‘Major incident’: Plane crash causes chaos near US mall

A small private airplane crashed in northeast Philadelphia today, a top official said, with media showing images of a fireball that sparked blazes on the ground in the built-up neighbourhood.

The aircraft, which the Federal Aviation Administration said was a Learjet 55 executive aircraft with two people aboard, crashed around 12.30pm NZT into a densely-populated district of the city with homes, shops and busy roads.

It was bound for Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri, and had taken off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport, the FAA said in a statement confirming that it would investigate along with the National Transportation Safety Board.

Six people were onboard, the FAA confirmed on social media.