A medical evacuation flight ends in tragedy over Philadelphia
In short: On January 31, 2025, a Learjet 55 medevac flight crashed in a residential neighborhood shortly after takeoff. The aircraft was transporting a young patient and her mother from Mexico to continue treatment. The accident resulted in the deaths of everyone on board and two people on the ground.
At 6:06 p.m., a 1982 Learjet 55 from Jet Rescue Air Ambulance took off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport. heading towards Missouri. Meteorological data at the time indicated overcast and foggy conditions with light rain and 30-mile-per-hour wind gusts. After climbing to 1,650 feet, the plane disappeared from radar and descended at a rate of approximately 11,000 feet per minute, striking buildings and vehicles near Roosevelt Mall. The aircraft was travelling towards Springfield–Branson National Airport. Visibility during the flight was estimated at six miles.
The tragedy claimed the lives of six people on board: Captain Alan Alejandro Montoya Perales, co-pilot Josué Juárez, Doctor Raúl Meza Arredondo, paramedic Rodrigo López Padilla, and a pediatric patient, Valentina Guzmán Murillo, with her mother, Lizeth Murillo Ozuna. The crash also killed two people on the ground, including one person in a vehicle, and injured at least 23 others. One ground victim later died from their injuries on April 27. The disaster caused fires and explosions that damaged 17 other properties. At least three of the injured ground victims were in critical condition.
Investigations by the NTSB revealed several technical and regulatory concerns. The aircraft's pitch trim was set at 3.97 degrees, deviating from the expected 5.5 degrees for takeoff. Additionally, the cockpit voice recorder was found to have been inoperative for several years, containing only audio from a previous flight. The NTSB observed that Jet Rescue failed to alert the FAA Dallas International Field Office prior to US operations, with no recent ramp checks documented. Investigators also examined the crew's recent workload and experience. They noted the pilots had not previously flown into this specific airport.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Med Jets Flight 056
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