A private aircraft crashed into a residential area in San Diego, resulting in multiple fatalities, authorities confirmed. No injuries were reported among residents on the ground.
Assistant Fire Department Chief Dan Eddy stated that officials would investigate whether the aircraft struck a power line before crashing. The incident occurred in dense fog conditions, which may have contributed to the crash.
San Diego police and fire officials have yet to confirm the total number of passengers onboard. The aircraft, identified as a Cessna 550, has a capacity of six to eight people. The crash occurred at approximately 3:45 a.m., near Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
“When the plane hit the street, the jet fuel ignited, causing extensive damage to vehicles parked on both sides of the roadway,” Eddy reported. “Every single car was burning down both sides of the street.”
Authorities indicated that the flight originated from the Midwest, but additional details about the aircraft or its passengers have not yet been released. The FAA confirmed that the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will lead the investigation to determine the cause of the crash.
This incident follows a similar tragedy in October 2021, when a twin-engine plane crashed into a San Diego suburb, killing both the pilot and a UPS delivery driver on the ground. That aircraft had been preparing to land at the same airport.
Cessna 550 Picture on Wikimedia by Tomás Del Coro
