Philadelphia, PA – A medical plane carrying a sick child, her mother, and four crew members crashed on a residential street in Philadelphia on Friday evening, killing all six onboard and one person on the ground.
The Learjet 55, which took off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport, was piloted by Alan Montoya and Jesús Juárez. Also onboard was Dr. Raúl Meza, a neonatology specialist, according to XE Médica Ambulancia.
The plane was transporting a critically ill child back to her home in Tijuana, Mexico, after receiving life-saving medical treatment in Philadelphia. The child was accompanied by her mother and a paramedic.
Mexico’s foreign ministry confirmed that all six passengers were Mexican nationals.
The crash created a massive fireball, engulfing homes and vehicles in a six-block radius.
Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker announced in a news conference that an additional fatality on the ground had been confirmed—someone in a car struck by debris. At least 19 others were injured, though that number may rise.
According to ADS-B Exchange, the air ambulance climbed to 1,650 feet before plummeting within a minute. It reportedly descended at 11,000 feet per minute, crashing near Cottman and Bustleton Avenues.
Witnesses described the aircraft’s nosedive as resembling a missile strike. Michael Schiavone, 37, who was nearby, said:
“There was a large explosion—I thought we were under attack for a second.”
A deep crater formed at the crash site, while flaming debris ignited an apartment block. The area was soon engulfed in smoke and fuel fumes. Emergency crews contained the fires within two hours.
The FAA reported that the jet was en route to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri, about 1,100 miles away, to refuel. FlightRadar24 indicated that visibility was around six miles at the time of departure.
Aviation experts have not yet determined why the aircraft crashed. Shai Gold, an official from Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, expressed shock, stating:
“We are terribly shocked by this tragic turn of events.”
Pilot Jesús Juárez’s final Facebook post included a photograph of the Northeast Philadelphia Airport coordinates, with the caption:
“Now I’m really home… Far away…”
President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social:
“So sad to see the plane go down in Philadelphia. More innocent souls lost. Our people are totally engaged.”
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated on X (formerly Twitter) that her government is assisting the victims’ families, saying:
“My solidarity with their loved ones and friends.”
Authorities, including the FAA and NTSB, are conducting a full investigation into the cause of the crash. Meanwhile, residents and emergency crews continue to deal with the devastation left in its wake.
