In January, a tragic crash involving a medical transport plane in Philadelphia claimed the lives of seven people, including a child on the ground. The cockpit voice recorder was found to be non-functional for several years, according to a preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Importantly, there were no distress calls made by the crew before the plane went down.
The Learjet 55 took off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport and crashed into a residential area just a minute later, exploding on impact. The crash resulted in the deaths of six people on board and an additional person in a vehicle struck by debris. At least 24 others were injured, including a 10-year-old boy who was trying to shield his sister from falling debris.
Former NTSB Chairman Jim Hall expressed concern over the missing cockpit recordings, stating that this information is crucial for understanding what went wrong. He emphasized that the lack of a distress call indicates the emergency unfolded too quickly for the crew to react. Among those on board were an 11-year-old girl, Valentina Guzmán Murillo, who had just received medical care at Shriners Children’s Hospital, along with her mother, Lizeth Murillo Osuna. They were heading back to Mexico.
Details surrounding the crash are still emerging. The plane’s cockpit recorder was recovered from about 8 feet underground after the incident but suffered significant damage. After repairs, investigators found that the recording contained no audio of the flight.
The crash also caused extensive damage to the surrounding area, destroying or severely damaging over a dozen homes and businesses and leaving wreckage scattered across a vast space. Former NTSB investigator Jeff Guzzetti noted that while the absence of cockpit recordings complicates the investigation, it doesn’t make it impossible. He pointed out that the ground warning system might yield some useful data.
Under Mexican regulations, aircraft owners must ensure that both cockpit voice and flight data recorders are maintained properly. The oversight falls on the governmental aviation authority, which is responsible for ensuring compliance. However, civil aviation authorities in Mexico have not responded to requests for documentation concerning Jet Rescue’s maintenance practices.
Guzzetti suggested that factors such as “spatial disorientation” might have played a role in the crash. This occurs when pilots lose their sense of direction, particularly in challenging weather conditions. He drew parallels between this crash and other past incidents, hinting that the pilot might have struggled to trust their instruments during flight.
As investigations continue, victims on the ground have started to seek legal representation, particularly those who suffered injuries. The crash has raised broader concerns about aviation safety, especially following a recent fatal midair collision in Washington, D.C.
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Plane crashes, Philadelphia, National Transportation Safety Board, Mexico City, Automotive accidents, District of Columbia, General news, PA State Wire, Transportation, Josue de Jesus Juarez Juarez, U.S. news, Mexico, John F. Kennedy, Lizeth Murillo Osuna, Rogelio Rodrguez Garduo, Alan Montoya Perales, Raul Meza Arredondo, Jeff Guzzetti, Rodrigo Lopez Padilla
