Single-Engine Plane Crash in Pennsylvania Injures Five Near Lancaster Airport

A single-engine plane crash in Pennsylvania left five passengers injured on Sunday after the aircraft went down near Lancaster Airport, bursting into flames upon impact. The crash occurred around 3 p.m. in the parking lot of Brethren Village, a retirement community in Manheim Township. Fortunately, all five people on board survived, and no injuries were reported on the ground.

Fiery Impact and Eyewitness Accounts

Police Chief Duane Fisher reported that the Beechcraft Bonanza aircraft crashed just south of the airport before igniting. Local resident Brian Pipkin, who witnessed the incident, saw the plane climbing before it suddenly veered left and nosedived.

“And then it went down nose first,” Pipkin recalled. “There was an immediate fireball.”

He immediately called 911 and rushed to the crash site, capturing video footage of thick black smoke billowing from the wreckage. Several parked cars in the retirement community’s lot were engulfed in flames, but miraculously, the plane narrowly missed a nearby three-story building.

Emergency Response and Investigation

A fire truck from Lancaster Airport arrived within minutes, with additional first responders quickly joining the rescue effort. According to Fisher, about a dozen cars sustained damage, and Brethren Village residents were asked to shelter in place temporarily.

“I don’t know if I’d call it a miracle, but the fact that everyone survived, and no one on the ground was hurt, is a wonderful thing,” Fisher stated.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that five people were aboard the plane, but their conditions remain undisclosed. Authorities have not yet provided details on their survival or the extent of their injuries.

Air Traffic Control and Flight Details

Air traffic control audio captured the pilot reporting an issue moments before the crash. “The aircraft has an open door, we need to return for a landing,” the pilot stated. An air traffic controller cleared the plane to land but then urged the pilot to “Pull up!” Moments later, a voice reported that the aircraft had crashed behind the terminal in the parking lot.

The FAA and Pennsylvania State Police are investigating the cause of the crash. Governor Josh Shapiro assured residents that all state resources are available to support the response efforts.

This incident follows another tragic aviation accident in Pennsylvania last month when seven people lost their lives in an air ambulance crash on a busy Philadelphia street. Authorities continue to stress aviation safety measures as investigations unfold.

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