Med Jets Flight 056

Meteorological data recorded by the National Weather Service indicated the presence of light rain, overcast and foggy conditions, and a {{Convert|30|mph|km/h knots|adj=on}} wind gust recorded just before 6 p.m. in Philadelphia.{{Cite news |last1=Romero |first1=Dennis |last2=Eaglin |first2=Maya |date=February 1, 2025 |title=Plane crashes near mall in Philadelphia |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/philadelphia-plane-crash-fire-mall-northeast-rcna190262 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250201014317/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/philadelphia-plane-crash-fire-mall-northeast-rcna190262 |archive-date=February 1, 2025 |access-date=February 1, 2025 |work=NBC News }} Visibility was estimated at {{convert|6|mi|km nmi|0}}.{{Cite news |last=Chang |first=David |date=February 1, 2025 |title=Deadly medical jet crash in Philly: What we know about the flight, aircraft |url=https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/medical-jet-plane-crash-northeast-philadelphia-learjet/4095858/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250202005653/https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/medical-jet-plane-crash-northeast-philadelphia-learjet/4095858/ |archive-date=February 2, 2025 |access-date=February 1, 2025 |work=WCAU}}

The aircraft involved in the medical evacuation was a Learjet 55 air ambulance operated by Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, a brand of Mexican company Med Jets.{{Cn|date=February 2025}} It was registered as XA-UCI and was manufactured in 1982.{{Cn|date=February 2025}} According to a statement from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the aircraft departed on runway 24 from Northeast Philadelphia Airport at 6:06 p.m., en route to Springfield–Branson National Airport in Springfield, Missouri.

The FAA confirmed the six people were on board the Learjet 55.{{Cite tweet |number=1885480222239137856 |user=KeeleyFox29 |title=Bulletin: Six killed on airplane that just took off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport |first=Steve |last=Keeley |date=January 31, 2025 |access-date=January 31, 2025 |publisher=WTXF-TV}}

Jet Rescue identified the crew as Captain Alan Alejandro Montoya Perales, with 9,200 flight hours. Co-pilot Josué Juárez had 2,600 flight hours.

The other 4 people on board were Doctor Raúl Meza Arredondo, and Paramedic Rodrigo López Padilla. They were transporting pediatric patient Valentina Guzmán Murillo and her mother, Lizeth Murillo Ozuna, from Ensenada, Mexico.{{Cite news |last1=Simon |first1=Alexandra |last2=Strickland |first2=Raymond |last3=Hughes |first3=Ryan |last4=Andersen |first4=Eva |date=February 4, 2025 |title=Philly plane crash victims ID'd, investigators find cockpit voice recorder |url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/victims-philadelphia-plane-crash-identified-144714655.html |work=CBS News |publisher=Yahoo News |archive-date=February 5, 2025 |access-date=February 4, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250205034647/https://www.yahoo.com/news/victims-philadelphia-plane-crash-identified-144714655.html |url-status=live }} All six individuals were Mexican nationals.

Valentina had recently completed four months of treatment at the Shriners Hospitals for Children in Philadelphia, where hospital staff had held a farewell celebration for her earlier that day.{{Cite news |last1=Levy |first1=Marc |last2=Rourke |first2=Matt |date=February 1, 2025 |title=Seven dead, 19 injured in 'high-impact' air ambulance crash in Philadelphia |url=https://apnews.com/article/philadelphia-plane-crash-medical-transport-8617dab53471190832dd73db149489fa |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250201161751/https://apnews.com/article/philadelphia-plane-crash-medical-transport-8617dab53471190832dd73db149489fa |archive-date=February 1, 2025 |access-date=February 3, 2025 |work=Associated Press}} Dr. Meza Arredondo was the chief of neonatology at XE Médica Ambulancias and also practiced at a hospital in Atizapán de Zaragoza. The co-pilot, a resident of central Mexico with over ten years of flying experience, had been with Jet Rescue for more than a year.

File:A closer view of the Philadelphia Plane Crash 1-31-25.webm footage of Flight 056 crashing]]

