A small plane crashed in a Pennsylvania retirement community parking lot, and air traffic control audio captured the pilot’s distress call moments before impact.
Emergency crews responded on Sunday, March 9, after the aircraft went down at 3:18 p.m. in the parking lot of Brethren Village, a retirement community in Manheim Township, Lancaster County. Fire Chief Scott Little, alongside several officials, provided details on the crash and the number of people affected.
“The five passengers were the only individuals to sustain injuries and were transported for medical treatment. No individuals on the ground were injured. Additionally, there were no deaths,” officials stated in a press release shared on Facebook.
Newly released air traffic control audio revealed that the pilot reported an open door and requested permission to land. However, communication appeared to be a struggle. The pilot said, “Lancaster Tower, I cannot hear you with the wind, so we’re gonna to return to 26. We’re going to downwind.”
The air traffic controller later announced that the pilot was “clear to land” on runway 26. However, shortly after, the situation took a turn for the worse. The air traffic controller was then heard urgently saying, “Pull up. Rescue 1, Lancaster Tower. The aircraft is down just behind the terminal in the parking lot tree area.”
Meanwhile, witnesses saw the aircraft struggling before it crashed. Brian Pipkin reportedly told CNN that the plane climbed before suddenly turning left and nose-diving.
He ran to the crash site and saw the cockpit engulfed in flames. The heat, he said, felt like “feeling like opening an oven set to 500 degrees when you open the door and it hits your face.”
Pipkin described the intense heat as overwhelming as he moved closer to the wreckage. “I was getting closer, praying to God that nothing would blow up,” he recalled.
Emergency crews quickly arrived, extinguishing the flames and securing the area. Authorities confirmed that while no buildings were structurally damaged, several cars were affected.
Lancaster County’s Department of Public Safety assisted at the scene as officials transitioned into the Recovery and Investigation Phase. “The crash site remains secure while federal agencies conduct their investigation,” the officials noted.
Meanwhile, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro stated on X that the State Police are helping local first responders at the plane crash site near Lancaster Airport. “All Commonwealth resources are available as the response continues, and more information will be provided as it becomes available,” he added.
The Lancaster plane crash is the most recent in Pennsylvania. Back in January, a similar crash occurred in Northeast Philadelphia.
A doorbell camera in the area captured the terrifying moment a medical plane crashed onto a busy street, killing seven people, including a driver. The widely shared footage shows the impact and explosion as bystanders react in shock.
Recorded on January 31, the video shows two people standing outside, talking when a loud noise suddenly grabs their attention. They turn toward the sky just as an aircraft appears, plummeting rapidly before crashing nearby. The explosion briefly flashes white across the screen, followed by a thunderous blast. The witnesses rush inside for safety.
The chilling footage has sparked widespread discussion, with many describing it as surreal and deeply unsettling. “So scary. It’s like a scene out of a movie. I can’t believe this happened. Praying for everyone,” one user said.
Another shared, “I know it was a plane, but it doesn’t look like it. I’m sure it was the cloud coverage,but he way it appears out of nowhere and spikes into the ground. It seems like it’s moving way faster than a small plane can.” Another exclaimed, “Can imagine that being the scariest thing ever!!!”
Many online viewers speculated about the crash, with some believing the plane was already on fire before impact. Others noted that a witness in the footage appeared to react to an unusual sound just before the aircraft went down.
A netizen’s reaction to the plane crash in Philadelphia | Source: Facebook/fox29philadelphia
Some described the video as one of the most horrifying they had ever seen, expressing concern for traumatized residents. Another expressed sympathy for the victims, especially after learning that a child was among those on board.
Meanwhile, some questioned the aircraft’s speed and trajectory, suggesting it was moving too fast for a typical small plane.
A netizen’s comment regarding the plane crash in Philadelphia | Source: Facebook/ABC7NY
As reported by AP, authorities confirmed that the Learjet 55 was carrying six passengers from Mexico, including a child who had spent months receiving medical treatment. The plane took off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport but crashed just miles away.
The impact set off a massive fireball that damaged multiple vehicles and homes and shook the neighborhood. A person in a car was also killed, bringing the total death toll to seven.
