Philly plane crash: Number of injuries climbs to 24 in medevac plane crash that killed 7
PHILADELPHIA - The number of people injured in the deadly Northeast Philadelphia plane crash increased by two on Monday, Mayor Cherelle Parker reported.
Seven people, including six on board, were killed when a plane carrying a pediatric patient slammed into the ground on Cottman Avenue on Friday night.
One person on the ground was killed and at least 24 others were injured when the Learjet fell from the sky and erupted into a fireball in the middle of the street.
What we know:
Six people, including a pediatric patient, her mother and four crew members were killed when a Learjet en route to Missouri crashed along Cottman Avenue near Bustleton Avenue shortly after 6 p.m. Friday.
The victims onboard the flight were all Mexican citizens, and identified by Jet Rescue Air Ambulance as Capt. Alan Alejandro Montoya Perales, co-pilot Josue de Jesus Juarez Juarez, Dr. Raul Meza Arredondo, paramedic Rodrigo Lopez Padilla, patient Valentina Guzman Murillo and her mother, Lizeth Murillo Ozuna.
A seventh victim, a person inside a vehicle near the crash, was announced by Mayor Cherelle Parker during a press conference on Sunday. Their identity has yet to be released.
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On Monday, the mayor increased the number of injured victims to 24 people. Four of those victims remain hospitalized, two in critical condition.
The crash site spans 4–6 blocks, with debris scattered throughout the neighborhood and large holes in the street and sidewalk where the parts of the plane landed.
"If you look at the impact, and how deep that crater is, it was a very steep angle at which that aircraft came down," Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said.
Roosevelt Boulevard reopened on Monday, while parts of Cottman Avenue between Bustleton Avenue and Roosevelt Boulevard remain closed.
NTSB investigators announced they recovered the cockpit voice recorder from the 8-feet-deep crater left behind by the crash.
Duffy said the device is en route to Washington D.C. for analysis.
What's next:
Investigators will continue to analyze the crash site as they try to determine what caused the Learjet to fall from the sky on Friday night.
Officials say preliminary investigations revealed that the flight climbed to about 1,500 feet, made a slight right turn, then a left turn, before going into a steep descent and making a high impact crash.
The pilot did not contact the air controller, who unsuccessfully tried to reach out to the plane, according to the NTSB.
They have found two engines and have located the plane's black box, which could provide vital information leading up to the crash.
Both the CVR and EGPWS, which were both within the plane's black box, will be sent to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Laboratory in Washington, DC for evaluation.
The NTSB will continue its wreckage recovery Monday and all the wreckage will be sent to a secure location in Delaware for further examination.
Residents are being asked to report any debris they find in the area.
A memorial is growing at the site of the devastating deadly plane crash. A vigil has been scheduled for Wednesday.
Town hall meeting
Mayor Parker says the city will be holding a town hall meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Solis-Cohen Elementary School.
Recovery
Officials with the Office of Emergency Management say they plan to assess the full extent of damage to the neighborhood once the site has been cleared.
Repairs to lights, traffic signals and roads will be part of a "long-term recovery" to return to a "sense of normal" to the neighborhood.
What they're saying:
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro on Monday spoke about the heroic actions of Philadelphia citizens and first responders in a terrifying moment of tragedy.
"There's a thin line between tragedy and triumph, between danger and safety," Shapiro said. "That line, you can quite literally witness on Cottman Avenue."
Speaking for the first time on the deadly crash, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said NTSB and FAA investigators arrived at the crash sight within 24 hours.
Duffy said he expects the NTSB to deliver a preliminary report on the crash within 30 days.
What we don't know:
The cause of the crash is still unknown at this time, officials are still on the ground collecting debris from the crash as they continue to investigate.
The total extent of the damage caused by the crash is also still unclear.
Officials have released information about how many homes, cars and businesses were impacted. Details about how many people have been displaced or evacuated from their homes have also yet to be released.
What you can do:
Anyone with video or imagery from the Jan. 31 crash can email it to the NTSB at witness@ntsb.gov.
If you or a loved one needs help, reach out to the Red Cross' free 24/7 multilingual Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990 for support. A running blog at Phila.gov will also be continuously updated.
Shelter is still being offered at Samuel Fels High School at 5500 Langdon Street for those impacted.
The Disaster Distress (DDH) Helpline, at 1-800-985-5990, can also provide immediate counseling to anyone affected by the aviation disaster in Philadelphia.
The mayor, along with law enforcement, is asking that residents check on their neighbors, and report any missing people.
Officials are also urging residents not to touch anything that may be part of the plane. If you find any debris, email witness@ntsb.gov.
Dig deeper:
The crash came just two days after the deadliest U.S. air disaster in a generation, when an American Airlines jet carrying 60 passengers and four crew members collided in midair in Washington, D.C., with an Army helicopter carrying three soldiers. There were no survivors.
Editor's Note: This article has been updated to include a photo of the cockpit voice recorder that was recovered at the scene of the Philadelphia crash. A previous version of this article included a photo provided to FOX 29 of a black box that was not the black box onboard the plane.