Federal investigators wrap up work at site of plane crash in Northeast Philadelphia

From Philly and the Pa. suburbs to South Jersey and Delaware, what would you like WHYY News to cover? Let us know!

Federal investigators have wrapped up their on-site work after a medical jet crashed in Northeast Philadelphia Friday, city leaders said in an update Tuesday.

Seven people were killed and at least two dozen were hurt when the Learjet 55 went down in a heavily populated area less than a minute after departing the Northeast Philadelphia Airport, creating a fiery explosion that left a crater in the ground several feet deep.

City Managing Director Adam Thiel said investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board completed their work at the site near Roosevelt Mall. The NTSB and Federal Aviation Administration announced Sunday the plane’s “black box” cockpit voice recorder had been recovered and sent to Washington for further investigation.

“The fact that we’ve been able to complete this on-site work, given the scale and scope of the scene, is a real testament to both the NTSB’s professionalism and their expertise,” Thiel said. “It really has been one team working together to process this crash site … of what will continue to be a long, thorough and comprehensive investigation.”

Other local agencies — including PennDOT, the Streets Department and Clean And Green Team — will continue work overnight to clean up the area. The forensics investigation conducted by the Philadelphia Police Department will now be moved off-site, officials said.

“We can start to restore the area of this tragic incident back to activity. I won’t say normalcy because that is going to take much longer,” Thiel said.

Temporary shelter closes

The shelter at Samuel Fels High School suspended operations at 6 p.m. Tuesday.

Dominick Mireles, director of Philadelphia’s Office of Emergency Management, said two families who were displaced from the crash will continue to receive aid from the city.

“It means we are entering kind of a more medium to long-term phase and able to really meet individuals’ needs,” Mireles said.

Affected residents can report property damage and get help filing claims by calling 1-800-RED-CROSS (733-2767).

All six passengers, including a child receiving medical care in Philadelphia, were killed in the crash. At least 24 people were hurt; five were hospitalized, two of which remain in critical condition.

Roughly 366 properties, including a mix of residences and businesses, were assessed for damages, according to the city.