Crashed Learjet 55 CVR recovered 8ft beneath impact point
February 3, 2025
Two days after arriving on the Philadelphia crash scene of a medevac-configured Learjet 55, the NTSB has recovered the aircraft’s cockpit voice recorder, located “at the site of initial impact, at a depth of eight feet”. This – along with the aircraft’s enhanced ground proximity warning system (EGPWS) – will now be sent to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Laboratory in Washington, DC for evaluation.
Speaking at the first press conference since Saturday morning’s fatal crash, NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy had explained that although both engines had been recovered, the cockpit voice recorder – something that “could be intact,” although “likely… very damaged or fragmented,” remained elusive. No information has been provided as to the current state of the recording device.
Meanwhile, ongoing work continues to recover the remainder of the wreckage, which will be sent to a “secure location in Delaware for further examination”. During the press conference, Homendy indicated that the aircraft was “highly fragmented” after the “high impact crash,” with debris scattered across four or five city blocks. She also cautioned that the safe retrieval of the debris, expected to continue over the coming days, could possibly extend “into weeks”.
A preliminary report is expected within 30 days of the accident, while a final report is expected in 12 to 24 months.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy reaffirmed the NTSB’s urge for patience, explaining in a video update: “There aren’t going to be answers right away – that’s going to take time”. However, detailing how he had the chance to talk with bereaved family members, he concluded: “Their pain is unimaginable. I commit to transparency to them. When I know information, I’m going to share it with them, and also the American people”.
Four crew and two passengers, including one individual on the ground, are so far confirmed to have been killed when the medical transportation Learjet 55 crashed less than a minute after taking off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport. The aircraft came down some 3.5 miles away from the airport, in a residential area. First responders reported “heavy fire coming from five residences and multiple vehicles and debris strewn across Cottman Avenue,” explained the City of Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker.
“We continue to work closely with the many responding local, state, and federal agencies to ensure a thorough investigation and recovery,” added fire commissioner Jeffrey Thompson, speaking yesterday.
