What we know about a private plane’s fatal crash into a San Diego neighborhood

A private plane hit power lines before crashing into a house in San Diego early Thursday, killing the co-founder of a music talent agency and two employees and setting cars ablaze in a U.S. Navy-owned housing area.
Dave Shapiro, the co-founder of Sound Talent Group, was among the fatalities, according to the agency. He was the plane’s owner and a licensed pilot, as per the Federal Aviation Administration. The other employees’ names were not disclosed.
San Diego Police Department relocated around 100 residents to a nearby elementary school serving as an evacuation center.
The plane was en route from New Jersey to San Diego with a stop in Kansas for refueling. The crash occurred about 2 miles (3 kilometers) from San Diego’s Montgomery-Gibbs Executive airport.
Initially, local officials reported two deaths, but the National Transportation Safety Board now states that the exact number of fatalities is unknown. The FAA mentioned that six people were onboard the plane.
The aircraft struck power lines before crashing into Murphy Canyon, the largest U.S. Navy-owned housing neighborhood, amid foggy conditions, leading to the ignition of a home and multiple parked vehicles. San Diego Fire Chief Dan Eddy described the fog as dense, severely limiting visibility.
Numerous individuals sustained injuries while trying to escape after the crash, with some treated for smoke inhalation. One home was completely destroyed, while around ten others suffered varying degrees of damage. Several vehicles were burnt, and the smell of jet fuel lingered in the air as authorities battled a persistent car fire.
Residents like Christopher Moore, who lived nearby, recounted being woken up by a loud noise and noticing smoke, prompting them to evacuate. Police officers rescued several animals, including three husky puppies.
Sound Talent Group, co-founded by Shapiro, has represented well-known artists including Hanson, Vanessa Carlton, and Sum 41. Shapiro also owned Velocity Records, which features bands like rosecoloredworld and Nemophila.
The plane involved in the crash was identified as a Cessna Citation II jet by the NTSB. Flight tracking data indicated its intended arrival time at Montgomery-Gibbs airport in San Diego.
The flight originated from Teterboro, New Jersey, and made a stop in Wichita, Kansas, before the tragic incident in San Diego. Past aviation accidents in the area were also mentioned, including a 2021 incident involving a twin-engine plane and a 2008 crash caused by a U.S. Marine Corps fighter jet.