Small Plane Crashes Near Philadelphia Mall, Leaving Trail of Devastation

Philadelphia, PA – A medical air ambulance carrying six people crashed near Roosevelt Mall in Northeast Philadelphia on Friday evening, erupting into flames upon impact. Authorities have yet to confirm the number of fatalities, but Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, the company operating the flight, stated that survival was unlikely.

The Learjet 55, en route from Northeast Philadelphia Airport to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri, carried four crew members, a pediatric patient, and an escort. The child, who had been in the U.S. for life-saving medical treatment, was being transported home to Mexico.

Mayor Cherelle Parker reported that several homes and vehicles were damaged in the crash, though the extent of injuries on the ground remains unclear. The FAA and NTSB have launched an investigation into the cause of the disaster, which unfolded amid rainy and foggy conditions with wind gusts up to 30 mph.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro assured the public that all necessary state resources are being deployed to assist first responders.

The incident comes just days after a mid-air collision over the Potomac River that claimed 67 lives, marking one of the deadliest weeks in recent U.S. aviation history.