On March 9, 2025, a single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza aircraft carrying five people crashed into the parking lot of the Brethren Village retirement community in Manheim Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, shortly after departing from Lancaster Airport.
All five occupants survived and were taken to local hospitals, though their current conditions remain undisclosed. Remarkably, no injuries were reported on the ground, and no buildings were struck.
The crash ignited a large fire, damaging at least a dozen vehicles in the parking lot. Emergency responders arrived swiftly to extinguish the flames and assist the injured.
Preliminary reports indicate that shortly after takeoff, the pilot experienced an issue with an open door and attempted to return to the airport. The exact cause of the crash is under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
This incident is part of a series of recent aviation accidents under NTSB investigation, including a midair collision in Washington, D.C., and fatal crashes in Philadelphia and Alaska earlier this year.