A small aircraft went down in a suburban area of Pennsylvania shortly after taking off on Sunday, injuring multiple individuals and setting several vehicles ablaze as it erupted into flames upon impact.
Officials reported that the plane, which had five people on board, crashed in Brethren Village, Manheim Township, shortly after departing from Lancaster Airport at 3:15 p.m. EDT.
BREAKING: Fire seen as plane crashes in Manheim Township, Pennsylvania; reports of multiple victims. pic.twitter.com/Q4O80k3kwT
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Several people have been injured, and Route 501 has been shut down in the area as shocking footage captures the fiery wreckage in a parking lot.
The video shows multiple vehicles engulfed in flames, their charred remains smoldering as thick smoke billows into the sky.
In the clip, the burning tail section of what is believed to be a Beechcraft A36TC, marked with the code N347M, can be seen near a nursing home.
Chilling air traffic control recordings reveal the tense moment a pilot informed ground crews that they had no choice but to turn back after the aircraft’s door unexpectedly came open.
At one point, the pilot struggles to communicate, saying the roar of the wind from the unlatched hatch is drowning out the radio.
“Pull up… the aircraft is down just behind the terminal in the parking lot tree area,” the air traffic controller urgently warns.
Authorities are still working to determine what caused the small plane to go down, while emergency crews have been dispatched to the crash site, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro confirmed.
In a post on X, Governor Shapiro stated, “Our team at Pennsylvania State Police is on the ground assisting local first responders following the small private plane crash near Lancaster Airport in Manheim Township.”
He added, “All Commonwealth resources are available as the response continues and more information will be provided as it becomes available.”