A US Airways jet crashed when a tire blew out during takeoff at Philadelphia International Airport on Thursday evening, but no injuries were initially reported, a company official said.

“Plane just crashed. But we are ok,” one apparent passenger, Dennis Fee, posted on Facebook, followed by a photo of passengers fleeing a US Airways jet that appeared intact but whose nose was in contact with the ground.

Flight 1702 was taking off en route to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., when a tire blew out, US Airways spokeswoman Valerie Hooks told the Los Angeles Times.

Further details about the accident were not immediately available. Airport officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.


The jet was carrying 149 passengers and five crew members, Hooks said.

One of those apparent passengers posted a photo of a smoking jet on the tarmac, followed by a highly unusual selfie.

so my plane just crashed... pic.twitter.com/X51BLwa5PS— skip (@han_horan) March 13, 2014

so yup pic.twitter.com/2WuLUWzpND— skip (@han_horan) March 13, 2014


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