At 6:06 pm EST (UTC−5) on Friday, January 31, 2025, the Learjet 55 crashed near Roosevelt Mall at Cottman Avenue and Roosevelt Boulevard, with the aircraft and debris hitting several buildings.{{Cite web |last=Moran |first=Robert |date=January 31, 2025 |title=Plane crash reported in Northeast Philadelphia |url=https://www.inquirer.com/news/philadelphia/plane-crash-northeast-philadelphia-20250131.html |access-date=January 31, 2025 |website=Inquirer }}{{Cite web |last=Banerjee |first=Shamik |date=February 1, 2025 |title=Philly Plane Crash: All about the Learjet aircraft that crashed near Roosevelt Mall |url=https://www.timesnownews.com/world/us/us-news/philly-plane-crash-all-about-the-learjet-aircraft-that-crashed-near-roosevelt-mall-on-cottman-avenue-article-117808260 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250201015553/https://www.timesnownews.com/world/us/us-news/philly-plane-crash-all-about-the-learjet-aircraft-that-crashed-near-roosevelt-mall-on-cottman-avenue-article-117808260 |archive-date=February 1, 2025 |access-date=February 1, 2025 |website=Times Now }} The aircraft took off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport on a southwest heading,{{Cite web |last1=Sisak |first1=Michael R. |last2=Rourke |first2=Matt |date=February 1, 2025 |title=Plane with at least 2 aboard crashes in Philadelphia, setting homes ablaze and unleashing a fireball |url=https://apnews.com/article/philadelphia-pa-plane-crash-incident-9f5cfa83125137bf523558cc3738a370 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250201021046/https://apnews.com/article/philadelphia-pa-plane-crash-incident-9f5cfa83125137bf523558cc3738a370 |archive-date=February 1, 2025 |access-date=February 1, 2025 |website=AP News }} climbed to {{Convert|1,650|ft|m}},{{Cite web |last1=Faheid |first1=Dalia |last2=Morales |first2=Mark |last3=Freeman |first3=Danny |last4=Romine |first4=Taylor |last5=Muntean |first5=Pete |last6=Cooper |first6=Aaron |last7=Tucker |first7=Emma |date=February 1, 2025 |title=Private business jet crashes in northeast Philadelphia neighborhood |url=https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/31/us/philadelphia-jet-crash-fire/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250201014558/https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/31/us/philadelphia-jet-crash-fire/index.html |archive-date=February 1, 2025 |access-date=February 1, 2025 |website=CNN }} disappeared from radar, then crashed 40 seconds later less than {{Convert|3|mi|km nmi|spell=in}} away. The last received data from the aircraft shown by Flightradar24 reported the Learjet's altitude at {{convert|1275|ft}} and an increasing speed of {{convert|242|knot}}.{{Cite web |last=Flightradar24 |title=Live Flight Tracker - Real-Time Flight Tracker Map |url=https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/xa-uci#38f3ecd3 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250201002125/https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/xa-uci#38f3ecd3 |archive-date=February 1, 2025 |access-date=February 4, 2025 |website=Flightradar24 }}File:2025 Philadelphia Learjet Crash Map.jpgThe aircraft descended at a rate of around {{Convert|11,000|ft/min|m/min|-1}}. A doorbell camera filmed the airplane falling out of the sky, producing a large explosion with heavy plumes of smoke after hitting the ground. WTXF-TV coverage showed a large debris field and several fires.{{Cite web |last=Brusch |first=Belinda |date=January 31, 2025 |title=Small plane crashes in Northeast Philadelphia |url=https://www.fox29.com/news/small-plane-crashes-northeast-philadelphia-sources |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250201004756/https://www.fox29.com/news/small-plane-crashes-northeast-philadelphia-sources |archive-date=February 1, 2025 |access-date=January 31, 2025 |website=WTXF-TV }}

The crash was the second fatal accident involving Jet Rescue in 15 months, following a November 2023 runway excursion at Cuernavaca Airport in Mexico that killed four people.

On February 4, Jet Rescue Air Ambulance released the names of the crew and passengers aboard the flight: captain Alan Alejandro Montoya Perales, co-pilot Josué de Jesús Juárez Juárez, Dr. Raúl Meza Arredondo, paramedic Rodrigo López Padilla, pediatric patient Valentina Guzmán Murillo and her mother Lizeth Murillo Ozuna.{{Cite news |last=Portela |first=Rita |date=February 2, 2025 |title=ID de las víctimas hispanas de la tragedia aérea al noreste de Filadelfia |url=https://www.telemundo62.com/noticias/local/id-victimas-hispanas-tragedia-aerea-filadelfia-cottman-avenue/2465608/ |access-date=February 4, 2025 |work=Telemundo 62}}

One person in a car was killed. The crash destroyed four homes and damaged 17 others{{Cite web |last=Shipkowski |first=Bruce |date=February 5, 2025 |title='Expansive' impact zone left by Philadelphia medical plane crash likely to reopen Wednesday |url=https://apnews.com/article/philadelphia-mexico-plane-crash-d1e425e6c72d1b134359b29b04a9251f |access-date=February 5, 2025 |publisher=AP News}} along with several businesses,{{Cite web |date=February 3, 2025 |title=Mayor says 5 injured in fatal Philadelphia plane crash remain hospitalized, 3 in critical condition |url=https://apnews.com/article/philadelphia-plane-crash-mexico-3fe3e917d2b4cf8c536a3f64900ce821 |access-date=February 3, 2025 |publisher=AP News}} and ignited several homes and businesses in the Roosevelt Mall area, and vehicles.{{Cite web |last1=MacAulay |first1=Jessica |last2=Payne |first2=Ben |date=January 31, 2025 |title=Watch live coverage: Plane crash in Philadelphia leaves multiple houses on fire, causes explosion – CBS Philadelphia |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/plane-crash-cottman-roosevelet/ |url-status=deviated |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250131234001/https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/plane-crash-cottman-roosevelet/ |archive-date=January 31, 2025 |access-date=February 1, 2025 |website=KYW-TV}} The fire spread to nearby row homes. Twenty-four people on the ground were injured, at least three of them critically.{{Cite web |last=Oldcorn |first=Christopher |date=January 31, 2025 |title=Breaking: Airplane crashes into houses, a mall in Philadelphia |url=https://www.westernstandard.news/international/breaking-airplane-crashes-into-houses-mall-in-philadelphia/61805 |access-date=February 1, 2025 |website=Western Standard }}

