ATF Is On The Scene After ANOTHER Deadly U.S. Plane Crash
Following the crash of an air ambulance jet in Northeast Philadelphia on Friday night, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) has joined the investigation to provide support.
In a post on X, the agency stated, “ATF is on site assisting [the Philadelphia Fire Department] at incident near Cottman and Bustleton Avenues in Northeast Philadelphia across from Roosevelt Mall.” Officials from both agencies have been observed at the scene, with the FBI also participating in the inquiry.
The aircraft, a Learjet 55 operated by Jet Rescue, a South Florida-based medical transport service, went down in a densely populated area, resulting in the deaths of at least six people. Shortly after departing from Northeast Philadelphia Airport, the jet, which appeared to suffer a mechanical failure, crashed into the ground.
Authorities confirmed that the plane was headed for Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri before the incident. Onboard were four crew members, a patient, and one of the patient’s family members. According to reports, the jet was already engulfed in flames as it plummeted at a speed of 12,000 feet per second, leaving no survivors.
Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, the aircraft’s owner, revealed that the patient was a young girl who had recently completed medical treatment in Philadelphia. After making a planned fuel stop in Missouri, she, her mother, and four medical volunteers were supposed to continue their journey to Tijuana, Mexico. All six individuals on board were Mexican nationals.
The crash occurred near a Dunkin’ Donuts, injuring at least six additional people on the ground. The impact caused several row houses and at least six vehicles to catch fire. A local reporter described the scene as resembling a “war zone,” adding that some cars were completely burned out. Among those injured was an 11-year-old boy who suffered severe burns.
Had the aircraft been fully fueled, it would have carried approximately 7,000 gallons of jet fuel. As investigators work to determine the cause of the crash, both local and federal authorities are cautioning residents against handling any wreckage, as debris has been located as far as half a mile from the crash site. The majority of it was found in a nearby parking lot.
Aviation experts, after analyzing multiple video angles of the crash, have widely speculated that the jet experienced a catastrophic mechanical failure. Air traffic controllers had cleared the plane for takeoff shortly after 6:30 p.m. local time but lost communication soon after.
President Donald Trump expressed condolences in a social media post, sharing his thoughts and prayers for those affected. “So sad to see the plane go down in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. More innocent souls lost. Our people are totally engaged. First Responders are already being given credit for doing a great job. More to follow. God Bless you all,” he wrote on Truth Social on Friday evening.
Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, headquartered in Mexico City, has now suffered two fatal crashes in just over 15 months. On November 1, 2023, a Learjet 35A overshot the runway at Cuernavaca Airport in Temixco, Mexico, killing two pilots, a nurse, and a patient. The company markets itself as a “worldwide critical care air ambulance based in Mexico City and Miami.”