Medical transport jet was in the air for less than a minute before crash in Philadelphia: NTSB

abc ^ | 02/02/2025 | Jack Moore and Bill Hutchinson

[BenLurkin]

The Learjet 55, operated by Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, took off at 6:06 p.m. Friday, climbed to about 1,500 feet and then rapidly descended, National Transportation Safety Board investigator Bill Hicks told reporters during a press briefing Saturday.

On Sunday morning, Jet Rescue Air Ambulance identified those aboard the crashed jet as pediatric patient Valentina Guzman Murillo and her mother, Lizeth Murillo Ozuna; Dr. Raul Meza Arredondo, paramedic Lopez Padilla, flight Capt. Alan Alejandro Montoya Perales and co-pilot Josue De Jesus Juarez Juarez.

The "high-impact" crash left debris scattered across four to five city blocks, Homendy said. Investigators have yet to recover the jet's black box, which she said may have been damaged or destroyed.

"It could be intact," she said. "But likely it is damaged. It may be fragmented."

Philadelphia residents or business owners who find debris should email the NTSB at witness@ntsb.gov, Homendy said.

"We're not going to have answers right away. It's going to take time. But as I get those answers, I'm going to share it with all of you."

[StAnDeliver]

"He suspects it might be a case of somatogravic illusion - the pilot climbed quickly into the overcast (400' ceiling) and got disoriented on the first turn. Plane was operating at full power and looked like it went into an excessive left bank, causing it to rapidly lose altitude and go straight in at a high speed. This has happened quite a few times in previous air crashes. "

Unfortunately this ties everything up, based on the Ring video where the couple are chatting and leaving, and you see the plane "Do a barrel roll" absurd bank out of the 400' mist straight into the ground in the space of 3 seconds.

FAA will likely go back and trace the pendejo pilot group credit cards and see how bad the bar tab was...

[DAC21]

The old timer sitting in the dinner when shrapnel comes through at a very fast rate and takes his baseball cap off is mind blowing. Literally 2-3 inches from a grizzly death.

[libertylover]

I’m thinking maybe the load shifted not long after he began his climb.

Possibly, but I think it's more than that. It appears to me that 1) the plane was already in flames as it came down, and 2) it looks like it's coming down at a rate faster than just falling, possibly being powered down while burning.

I have confidence that the NTSB will find out fairly conclusively. Eventually.

[BatGuano]

Oxygen may have been part of the cause of the disaster.
Too soon to know. NTSB is busy.

[Vaduz]

Saw one report the plane was registered out of Mexico the girl went through 4 months of treatment.

What was on the plane and how many in Mexico can afford such service?.

Not blaming anyone just some things don’t sound right?.

[BenLurkin]

Shriners is I think a charity. And it’s another charity that pays for the flights, I think. Or something like that.

[Vaduz]

Maybe haven’t seen anything about it.

[Samurai_Jack]

Oh, I saw that! It was a pretty big explosion that happened there. The plane dived like the flight controls were suddenly locked down.

[freeandfreezing]

You gathered wrong. The aircraft was a flying ambulance transporting a child who had recently completed months of treatment at the Shriner’s hospital in Philadelphia, the child’s mother, a doctor, and the pilot and copilot.

[freeandfreezing]

I think an engine’s turbine fragmented and just blew up.

That would be consistent with the fire seen on the descending plane, and if the turbine failure was violent enough it could have destroyed the second engine, and damaged the tail of the aircraft. On a Learjet 55 the engines are located next to each other just in front of the tail.

[linMcHlp]

Notice the speeds. For example, 197mph at 625 feet. When and where the crew should have acknowledged the transfer of air traffic control (changing channel).

After that, the aircraft continued to accelerate and climb.

Except for silence from the cockpit, the climb and speed appear to be normal.

The Lear Jet is designed to go fast and at high altitude.

At or very soon after 23:06:52 Zulu (247 mph), the jet either lost power, or somebody reduced power, or something reduced power.

Could be, the left engine was not running great, even before 23:06:52 Zulu, and then it "choked?"

[BenLurkin]

Interesting

[freeandfreezing]

That is another plausible cause of the accident. The flight trajectory data does show a surprising slowdown in rate of climb before the final dive. That could indicate an engine problem or a confused pilot.

Reported flight data

[Fresh Wind]

I’m thinking maybe the load shifted not long after he began his climb.

I heard the plane flew from Miami to Philly that afternoon without incident. Taking on a couple of passengers shouldn't have greatly affected the loading.

[montag813]

43 year old LearJet. Past its operating window?

[Steven Scharf]

I wonder how many hours the flight crew had been on duty in the previous 2 or three days and if fatigue played a factor.

Flight Aware shows the plane went from Port A Price Haiti to Miami and then Phill between Jan 30 and 31.