Philly plane crash investigation enters third day
Devastating scenes remain days after a medical transport plane crashed in Northeast Philadelphia, claiming the lives of seven people, including a pediatric patient, and injuring at least another 19 people.
PHILADELPHIA – Devastating scenes remain days after a medical transport plane crashed in Northeast Philadelphia, claiming the lives of seven people, including a pediatric patient, and injuring at least another 22 people.
The deadly crash, which erupted into a fireball and left a neighborhood engulfed in smoke and flames, is now being investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board.
What we know:
Six people, including a pediatric patient, her mother and four crew members were killed when a Learjet en route to Missouri crashed along Cottman Avenue near Bustleton Avenue shortly after 6 p.m. Friday.
The victims onboard the flight were all Mexican citizens, and identified by Jet Rescue Air Ambulance as Capt. Alan Alejandro Montoya Perales, co-pilot Josue de Jesus Juarez Juarez, Dr. Raul Meza Arredondo, paramedic Rodrigo Lopez Padilla, patient Valentina Guzman Murillo and her mother, Lizeth Murillo Ozuna.
A seventh victim, a person inside a vehicle near the crash, was announced by Mayor Cherelle Parker during a press conference on Sunday. Their identity has yet to be released.
On Sunday, the mayor increased the number of injured victims to 22 people. Five of those victims remain hospitalized, three in critical condition.
Philly plane crash update: 22 victims injured, 3 critical
Mayor Cherelle Parker, along with other city officials, provided a Day 3 update on the deadly plane crash in Northeast Philadelphia, increasing the number of injured victims to 22.
The crash site spans 4–6 blocks, with debris scattered throughout the neighborhood and large holes in the street and sidewalk where the parts of the plane landed.
Several homes were impacted by the crash, along with businesses that remain closed. Officials say charred vehicles left abandoned on the road will soon be removed from the site.
School closings
Mayor Parker also announced on Sunday that no Philadelphia public schools would be closed on Monday, and that she doesn’t believe any charter schools will close either. However, any students impacted by the crash could be excused.
Road closures
A perimeter remains in effect around the large crash site, but Philadelphia police say they expect the outer lanes of Cottman Avenue to be open by rush hour on Monday. Detours remain in place for SEPTA routes, and are posted at SEPTA.org.
City officials are urging residents to plan ahead until at least Wednesday if they typically travel through the impacted area.
What’s next:
The NTSB is collecting debris as they continue to investigate and attempt to determine what caused the crash, which they deemed an “accident.”
Officials say preliminary investigations revealed that the flight climbed to about 1,500 feet, made a slight right turn, then a left turn, before going into a steep descent and making a high impact crash.
The pilot did not contact the air controller, who unsuccessfully tried to reach out to the plane, according to the NTSB.
They have found two engines, but have yet to locate the plane’s black box, which could provide vital information leading up to the crash.
Residents are being asked to report any debris they find in the area.
Town hall meeting
Mayor Parker says the city will be holding a town hall meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday. The location has yet to be announced.
Recovery
Officials with the Office of Emergency Management say they plan to assess the full extent of damage to the neighborhood once the site has been cleared.
Repairs to lights, traffic signals and roads will be part of a “long-term recovery” to return to a “sense of normal” to the neighborhood.
What we don’t know:
The cause of the crash is still unknown at this time, officials are still on the ground collecting debris from the crash as they continue to investigate.
The total extent of the damage caused by the crash is also still unclear.
Officials have released information about how many homes, cars and businesses were impacted. Details about how many people have been displaced or evacuated from their homes have also yet to be released.
Philly plane crash: NTSB, city officials update plane crash investigation
The NTSB is at the site of a fatal plane crash on a busy Northeast Philadelphia street, and provided an update, along with city officials, on why the plane crashed.
What they’re saying:
The deadly crash has rocked the entire city of Philadelphia, leaving residents in complete shock as their neighborhood was changed in an instant.
Lena, who lives nearby, stayed huddled in her home after hearing the terrifying boom that filled the streets.
“The sound I heard last night was terrible, she said. :In my life I never heard this kind of sound. My ears are still buzzing. I was driving five minutes before. I could’ve been here if I had been driving.”
Angelique says the crash happened along the same route that her niece travels to and from work every day.
“Just imagine she got off late yesterday? If she hadn’t got off late yesterday, she could’ve been in this.”
Philly plane crash: Neighbors attempt to deal with shock of deadly crash
Many in Northeast Philadelphia are dealing with the shock and trauma in the aftermath of a deadly plane crash in their neighborhood.
Several videos from the neighborhood captured the chilling sound of the crash as it erupted into a ball of fire that fell from the sky onto homes below.
FOX 29 spoke to one woman who is now left wondering where she and her family will live after her home was destroyed.
“Smoke was everywhere, and I just remember screaming and running out and seeing Cottman Avenue engulfed in flames,” Alexis Lloyd said.
“I saw the house on the TV and I just started going, ‘That’s the house, that’s my house’ and my granddaughter did the same thing, and we just started hugging and crying,” said Vanessa Temple, Lloyd’s mother.
What you can do:
If you or a loved one needs help, reach out to the Red Cross’ free 24/7 multilingual Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990 for support. A running blog at Phila.gov will also be continuously updated.
Shelter is still being offered at Samuel Fels High School at 5500 Langdon Street for those impacted.
The Disaster Distress (DDH) Helpline, at 1-800-985-5990, can also provide immediate counseling to anyone affected by the aviation disaster in Philadelphia.
The mayor, along with law enforcement, is asking that residents check on their neighbors, and report any missing people.
Officials are also urging residents not to touch anything that may be part of the plane. If you find any debris, email witness@ntsb.gov.
Dig deeper:
The crash came just two days after the deadliest U.S. air disaster in a generation, when an American Airlines jet carrying 60 passengers and four crew members collided in midair in Washington, D.C., with an Army helicopter carrying three soldiers. There were no survivors.
The Source: Information included in this article was gathered from FOX 29 reporters on the ground and also confirmed by officials who spoke at the scene or issued public statements. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
