Simply days after a devastating mid-air collision over the Potomac River close to Washington, D.C., claimed 67 lives, one other tragic aviation incident has occurred—this time in Philadelphia. NBC 10 Philadelphia stories a devastating medical jet crash in Northeast Philadelphia claimed seven lives Friday night time, together with all six individuals on board and one particular person in a automobile on the bottom.
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The Learjet 55, operated by Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, took off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport at 6:06 p.m. and crashed in a fiery explosion simply three miles away, close to Roosevelt Boulevard and Cottman Avenue.
So What the Heck Is Going On?
Based on NBC 10 Philadelphia, right here’s what we all know thus far:
What Occurred? A medical jet crashed shortly after takeoff, bursting into flames and injuring at the very least 19 others.
Who Was on Board? A toddler who had simply completed life-saving therapy, her mom, and 4 crew members, all from Mexico.
The place Was the Aircraft Going? The flight was heading to Tijuana, Mexico, with a cease in Missouri earlier than its closing vacation spot.
Did Air Site visitors Management Lose Contact? Sure. The pilot was cleared for takeoff however by no means responded once more after preliminary communications.
How Did the Aircraft Crash? Doorbell and surveillance footage captured the airplane falling at a steep 45-degree angle, indicating a attainable lack of management.
Was It a Mechanical Subject? Specialists counsel an plane malfunction, flight management failure, or catastrophic occasion mid-flight.
What Was the Climate Like? NBC 10 First Alert Climate meteorologist Brittney Shipp described circumstances as cloudy and wet however not excessive, stating:
“This wasn’t good visibility, however it was fairly typical for the kind of rainstorm we noticed immediately.”
Has This Occurred Earlier than? Sure. That is Jet Rescue’s second deadly crash in 15 months—in 2023, one other of their planes overran a runway in Mexico, killing 5 crew members.
What Are The Main Theories?
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The Nationwide Transportation Security Board (NTSB) has launched an investigation, and as NBC 10 Philadelphia stories, officers are combing by way of wreckage, flight information, and black field recordings.
Aviation skilled Arthur Wolk analyzed the chilling doorbell footage of the crash and pointed to the jet’s steep descent as an indication of whole lack of management:
“No pilot would voluntarily descend any airplane at that angle. That in all probability resulted within the airplane putting the bottom at over 400 knots and possibly 5,000 and even 10,000 toes per minute taking place that quick,” Wolk advised NBC 10.
In the meantime, questions are surfacing about Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, an organization with a historical past of lethal crashes.
If a mechanical failure is discovered, it might elevate considerations about their fleet upkeep and security protocols.
So What Does That Imply Now?
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Past the tragedy and aviation considerations, conspiracy theories are circulating—and Donald Trump’s identify is being dragged into the dialog. Beforehand reported by BOSSIP, Trump blames DEI for this accident.
Some President…anyhow!
Following his re-election in 2024, Trump shut down the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and changed it with personal contractors, claiming the transfer would lower prices and improve effectivity. Nonetheless, critics warned that deregulating air security would result in catastrophic failures like this one.
With Jet Rescue’s second deadly crash in simply over a 12 months, some are questioning whether or not lack of federal oversight performed a job.
Now, consultants in addition to social media conspirators are asking extra questions:
Did Trump’s FAA shutdown result in weaker security laws?
Have been price range cuts a consider Jet Rescue’s fleet upkeep?
May stricter oversight have prevented this catastrophe?
Whereas no direct connection has been made, the timing is suspicious, and anticipate main scrutiny on Trump’s aviation insurance policies within the wake of this tragedy in Philadelphia.
What Occurs Subsequent?
For now, Philadelphia mourns yet one more unthinkable loss, whereas the nation waits for solutions on what induced this devastating crash.
