A small jet carrying six people crashed in a densely populated suburb of Philadelphia on Friday, spreading wreckage across a large area and causing fires that severely damaged homes and vehicles. The Learjet 55, which had taken off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport and was heading to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri, crashed around 2330 GMT in a neighborhood filled with homes, shops, and busy roads.
Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker, speaking at the scene, confirmed that several homes and vehicles were affected, but did not provide information on fatalities. Governor Josh Shapiro also offered emergency resources, as authorities worked to address the situation.
The crash occurred just two days after a deadly mid-air collision involving a passenger jet and military helicopter near Washingtonโs Reagan National Airport, which resulted in 67 deaths, marking the deadliest U.S. air disaster in nearly 25 years.
In response to the Philadelphia crash, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed his sadness on Truth Social, sending condolences and praising first responders.
The Learjet involved in the crash was known to be used for medical patient transport, according to flight tracking site FlightAware. Philadelphia’s Office of Emergency Management described the incident as a “major event” and urged the public to avoid the area due to road closures.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have launched investigations into the incident, although no conclusions are expected for several weeks. This follows an ongoing investigation into the deadly Washington crash, where the NTSB had recovered black boxes from both the military helicopter and the American Airlines-affiliated jet.
