Breaking: Small plane crashes near Philadelphia mall in Pennsylvania

Fire crews are responding after a small plane crashed in north-east Philadelphia, Pennsylvania’s governor has said. 

Governor Josh Shapiro said he was offering all “Commonwealth resources as they respond to the small private plane crash in north-east Philly.”

The crash site is less than 4.8 kilometres from Northeast Philadelphia Airport, which primarily serves business jets and charter flights. 

Philadelphia’s emergency management office said there was a “major incident” at the location of the crash site and that roads were closed in the area.

Flight data showed a Learjet 55 taking off from the airport at 6:06pm and disappearing from radar about 30 seconds later after climbing to an altitude of 1,600 feet (487 meters).

A photo posted on the social platform X by the Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management showed a thick cloud of smoke in the sky near the Roosevelt Mall, where first responders were blocking traffic and onlookers crowded onto a street corner.

The plane crashed in a busy intersection near Roosevelt Mall, an outdoor shopping centre with dozens of stores and restaurants in the residential neighbourhood of Rhawnhurst.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said two people were aboard the plane, which was en route to Springfield, Missouri.

The plane appeared to be a medical transport jet and was registered to a company operating as Med Jets.

The plane that took off and quickly disappeared from radar.

The FAA said the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will lead the investigation, while the NTSB, which investigates air crashes, said it was gathering information about the crash.

ABC/Wires

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