A university hospital admitted six victims on the ground, three of whom were treated and released on the same day. Another two were discharged later, while a second hospital admitted 15 people (12 released).{{Cite web |last1=MacAulay |first1=Jessica |last2=Brandt |first2=Joe |last3=Sinclair |first3=Frederick |last4=Newbill |first4=Taleisha |last5=Payne |first5=Ben |date=February 1, 2025 |title=Plane crash in Philadelphia neighborhood kills 7; several homes catch fire |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/small-plane-crash-northeast-philadelphia-neighborhood-homes-catch-fire/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250204125615/https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/small-plane-crash-northeast-philadelphia-neighborhood-homes-catch-fire/ |archive-date=February 4, 2025 |access-date=February 4, 2025 |website=CBS News}} The injured included a person eating in a diner who was struck in the head by crash debris through a window.

The FAA ordered a ground stop at Northeast Philadelphia Airport.{{Cite web |last1=Deliso |first1=Meredith |last2=Chile |first2=Patricio |last3=El-Bawab |first3=Nadine |date=January 31, 2025 |title=Small plane crashes near Roosevelt Mall in Philadelphia in fiery explosion |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/philadelphia-small-plane-crash-roosevelt-mall/story?id=118330351 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250201173738/https://abcnews.go.com/US/philadelphia-small-plane-crash-roosevelt-mall/story?id=118330351 |archive-date=February 1, 2025 |access-date=February 1, 2025 |website=ABC News }} The Philadelphia Police Department initiated a citywide emergency response to stop the spread of fires. Philadelphia's Office of Emergency Management closed roads near the crash site and urged citizens away.

File:NTSB investigators documenting the crash scene of the January 31, 2025 Learjet 55 (Jet Rescue Air Ambulance flight MTS056) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on 2 February 2025.jpg investigators at the crash scene on February 2]]

The FAA announced that it would investigate the crash, with the lead of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The NTSB stated that an investigator had arrived on January 31 and more officials would arrive on February 1.

File:Cockpit voice recorder (CVR) from the crash of the January 31, 2025 Learjet 55 (Jet Rescue Air Ambulance flight MTS056) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania taken on 2 February 2025.jpg

On February 2, the NTSB recovered the cockpit voice recorder, the enhanced ground proximity warning system, which could contain flight data, and the two engines of the aircraft. These were sent for evaluation at the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Laboratory in Washington, D.C.{{Cite web |last=Chang |first=David |date=February 2, 2025 |title=Live Updates: Philly medical jet crash victims ID'd, NTSB recovers black box |url=https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/live-updates-philadelphia-medical-jet-plane-crash-explosion-deadly-valentina-guzman-murillo/4096778/?cardId=1:12:4096869 |access-date=February 2, 2025 |website=NBC Philadelphia}} On March 6, the NTSB announced in the crash preliminary report that the cockpit voice recorder had not recorded the flight and had likely been inoperative for several years.{{cite news |last1=Snyder |first1=Dan |last2=Dougherty |first2=Tom |last3=Brandt |first3=Joe |title=Philadelphia plane crash NTSB report finds cockpit voice recorder didn't record flight - CBS Philadelphia |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/northeast-philadelphia-plane-crash-ntsb-report/ |access-date=6 March 2025 |work=www.cbsnews.com |date=6 March 2025}}{{Cite report |url=https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/199630/pdf |title=Aviation Investigation Preliminary Report |date=2025-03-06 |publisher=National Transportation Safety Board |id=ERA25MA106 |access-date=2025-03-06}}

President Donald Trump was briefed on the situation. Commenting on Truth Social, he described the accident as a tragic loss of "innocent souls" and commended the efforts of first responders. Trump stated, "Our people are totally engaged," and added, "God Bless you all."

Governor of Pennsylvania Josh Shapiro and his office coordinated response efforts with Mayor of Philadelphia Cherelle Parker, the Office of Emergency Management, the Philadelphia Police Department, and the Philadelphia Fire Department, and said that all state resources were available for assistance.

Mike Driscoll, councilmember of the 6th District of the Philadelphia City Council and chair of the Transportation and Utilities Committee,{{Cite web |date=February 2, 2024 |title=Standing Committees |url=https://phlcouncil.com/standing-committees/ |access-date=February 4, 2025 |website=Philadelphia City Council |archive-date=February 1, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250201005115/https://phlcouncil.com/standing-committees/ |url-status=live }} described the situation as an active emergency response with reported mass casualties. He urged the public to avoid the area and highlighted the focus on supporting first responders and affected families.

State Representative Jared Solomon, who represents the district where the crash occurred, described the neighborhood as a working-class area of dense row homes, telling the AP, "These are just people who want to help others. They're nurses, they're construction workers, they are first responders. In a community that is always poised to help others in and around our city, now we sort of are able to turn inward and all unite together."

Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum expressed condolences to the crash fatalities and ordered the Secretary of Foreign Affairs to assist their families.

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