Northeast Philadelphia plane crash leaves 2 injured, including off-duty officer, sources say
Two people, including an off-duty police officer, were injured in a small plane crash in Northeast Philadelphia on Wednesday, sources said.
The crash happened in Fluehr Park on Grant Avenue in the city's Torresdale neighborhood just before 4 p.m., according to Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Jeffrey Thompson.
What to know about Northeast Philadelphia plane crash
The plane that crashed belongs to Fly Legacy Aviation, a flight school located at Northeast Philadelphia Airport.
Thompson said the instructor and student on the plane were alert and conscious when fire crews arrived, but they suffered serious injuries. They were both taken to a local hospital after being extricated from the plane.
Alex Souponetsky, the general manager of Fly Legacy Aviation, told CBS News Philadelphia in a statement that a Piper Pilot 100i training aircraft's engine lost power over the Delaware River on Wednesday.
Souponetsky said the instructor and student pilot were able to make an emergency landing, but struck a tree on their way down.
"We're very lucky," Thompson said. "This is a residential neighborhood, so this could've been very different if this plane comes down into or on top of a house, so we're very fortunate in that regard."
Fly Legacy Aviation has contacted the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board about the crash, according to Souponetsky. According to FlightAware, the plane took off from nearby Northeast Philadelphia Airport at 3:01 p.m.
"Our thoughts are with the pilots and their families," Souponetsky said.
Thompson said there was a small fuel spill after the crash, but it didn't lead to a fire. He added people should avoid Fluehr Park as the NTSB and other agencies investigate the crash.
City Councilmember Mike Driscoll praised the first responders who went to the scene Wednesday after the plane crash.
"We are keeping the two individuals and their loved ones in our thoughts," Driscoll said in part. "We are hopeful for a full and speedy recovery. Our office is in touch with emergency personnel and will keep an eye on the situation as we receive more information. We are thinking of everyone involved and value the professionalism of the crews on the ground."
Plane crash in Northeast Philadelphia happened near 2025 crash
Wednesday's plane in Fluehr Park on Grant Avenue happened roughly 5 miles from the deadly medical jet crash in 2025.
On Jan. 31, 2025, a medical Learjet 55 crashed in front of Roosevelt Mall. It killed eight people, including all six people on the plane, and left two dozen others injured. The six people on the plane were Mexican nationals — a mother, daughter and four crew members. The daughter had just received life-saving treatment at Shriner's Hospital in North Philly.
According to an NTSB preliminary report, the plane was in the air for less than one minute before it crashed. The NTSB is expected to release more information on the 2025 crash in July.
Homeowners and businesses in the area are still dealing with the aftermath of the crash more than one year later.
