WPVI, CNN
By Mark Morales, Danny Freeman, Taylor Romine, Pete Muntean and Aaron Cooper, CNN
(CNN) — A twin-engine business 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 aircraft, which had two 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.”
It was not immediately clear what the plane might have impacted.
Officials have not released information on injuries from the crash. CNN affiliate KYW reported there are several injuries reported on the ground.
Video from CNN affiliate WPVI showed flames and a large cloud of smoke at the scene as several fire trucks responded to the incident.
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.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
The-CNN-Wire
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