A small Cessna Citation II jet crashed into a U.S. Navy-owned housing complex in San Diego’s Murphy Canyon neighbourhood early Thursday morning, killing at least two people on board, injuring eight others, and setting homes and vehicles ablaze.
The plane, which departed Teterboro Airport in New Jersey on Wednesday night, made a fuelling stop in Wichita, Kansas, before heading west. It was attempting to land at Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport when it crashed just after 3:45 a.m., roughly two miles short of its destination.
“You could barely see in front of you,” said San Diego Fire-Rescue Assistant Chief Dan Eddy, describing the dense fog that shrouded the area at the time of the crash.
Dave Shapiro among the dead
One of the confirmed victims was Dave Shapiro, 42, co-founder of Sound Talent Group, a prominent music agency representing artists such as Hanson, Vanessa Carlton, and Sum 41. Shapiro was also the owner of Velocity Records and ran a flight school, Velocity Aviation. He was listed as the owner of the plane under “Daviator LLC” and held a pilot’s licence.
“We are devastated by the loss of our co-founder, colleagues and friends,” Sound Talent Group said in a statement. “Our hearts go out to their families and to everyone impacted by today’s tragedy.”
Daniel Williams, 39, former drummer for the rock band The Devil Wears Prada, was also feared to have died. Hours before the crash, Williams posted images of the plane and himself inside the cockpit to Instagram with the caption “flying back” alongside Shapiro. His former band paid tribute, stating:
“No words. We owe you everything. Love you forever.”
Authorities have not yet confirmed the full list of victims, and the total number of fatalities remains uncertain. The FAA has said six people were aboard the plane.
Residents forced to flee as homes burned
The jet first struck power lines before careening into a house, causing a fire that damaged or destroyed at least 10 homes and multiple vehicles. One home had its roof partially collapsed, while others were scorched by flames or covered in jet fuel. About 100 residents were evacuated to a nearby elementary school.
“I can’t quite put words to describe what this scene looked like,” said San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl. “With the jet fuel running down the streets and everything on fire all at once, it was pretty horrific.”
Assistant Chief Eddy said neighbours helped rescue occupants from the most severely damaged home, a family act he described as “a bit of a miracle.” Several pets, including three husky puppies, were also saved by police.
San Diego Plane Crash: Investigations underway
The crash site is being investigated by both the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Investigators found plane debris under power lines and across a quarter-mile-wide area. They plan to move the wreckage to a secure location over the weekend.
“There are fragments of the aircraft under the power lines,” said NTSB investigator Eliott Simpson.
The plane is believed to be equipped with a flight data recorder and possibly a cockpit voice recorder. A preliminary report is expected in two weeks, with a final report likely in a year or more.
The aircraft, a Cessna 550, is commonly used for private business travel and typically carries up to 10 passengers. Aviation safety analyst David Soucie called the plane “one of the most reliable airplanes,” but warned that the heavy damage may complicate determining how many were on board.
This is not the first time San Diego has seen tragedy in the skies. In 2021, a twin-engine plane crash in another suburb killed a pilot and a UPS driver. In 2008, a military jet crash killed four civilians in University City.
On Thursday, as investigators continued to comb through the wreckage and the air still hung heavy with the smell of fuel, residents were left shocked.
“Thank God nobody on the ground was killed,” said San Diego City Council member Raul Campillo, standing near the devastation.
The plane, which departed Teterboro Airport in New Jersey on Wednesday night, made a fuelling stop in Wichita, Kansas, before heading west. It was attempting to land at Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport when it crashed just after 3:45 a.m., roughly two miles short of its destination.
“You could barely see in front of you,” said San Diego Fire-Rescue Assistant Chief Dan Eddy, describing the dense fog that shrouded the area at the time of the crash.
Dave Shapiro among the dead
One of the confirmed victims was Dave Shapiro, 42, co-founder of Sound Talent Group, a prominent music agency representing artists such as Hanson, Vanessa Carlton, and Sum 41. Shapiro was also the owner of Velocity Records and ran a flight school, Velocity Aviation. He was listed as the owner of the plane under “Daviator LLC” and held a pilot’s licence.
“We are devastated by the loss of our co-founder, colleagues and friends,” Sound Talent Group said in a statement. “Our hearts go out to their families and to everyone impacted by today’s tragedy.”
Daniel Williams, 39, former drummer for the rock band The Devil Wears Prada, was also feared to have died. Hours before the crash, Williams posted images of the plane and himself inside the cockpit to Instagram with the caption “flying back” alongside Shapiro. His former band paid tribute, stating:
“No words. We owe you everything. Love you forever.”
Authorities have not yet confirmed the full list of victims, and the total number of fatalities remains uncertain. The FAA has said six people were aboard the plane.
Residents forced to flee as homes burned
The jet first struck power lines before careening into a house, causing a fire that damaged or destroyed at least 10 homes and multiple vehicles. One home had its roof partially collapsed, while others were scorched by flames or covered in jet fuel. About 100 residents were evacuated to a nearby elementary school.
“I can’t quite put words to describe what this scene looked like,” said San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl. “With the jet fuel running down the streets and everything on fire all at once, it was pretty horrific.”
Assistant Chief Eddy said neighbours helped rescue occupants from the most severely damaged home, a family act he described as “a bit of a miracle.” Several pets, including three husky puppies, were also saved by police.
San Diego Plane Crash: Investigations underway
The crash site is being investigated by both the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Investigators found plane debris under power lines and across a quarter-mile-wide area. They plan to move the wreckage to a secure location over the weekend.
“There are fragments of the aircraft under the power lines,” said NTSB investigator Eliott Simpson.
The plane is believed to be equipped with a flight data recorder and possibly a cockpit voice recorder. A preliminary report is expected in two weeks, with a final report likely in a year or more.
The aircraft, a Cessna 550, is commonly used for private business travel and typically carries up to 10 passengers. Aviation safety analyst David Soucie called the plane “one of the most reliable airplanes,” but warned that the heavy damage may complicate determining how many were on board.
This is not the first time San Diego has seen tragedy in the skies. In 2021, a twin-engine plane crash in another suburb killed a pilot and a UPS driver. In 2008, a military jet crash killed four civilians in University City.
On Thursday, as investigators continued to comb through the wreckage and the air still hung heavy with the smell of fuel, residents were left shocked.
“Thank God nobody on the ground was killed,” said San Diego City Council member Raul Campillo, standing near the devastation.
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