On Sunday afternoon, a small plane carrying 5 people crashed and caught fire in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States. The 5 people on board were injured. Rescue workers are currently at the scene providing assistance, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has initiated an investigation into the crash.
According to media reports, Scott Little, the Manheim Township Fire Chief, stated at a press conference that the single-engine plane took off from Lancaster Airport near Manheim Township and crashed in a parking lot in a local community around 3:15 pm on Sunday, injuring all 5 people on board.
He mentioned that the plane did not hit any buildings during the crash, but it resulted in over ten cars in the parking lot catching fire. Fortunately, no one on the ground was injured.
The FAA confirmed in a statement that the plane involved in the crash was a 1947 Beechcraft Bonanza, typically designed to carry 6 people, but had 5 people on board at the time of the crash.
Local fire officials reported that the 5 injured individuals have been taken to local hospitals for treatment, although the specific extent of their injuries is currently unknown.
It was reported that the small plane was en route from Lancaster to Springfield, Ohio. Footage captured at the scene showed the plane engulfed in flames above parked vehicles, with thick smoke billowing from the area, and multiple cars in the parking lot being consumed by the fire.
A witness mentioned that he was driving nearby and saw the small plane climbing to a high altitude, suddenly making a left turn, then nose-diving sideways, hitting the ground with the front of the aircraft, which instantly burst into flames. He immediately dialed 911 and rushed to the crash site. He added that the plane narrowly missed hitting a three-story building in the community.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro stated earlier that state police were on-site assisting local emergency personnel in managing the incident.
The cause of the crash is currently unclear, and the FAA has stated that an investigation into the incident will be conducted.
Since the beginning of this year, there have been several civil aviation accidents in the United States, drawing widespread attention. On the evening of January 29, a Bombardier jet carrying 64 people collided with a Black Hawk helicopter carrying 3 military personnel during landing at Washington Reagan National Airport, resulting in all occupants perishing. On January 31, a small medical plane with 6 people on board crashed shortly after takeoff from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, leading to the deaths of all 6 individuals on board and one person on the ground. On February 6, an aircraft from Ravn Alaska went missing on its way from Unalakleet, Alaska to Nome, with all 10 people on board confirmed dead after the crash.