A Learjet 55 medical transport plane crashed shortly after takeoff in Philadelphia on Friday evening, with all six people aboard feared dead, including a child patient and her mother returning to Mexico after medical treatment.

The aircraft, operated by Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, went down near Roosevelt Mall in northeast Philadelphia around 6:30 p.m. local time, approximately three miles from Northeast Philadelphia Airport. The plane reached an altitude of 1,650 feet before plummeting at a rate of 11,000 feet per minute, according to flight data.

Jet Rescue spokesperson Shai Gold confirmed the aircraft was carrying four crew members along with the pediatric patient and her mother. 'We cannot confirm any survivors,' the company stated in an official release.

The crash impacted a residential area, triggering at least six house fires and causing injuries to people on the ground. Temple University Hospital reported treating six individuals, with three released and three others remaining in fair condition.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro described the incident as an 'awful aviation disaster' during a late Friday news conference, stating, 'We know that there will be loss.' Local residents reported hearing a loud explosion and feeling ground tremors at the time of impact.

The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration have launched an investigation into the crash. The incident marks the second fatal accident for Jet Rescue in 15 months, following a 2023 crash in Mexico that claimed five crew members.