Philadelphia plane crash: Off-duty police officer among 2 injured after aircraft goes down in Fluehr Park in Torresdale

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — Two people were injured, including an off-duty police officer, after a small plane went down in a Philadelphia park.

The crash happened around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday near Fluehr Park at Grant and Torresdale avenues in the city’s Torresdale section.

Chopper 6 video shows the Piper PA-28 aircraft smashed into a tree. The nose of the plane is demolished, with pieces of the plane scattered on the ground.

Action News has learned two people, including an off-duty Philadelphia police officer, were on the plane. Both were injured and taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition.

“They were both alert and oriented. We were very fortunate,” said Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Jeffrey Thompson. “There was no resulting fire. We do have a small fuel spill. We have our hazardous materials task force on location.”

Sources say the officer who works in the 3rd District was piloting the aircraft at the time of the crash.

Officials tell Action News the plane took off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport around 3 p.m. and traveled through Bucks and Montgomery counties before going down about 30 minutes later.

The Philadelphia Fire Department says the pilot was attempting to land at Northeast Philadelphia Airport when a distress call came in.

One witness described the chaotic moment before the crash.

“I saw the plane coming down to land in the Northeast Airport, and it looked like it was sputtering and kind of stalling a little bit. So it made a sharp left and tried to land in the field at Fluehr Park. It started to bounce off the ground a little bit, and then it eventually came to a stop when it crashed into a tree,” the witness said.

Officials are asking the public to avoid the park as crews remain on the scene.

An investigation into what caused the crash is underway.

Stay with Action News as we continue to follow this developing story.