A small private plane crashed into the parking lot of a retirement community in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, on Sunday afternoon, injuring at least five people and igniting multiple vehicles. The aircraft, a Beechcraft Bonanza, took off from Lancaster Airport at approximately 3:15 p.m. before crashing just minutes later near Brethren Village in Manheim Township.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed the crash, stating, "A Beechcraft Bonanza crashed in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, around 3 p.m. local time on Sunday, March 9. Five people were on board. The FAA will investigate." The aircraft was en route to Springfield, Ohio, before the accident.
Eyewitness Joseph Smith, a Lititz resident, told Fox News Digital that the aircraft went down almost immediately after taking off. "[It] immediately went down within 30 seconds after it took off," he said. Smith, who was across the street from the crash site, described the scene as chaotic, with thick black smoke rising into the sky and the strong smell of fuel filling the air.
Emergency responders arrived quickly, battling flames that engulfed several vehicles in the parking lot. Manheim Township Fire Chief Scott Little stated that "multiple vehicles [caught] on fire due to the aircraft." He confirmed that the aircraft skidded approximately 100 feet upon impact but did not strike any of the retirement community's buildings.
Flight with 5 people onboard plunges into the parking lot of a retirement village in Pennsylvania injuring multiple people and setting cars ablaze. @IkeEjiochi has details. https://t.co/klIsgjrnRF pic.twitter.com/XPYnnctc1n — World News Tonight (@ABCWorldNews) March 10, 2025
Manheim Township Police Chief Duane Fisher added that at least a dozen vehicles were affected, with five severely damaged. Officials have not disclosed the conditions of those injured in the crash.
A video obtained by TMZ appears to capture the immediate aftermath, showing a massive blaze in the parking lot as car alarms blared in the background. Firefighters worked to extinguish the flames while thick black smoke billowed from the wreckage.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro acknowledged the incident on social media, stating that Pennsylvania State Police and local first responders were on-site assisting with the response. "Our team at @PAStatePolice is on the ground assisting local first responders following the small private plane crash near Lancaster Airport in Manheim Township," Shapiro wrote on X. "All Commonwealth resources are available as the response continues, and more information will be provided as it becomes available."
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have launched an investigation into the cause of the crash. Authorities are expected to examine flight records, aircraft maintenance history, and witness reports to determine what led to the accident.
Route 501 near the crash site was temporarily shut down as emergency crews worked at the scene. Officials have not released further details about the pilot or passengers on board.
The incident comes amid a series of recent plane crashes in the region. On January 31, a Learjet 55 carrying a pediatric patient and five others crashed in a Philadelphia neighborhood, killing all onboard. Two days earlier, a Black Hawk helicopter collided with an American Airlines jet over Washington, D.C., resulting in 67 fatalities.
