7 Killed, 22 Injured in Philadelphia Medical Flight Crash

All six passengers on the Jet Rescue Air Ambulance and one person on the ground died, and 22 others on the ground were injured.
Published: February 3, 2025

PHILADELPHIA – A Learjet transporting a pediatric patient who had just completed months of treatment for a life-threatening medical condition crashed into a Philadelphia neighborhood Friday evening. The child, as well as her mother and four others in the medical transport plane were killed, as well as one person on the ground whose car was struck by debris. At least 22 others on the ground suffered injuries from flying debris or the explosion and were treated at local hospitals.

Shortly after takeoff at 6:06 PM from Northeast Philadelphia Airport, the medical transport plane climbed to just 1,500 feet before plummeting into a steep descent. The crash occurred in a densely populated area during peak evening hours. Witnesses likened the impact to a scene from a disaster movie, describing a massive fireball and shaking homes.

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One waiter at a nearby diner recounted the moment the plane struck, explaining how debris hit the restaurant amidst the chaos, reports the Associated Press. A surveillance camera captured the plane’s final moments, showing its rapid descent.

Medical Flight Was Part of a Humanitarian Air Service

The jet was operated by Jet Rescue Air Ambulance and was transporting 11-year-old Valentina Guzman Murillo, a young patient who had just completed a four-month-long, life-saving treatment at Shriners Children’s Philadelphia, reports 6ABC. Accompanying her was her mother, Lizeth Murillo Osuna, 31. All six onboard—two pilots, a doctor, a paramedic, the child, and her mother—were identified as Mexican nationals, according to Mexican officials.

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The doctor, identified as Raul Meza, was a neonatal specialist supporting the child’s return home to Tijuana, Mexico. The others on the plane have been identified as Capt. Alan Alejandro Montoya Perales, co-pilot Josue de Jesus Juarez Juarez, and paramedic Rodrigo Lopez Padilla, reports NBC Philadelphia.

The person killed on the ground has not been identified.

At least 11 residences were impacted by the plane crash.

Friday’s medical flight was intended to bring the patient and her mother back to Tijuana, with a planned stopover in Missouri. The flight was part of a humanitarian air ambulance service often used for long-distance medical emergencies and compassionate medical repatriations.

Plane’s Black Box Recovered

The exact cause of the crash remains under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which has deployed a team to collect debris, and assess wreckage. The plane’s black box was recovered on Sunday, reports USA TODAY. Both of its engines have also been recovered. Experts speculate that mechanical failure, flight instrument issues, or human error could have contributed to the tragedy.

Though weather conditions on the evening were described as less than ideal, with low visibility due to clouds and typical rainstorm conditions, meteorologists confirmed there was no evidence of extreme weather such as strong winds.

Friday’s crash is the second fatal incident involving Jet Rescue Air Ambulance in the past two years. The company previously lost five crew members in 2023 during a similar flight in Mexico.

The NTSB has indicated that it may take months before investigators conclude their analysis of the crash.

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