Aircraft with ‘Open Door’ Crashes into Retirement Home Parking Lot | US News
A small aircraft with five individuals on board crashed into a retirement home parking lot in Pennsylvania on Sunday.
The dramatic incident took place around 3 PM near Lancaster Airport, as confirmed by local authorities. Fortunately, all occupants of the plane emerged unscathed.
Police Chief Duane Fisher indicated that all five individuals were transported to hospitals, though their conditions remain unknown, and no injuries were reported on the ground.
Air traffic control audio captured a voice from the aircraft stating that an aircraft door was ajar and requesting an emergency landing at the airport.
An air traffic controller can be heard granting clearance for landing, only to urgently advise, “Pull up!”
Emergency crews responded to the site of a plane crash in Pennsylvania on Sunday. Pic: NBC News
Shortly after, someone in the cockpit reported that the plane had gone down.
Brian Pipkin, who was driving nearby, observed the small plane climbing before it suddenly veered left.
“And then it went down nose-first,” he recounted. “There was an immediate fireball.”
He mentioned that the plane narrowly avoided colliding with a three-story building at the expansive retirement community located roughly 75 miles (120 km) west of Philadelphia.
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A fire engine from the airport reached the scene within minutes, quickly followed by additional first responders.
“It was extremely smoky, and the heat was unbearable,” Pipkin reported. “They were really having a tough time extinguishing the blaze.” According to Fisher, a dozen parked cars were damaged in the incident.
The aircraft was a single-engine Beechcraft A36TC model, built in 1981, as per public records.
The FAA has announced that an investigation will be conducted.
