Credit: James Short
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is currently investigating the cause of an emergency landing by a Penn Medicine helicopter (PennSTAR) on the lawn of a home in Whitemarsh Township on Monday night.
The helicopter is currently still on the property on Musket Road near Canon Hill Road and will remain there until the investigation is complete.
Three crew members were on board during the emergency landing Monday at 7:45 p.m. that saw the back rotor of the helicopter become detached upon impact. Nobody was injured during the incident, according to officials.
"We got very lucky tonight, it's a miracle," Whitemarsh Police Chief Christopher Ward said in an interview. "The pilot did an amazing job from all accounts. As out of control as it was, he controlled it into an area and was able to put it down without striking, luckily for us, any homes, any vehicles or any people.
One person was in the house nearest to the landing site when the aircraft came down, according to Ward.
Children and families were outside in the neighborhood at the time, but no one was injured and no property was damaged, except for where the helicopter landed, he said.
“We had a resident out there cutting his grass, he saw the whole thing,” Ward added.
The helicopter was traveling from Philadelphia to Blue Bell, about a three-mile trip, before being forced to land before arriving at its final destination.
