Multiple people have been injured after a small plane crash-landed in a parking lot in suburban Pennsylvania.
Harrowing footage captured the moment an aircraft, believed to be a Beechcraft A36TC, burst into flames on the ground, which was closely lined up with other vehicles in Manheim Township.
Thick black smoke streamed up towards the air as the damaged tail of the plane jutted up amongst the wreckage.
Highlights
- A plane crash-landed in a Pennsylvania parking lot and burst into flames.
- Multiple people have ben injured.
- The pilot wasn't able to communicate with air traffic control due to extreme wind noise, since a door had been left open.
Immediately, medics and first responders rushed to the scene in Lancaster County just as the fire started to engulf the plane. No reports have been made regarding how many people were hurt — though there are multiple burn victims.
A small plane was forced to crash-land in a parking lot in suburban Pennsylvania
Image credits: DalioTroy
The FAA has said there were five passengers on board.
The aircraft reportedly went down at 3:18pm local time. Route 501 is now shut down as “life-saving efforts are underway,” said X user Mila Joy.
According to Daily Mail, the plane took off on Sunday afternoon (March 9), as scheduled, but was forced to make an emergency landing back on the tarmac because its door was open.
Released air traffic control audio details the exact moment the pilot told ground agents they needed to turn back around. However, due to the extreme noise of the wind, caused by the open hatch, he couldn’t hear a single thing from the radio.
Image credits: DalioTroy
“Pull up… the aircraft is down just behind the terminal in the parking lot tree area,” the audio said after the plane had touched ground.
It now lies two streets away from Lancaster Airport, right by the Fairview Meadows retirement home.
And while the exact flight has not been confirmed, media outlets have reported that public reports provided by Lancaster Airport show a Southern Airways Express commuter airline that departed the airport at 2:59pm.
It was bound for Dulles International Airport in Virginia, but it is still unclear if this was the plane that had crashed.
Multiple people have been injured
Image credits: DalioTroy
2025 has been a rather tumultuous year when it comes to the aviation industry.
From the horrific mid-air collision between American Airlines flight 5342 with a US Army Black Hawk Helicopter that claimed all 67 lives, to a Japan aircraft slamming into the tail of a parked Delta plane at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, passengers are rightfully concerned for their safety.
This is an ongoing story and will be updated accordingly.
Prayers flooded in
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