Pennsylvania plane crash: Five taken to hospital after plane with 'open door' crashes outside retirement home

The fiery crash happened at around 3pm near Lancaster Airport on Sunday (9 March) according to police. The force added that everyone on board the plane survived.

Police chief Duane Fisher said all five victims were taken to hospitals in unknown condition and nobody on the ground was hurt. Audio from air traffic control captured someone on the plane reporting an aircraft door was open and requesting a landing at the airport.

An air traffic controller is heard clearing the plane to land, before saying, “Pull up!”. Moments later, someone can be heard saying the aircraft was down.

A fire engine from the airport arrived within minutes, and more first responders followed quickly. The plane was a single-engine Beechcraft A36TC model aircraft, manufactured in 1981, according to public records.

Brian Pipkin was visiting the retirement community at the time of the crash. “I don’t know what played into it but it veered left,” he told Lancaster Online of the plane. “It just nosedived.”

He said he saw two people in the grass near the wreck with black marks on their bodies. The Federal Aviation Administration will investigate the crash.