Footage has captured the moment when the medical jet slammed into a residential neighbourhood in Philadelphia, erupting into a fireball and engulfing homes in flames.

The Learjet 55 crashed near Roosevelt Mall in Pennsylvania around 30 seconds after taking off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport on Friday.

Doorbell and dashcam videos captured the moment the aircraft hit the ground and burst into flames, killing six passengers including a sick young girl who had been travelling with her mother after being treated at Pennsylvania’s Shriner’s Children’s Hospital.

The shocking footage shows a huge fireball erupting in the sky above the US state, while stunned motorists queuing on a central road in what had been normal rush hour traffic watch on in horror.

The sky above the congested stretch can be seen turning orange as the plane plummets from the sky before a huge cloud of flames and smoke bursts upwards in an image eye witnesses have compared to a missile attack.