(TheIndependentStar.com) – Narrowly avoiding what could have been a devastating tragedy, a small aircraft crashed and went up in flames near a Pennsylvania retirement community.
Watch the video down below.
After reporting emergency door issues during takeoff, the plane smashed into a parking lot at Brethren Village.
Five crew members miraculously survived the crash that could have been far worse for innocent Americans.
Owned by Jam Zoom Yayos LLC, the 1981 Beechcraft A36 Bonanza Turboprop crashed shortly after taking off from Lancaster Airport in Manheim Township.
According to officials, the pilot had reported an open door to air traffic control and was cleared to return to the airport before disaster struck.
Instead of making it back safely, the aircraft careened into a parking lot near a retirement community.
Eyewitnesses described a terrifying scene as the plane went down, creating a large fireball and thick black smoke visible from miles away.
The aircraft skidded nearly 100 feet after making contact with the ground, damaging a dozen parked vehicles in the process.
Most concerning was how close the plane came to hitting a three-story building at Brethren Village, where elderly residents were forced to shelter in place during the emergency.
The five crew members aboard the aircraft were all injured and transported to local hospitals.
While their specific conditions have not been released, officials confirmed that all are expected to survive, a result that many are calling miraculous given the violent nature of the crash.
“[When] we have a plane crash where everybody survives— is a great thing,” officials stated, highlighting the fortunate outcome despite the serious nature of the incident.
Route 501 was closed near the crash site as emergency responders rushed to the scene.
Local emergency services responded quickly with hazmat crews. Fire and police departments worked together to manage the potentially dangerous fuel spill from the crashed aircraft.
Authorities asked residents of Brethren Village to remain sheltered in place during the cleanup operation, though they quickly clarified there was no ongoing threat to the public.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro announced that state police were assisting local authorities with the response effort.
This crash comes just one month after another aviation disaster in the state, when an air ambulance crashed in Philadelphia, killing seven people and raising questions about aviation safety in the region.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have taken charge of the investigation into what caused the crash.
Investigators will examine whether the reported open door was the sole factor or if other mechanical issues or pilot errors may have contributed to the incident.
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