of five crew members.

The LearJet 55, one of the largest in its category, is used by Jet Rescue, which is one of the few air ambulance services that utilize this aircraft due to its high cost yet exceptional reliability. Jet Rescue operates between 600 to 700 flights globally each year, and Gold noted that the frequency of the LearJet 55’s flights in the five days preceding the crash is typical for the company.

He added that the training provided to the crew surpasses industry standards, the aircraft in their fleet are “well-maintained,” and safety is a priority, with Gold labeling every flight as a “sacred mission.”

“Every flight is approached as if it’s our very first,” Gold remarked. “If any warning light illuminates in the cockpit, the plane is grounded immediately, no matter the location.”

‘Help us, help us’

Michael Hitchner, a Philadelphia local, recounted being in a parked vehicle when the plane crashed nearby. He used his shirt to stem the bleeding from a child’s head, injured by debris that crashed through his car’s windshield.

“The parents were crying out, ‘Help us, help us, help us!'” Hitchner recounted. He and his wife also witnessed other horrifying scenes, including “my wife saw a severed foot. I spotted a severed arm. Medical supplies were strewn everywhere,” he said.

“It was an extremely shocking and upsetting event. After I got home, I was sick to my stomach twice.”

– Jim Walsh

What is the role of the National Transportation Safety Board?

The NTSB is an autonomous federal agency that Congress has tasked with investigating civil transportation accidents in the United States, encompassing aircraft, railways, road incidents, and maritime accidents, according to the NTSB’s official website.

Currently, a five-member board leads the agency as it investigates the recent midair collision involving an American Airlines aircraft and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

How many aircraft crashes have occurred in 2025?

So far this year, there have been eight airplane crashes in the United States, including bird strikes and solo aircraft incidents, according to the Aviation Safety Network.

Prior to the recent crash between a passenger jet and an Army helicopter near the Reagan Washington National Airport, there had been no fatalities reported in the U.S. this year.

This collision resulted in 67 fatalities. With additional losses from the Philadelphia crash, the total number of air crash-related deaths in the U.S. for 2025 has risen to 74.

‘No donations’ needed, says mayor

During a press conference on Saturday, Mayor Parker requested that those wanting to support the victims of the tragedy focus on sending prayers for the City of Philadelphia and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. She emphasized that “no donations are required at this time.”

She mentioned that officials are working to establish “formal, actionable means” for the public to help with the aftermath of the tragedy.

Emerging details about the aircraft

According to Flight Aware, an online flight-tracking service, the red and white aircraft is an older 43-year-old Learjet 55, registered to Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, which has operations in Miami and Mexico.

Recently, the aircraft has flown through airports in Mexico, Haiti, Florida, and Arizona. The company’s website features this plane in a video that demonstrates how Jet Rescue facilitates patient transport worldwide, showcasing its “impeccable safety record.”

YSL News has reached out to Jet Rescue for further comment.

– Trevor Hughes

Contributing: Trevor Hughes and Eduardo Cuevas, YSL News; Jim Walsh, YSL News Network; Bucks County Courier Times; Reuters