A tragic plane crash occurred on January 31, 2025, in Northeast Philadelphia, claiming the lives of six people, including a child patient and her mother. The small medical transport jet, a Learjet 55, took off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport at 6:06 p.m. and crashed just 30 seconds later. The aircraft disappeared from radar after climbing to 1,600 feet. The crash occurred less than three miles from the airport, near the Roosevelt Mall, a busy intersection in the Rhawnhurst residential neighborhood.
Governor Josh Shapiro expressed his support for the response efforts, offering all state resources to assist with the situation. Photos from the crash site show residential homes on fire, with first responders working quickly at the scene. The Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management posted images of a thick plume of smoke rising from the crash site, while emergency personnel blocked traffic and tried to control onlookers.
The flight, registered to Med Jets, was a medical transport flight bound for Springfield, Missouri. The crash site is in close proximity to the Roosevelt Mall, a popular shopping center with many stores and restaurants. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that the plane was carrying six people, including the patient and her family, along with the flight crew.
In response to the crash, Philadelphia’s emergency management office declared the incident a “major incident,” and several nearby roads were closed. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has taken the lead in investigating the cause of the crash. The NTSB is currently collecting data to determine the factors that led to the tragic event.
This incident has shocked the community, and authorities are working to piece together information to understand how and why the crash occurred so suddenly after takeoff.
