“3 people dead after small plane crashes into San Diego neighborhood”
SAN DIEGO (AP) — A personal jet carrying a music expertise agent and 5 others hit an influence line in foggy climate early Thursday and crashed right into a San Diego neighborhood, slamming into a house and killing a number of individuals on the flight.
With the house engulfed in flames and jet gasoline rolling down the streets, half a dozen automobiles ignited whereas residents within the neighborhood of U.S. Navy-owned housing had been shaken awake simply earlier than 4 a.m. by the thunderous crash and subsequent explosions. Out their home windows, they noticed a wall of fireside.
“I can’t quite put words to describe what the scene looks like, but with the jet fuel going down the street, and everything on fire all at once, it was pretty horrific to see,” San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl stated.
Nobody within the neighborhood died, however eight had been taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation and accidents that weren’t life-threatening, together with an individual who was damage climbing out a window, police officer Anthony Carrasco stated.
Authorities work the scene the place a small airplane crashed right into a San Diego neighborhood, setting a number of houses on hearth and forcing evacuations alongside a number of blocks early Thursday, Might 22, 2025. (AP Picture/Gregory Bull)
Dave Shapiro, co-founder of Sound Expertise Group, and two staff had been amongst these killed, the music company stated in an announcement. Sound Expertise Group has represented artists together with American pop band Hanson, American singer-songwriter Vanessa Carlton and the Canadian rock group Sum 41. Hanson is maybe greatest identified for its earworm Nineteen Nineties pop hit, “MMMBop.” Shapiro additionally owned Velocity Data.
“We are devastated by the loss of our co-founder, colleagues and friends. Our hearts go out to their families and to everyone impacted by today’s tragedy,” the company stated.
Six individuals had been on board the airplane, in keeping with the Federal Aviation Administration. Authorities had been nonetheless combing the scene and recovering the our bodies earlier than releasing an official quantity and figuring out the lifeless, although there weren’t believed to be any survivors aboard the flight.
Daniel Williams, former drummer for steel band The Satan Wears Prada, posted on his Instagram on Wednesday afternoon that he was boarding the airplane with Shapiro. The band posted a tribute to Williams on their Instagram web page.
“No words. We owe you everything. Love you forever,” the band wrote.
A consultant for the band referred to their social put up when requested about Williams’ demise.
Components of Shapiro’s 1985 Cessna 550 Quotation littered a big space, together with fragments underneath the facility traces and a bit of wing on a highway behind the houses, stated Elliot Simpson of the Nationwide Transportation Security Board.
Neighborhood hit arduous
The house that was struck was destroyed, with its entrance closely burned and its roof partially collapsed, and about 10 others had been broken in Murphy Canyon, the most important neighborhood of Navy-owned housing within the nation, officers stated.
Ben McCarty and his spouse, who dwell within the residence that was hit, stated they felt warmth throughout them.
“My wife was screaming, and she’s like, ‘There’s a fire,’” McCarty, who has served within the Navy for 13 years, instructed native ABC affiliate KGTV.
When he walked towards the entrance of the home, he noticed that the roof had fallen off and flames blocked their exit. They grabbed their youngsters and canine and ran to the again, the place their neighbors helped them climb over the fence to flee.
The airplane additionally hit each of the couple’s automobiles, which burned.
“It put my truck into our living room,” McCarty stated.
Different automobiles alongside the block had been melted and scorched into burned shells. One cussed automotive hearth despatched smoke billowing up for hours.
Ariya Waterworth stated she woke as much as a “whooshing sound” after which noticed a large fireball exterior. She screamed for assist as firefighters arrived and helped her get out together with her two youngsters and their household canine.
One of many household’s vehicles was “completely disintegrated,” and the opposite had in depth harm. Her yard was affected by airplane components, damaged glass and particles.
“I definitely do feel blessed, because we’ve been spared,” she stated.
A minimum of 100 residents had been evacuated. Hours after the crash, jet gasoline rolled down Salmon Road. The scent of fumes lingered all through the day, and officers stated it was unclear when it will be secure for individuals to return.
“We have jet fuel all over the place,” Assistant San Diego Fireplace Division Chief Dan Eddy stated.
Eddy added that the fog was so thick within the morning that “you could barely see in front of you.”
The airplane originated from a small Ne
w Jersey airport
The flight took off from Teterboro, New Jersey, close to Manhattan, at about 11:15 p.m. Wednesday and made a gasoline cease in Wichita, Kansas, earlier than persevering with on to San Diego, in keeping with Simpson.
Based mostly on the flight path, it was sure for Montgomery-Gibbs Government Airport when it struck energy traces about 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) southeast of the airfield, Simpson stated.
Audio recorded by www.liveATC.net includes a brief transmission from the pilot saying he was on final approach to the airport and was about 3 miles (4.8 kilometers) out at 3:45 a.m.
NTSB investigators planned to spend Thursday and Friday at the scene gathering evidence, Simpson said. He welcomed video or other details from any witnesses.
The plane was attempting t
o land in foggy weather
At that hour and in foggy weather, the plane was likely operating on an instrument flight rules plan, which is typically used during reduced visibility, said Barry Newman, a board-certified aviation attorney.
However, for that airport, once an aircraft reaches 673 feet (205 meters), the pilot also has to rely on sight.
“If a pilot descends to that level and he can’t see the runway, he has to call for a missed approach or divert to another airport,” Newman said.
In October 2021 a twin-engine plane plowed into a San Diego suburb, killing the pilot and a UPS delivery driver on the ground and burning homes. It was preparing to land at the airport.
And in December 2008, a Marine Corps fighter jet slammed into a house in San Diego’s University City neighborhood, causing an explosion that killed four people inside. The Marine Corps blamed the crash on mechanical failure and human error.
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Associated Press journalists Javier Arciga in San Diego; Christopher Weber and Jaimie Ding in Los Angeles; Kathy McCormack in Concord, New Hampshire; Maryclaire Dale in Philadelphia; and Josh Funk in Omaha, Nebraska, contributed.
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