Key Highlights:

• A small plane crashed into a retirement community parking lot in Pennsylvania, but all five aboard survived.
• The incident occurred at around 3 p.m. near Lancaster Airport, with quick emergency response mitigating further damage.
• While a dozen cars were damaged, no injuries occurred on the ground during the crash.

A small single-engine airplane, a Beechcraft Bonanza, crashed and burst into flames around 3 p.m. on Sunday in the parking lot of Brethren Village, a retirement community in Manheim Township, Pennsylvania. Remarkably, all five passengers on board survived the incident, although their conditions were not disclosed immediately after being transported to local hospitals. According to police chief Duane Fisher, no injuries were reported on the ground despite the fiery crash, which unfolded in close proximity to a three-story building.

Witness Brian Pipkin, who was driving nearby, reported seeing the plane ascend before it unexpectedly veered left and nosedived, resulting in an "immediate fireball." He captured harrowing footage of the incident, showing black smoke billowing from the wreckage as multiple cars were engulfed in flames. Emergency responders quickly arrived at the scene, including a fire truck from the nearby Lancaster Airport, which facilitated a prompt response to control the fire.

Authorities indicated that the aircraft experienced an open door situation before the crash; air traffic control recordings captured the pilot’s urgent call to return for landing. Unfortunately, moments later, the plane crashed into the parking lot. Police Chief Fisher noted, "I don't know if I'd consider it a miracle, but the fact that we have a plane crash where everybody survives and nobody on the ground is hurt is a wonderful thing."

The incident, which has drawn attention following a recent air ambulance crash in Philadelphia that claimed seven lives, will be investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro stated that state police are aiding local authorities and emphasized that resources are available as response and investigatory efforts continue.

For more details, refer to the full reports from SFGate and India Times.