The crash occurred just after 6 p.m. on Friday, less than three miles from the airport. Selkuc Koc, a waiter at a nearby diner, recalled hearing a loud boom and initially thought it was a “thunderstorm.” When he looked outside, he saw thick smoke and flames rising into the air, comparing the scene to a gas station explosion.
The force of the blast was so strong that debris flew into nearby buildings. A diner customer was injured when a heavy metal object crashed through a window, adding to the chaos.
By Saturday morning, February 1, officials reported 19 injuries in addition to the fatalities. Most victims had been treated and released, but authorities warned that the casualty count could still change.
Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Adam Thiel said officials were still working to identify everyone who was on the streets when the crash happened, making it hard to confirm the final number of victims.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) launched an investigation, collecting debris and assessing damage across the four-to-six-block crash site. NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy described it as a “high-impact crash” that left the aircraft “highly fragmented.”
At the time, investigators were still searching for the cockpit voice recorder, which could provide key insights into what happened. Given the force of the impact, officials feared it may be damaged or fragmented but remained hopeful it could be recovered and analyzed.
View of a home’s roof hit by a small plane that crashes in a Philadelphia | Source: Getty Images
In addition to the mother and child reported by AP, Fox News identified the remaining people on board as the pilot, copilot, physician, and paramedic, all of whom were Mexican nationals.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that the plane was en route to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri before crashing shortly after takeoff. As investigators worked to determine the cause, an expert analyzed the footage and possible factors behind the accident.
“The plane was out of the crew’s control. It was not controlled flight into terrain (CFIT). May have been a mechanical malfunction of the stabilizer, elevator, trim or even a load shift rearward within the cabin,” said Retired Philadelphia pilot John Anderson.
Anderson suggested that if the aircraft carried a stretcher and it was not properly secured, it could have rolled backward, shifting the plane’s center of gravity. “This would cause the nose to raise and stall the wing. In that case, the nose will drop with the angle in the video,” he explained.
The former pilot also added, “Because it was right after takeoff and the initial climb, I would say it was likely aswing stall. There could be a number of factors that would cause a stall. Could have been a runaway trim, malfunctioning stabilizer.” Authorities will continue to investigate as they gather more evidence and assess the damage.
View of the wreckage from a small plane that crashes in a residential area in Philadelphia on January 31, 2025 | Source: Getty Images
After the crash, publicly released audio recordings revealed the final moments before the Learjet 55 went down, as reported on February 3.
In the few minutes before the incident, air traffic controllers were heard communicating with the aircraft, at one point asking the pilot “what frequency” they were on. Moments later, a chilling moan was captured in the recording, presumably from the cockpit. Officials did not confirm any details about the source of the sound.
An investigation at the site of a medical jet crash in Northeast Philadelphia continues on February 1, 2025 | Source: Getty Images
Following a brief pause, an air traffic controller asked, “What’s going on down there?” Another dispatcher responded, “We have a lost aircraft,” adding, “We’re not exactly sure what happened, we’re trying to figure it out. For now, the field is going to be closed.”
As the chilling audio circulated online, reactions poured in, with many fixated on the eerie moan heard just moments before the Philadelphia crash. One person was deeply unsettled, writing, “Someone can definitely be heard letting out a ‘moan’ in the released audio of the plane that crashed in Philadelphia very disturbing.”
One person confirmed hearing it too, “I heard the moan.” Another listener pointed out the timing, “Moaning sound not long after that.” The sound had a visceral effect on one user, who admitted, “The moan made my stomach turn and the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. What on earth happened on that plane?!”
A view of the scene as the aftermath of destruction is seen in front of the Roosevelt Mall and a large debris field is seen with cars destroyed and structures damaged after a small plane crashed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on February 1, 2025 | Source: Getty Images
One particularly observant listener referenced a specific moment in the recording, “I hear it. It sounds like he is basically scared to death and let out a moan the type right before you start to cry @1:04 of the recording [sic].”
Another user has a powerful reaction, penning, “That’s haunting.” And for one user, the eerie moment was physically unsettling, as they shared, “I got goosebumps.”
People gather as emergency service members respond to a plane crash in a neighborhood near Cottman Avenue in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on January 31, 2025 | Source: Getty Images
At the time of publication, authorities were still investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash and were determined to find its cause. None of the six people on board the aircraft, operated by Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, survived.
