15 injured as skydiving plane crashes at New Jersey airport
- A small skydiving aircraft crashed at Cross Keys Airport in New Jersey on July 2, 2025.
- Fifteen people were on board, with at least five requiring hospitalization for injuries.
- The FAA is investigating the incident, and authorities have described it as a mass casualty event.
On July 2, 2025, a small plane crashed at New Jersey's Cross Keys Airport during a mass casualty incident that prompted a significant emergency response from multiple agencies. The aircraft, a Cessna 208B, was carrying 15 individuals and went off the runway around 5:30 p.m. local time. At least five passengers sustained injuries and were transported to Cooper University Hospital for evaluation. Emergency personnel, including local police and medics, arrived at the scene to assist with the situation, which required a multi-agency effort to manage the crisis. Witnesses reported seeing the single-engine skydiving plane fail to maintain a safe landing trajectory, resulting in its departure from the tarmac. Details about the crash were sparse initially as emergency services prioritized assisting victims and securing the area for safety. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed they are investigating the accident further to determine the precise cause of the crash. Local officials categorized the incident as a mass casualty event, which generally refers to an occurrence where the number of casualties exceeds the capacity of emergency services in a typical situation. This characterization illustrates the severity of the crash and highlights the intense situation emergency responders faced. Gloucester County Emergency Management called for people to avoid the area to facilitate the responsible movement of emergency vehicles. In light of this incident, representatives from Gloucester County's Office of Emergency Management have emphasized the importance of maintaining safety during flight operations at the airport. As a popular destination for skydiving, Cross Keys Airport's operational practices will likely be scrutinized post-incident to ensure that safety standards are upheld to prevent similar accidents in the future. Meanwhile, further updates regarding the condition of those hospitalized and an official report on the crash's causes should be expected in the following days as investigations continue.