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2025 San Diego Cessna Citation II crash

Coordinates: 32°48′12″N 117°6′22″W / 32.80333°N 117.10611°W / 32.80333; -117.10611
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2025 San Diego Cessna Citation II crash
A CCTV still of an explosion after the crash
Accident
DateMay 22, 2025 (2025-05-22)
SummaryCrashed into a residential area, under investigation
SiteMurphy Canyon, San Diego, California, U.S.
32°48′12″N 117°6′22″W / 32.80333°N 117.10611°W / 32.80333; -117.10611
Total fatalities6
Total injuries8
Aircraft

The aircraft involved in the accident, seen in 2012 in a previous registration called N52FT and the previous livery
Aircraft typeCessna Citation II
OperatorDaviator LLC
RegistrationN666DS
Flight originTeterboro Airport, Bergen County, New Jersey, U.S.
StopoverColonel James Jabara Airport, Wichita, Kansas, U.S.
DestinationMontgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport, San Diego, California, U.S.
Occupants6
Passengers5
Crew1
Fatalities6
Survivors0
Ground casualties
Ground injuries8

On May 22, 2025, a Cessna Citation II crashed in the Murphy Canyon neighborhood of San Diego, California, United States, killing all six people aboard the aircraft and injuring at least eight others on the ground.[1] Ten homes were damaged in the crash, one of which was completely destroyed.

Background

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Aircraft and passengers

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The Cessna Citation II is primarily used for business travel and can carry six to eight passengers, a pilot, and a co-pilot.[2][3] According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, it was built in 1985 and was owned by Dave Shapiro.[3] The registration of the plane was N666DS.[4][5]

The FAA reported that six people were on board.[6] The occupants of the plane were pilot Shapiro, who was a co-founder of Sound Talent Group; Emma Huke and Kendall Fortner, two employees of Sound Talent Group; photographer Celina Kenyon; Dominic Damian, a software engineer; and Daniel Williams, former drummer of The Devil Wears Prada,[7] who had made several Instagram posts before the crash about getting on the plane.[8][9]

Weather

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Data from the National Weather Service reported that visibility at airports in the area was one-half statute mile at the time of the crash with low clouds, fog, and mist.[3][10] After receiving the most recent weather information from air traffic control, indicating that the weather was near or below minimums at nearby airports, the pilot indicated his intent to continue with the approach.[11] Under U.S. regulations for private (Part 91) flights, it is legal to initiate an instrument approach even when reported weather is below the published minimums for that approach, provided the pilot does not descend below those minimums without the required visual references.[12][13]

Prior flight

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The aircraft departed Teterboro Airport in New Jersey on the night of May 21, 2025. It made a fueling stop at the Colonel James Jabara Airport in Wichita, Kansas, for approximately an hour before flying to Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport in San Diego, California.[3][14][15] Hours prior to the crash, equipment such as the runway approach lights and weather data systems was disabled at Montgomery-Gibbs by a power surge.[16]

Crash

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The Citation was scheduled to land at 03:47 PDT.[3][14] When it was 3 miles (4.8 km) from the airport, the pilot made a standard radio call on the Montgomery tower frequency, indicating that he was on final approach to runway 28R.[3]

Fire at the crash site moments after the accident

The plane first struck powerlines two miles southeast of Montgomery-Gibbs, where fragments of the aircraft were found,[17] then crashed into the Murphy Canyon neighborhood. Several vehicles and ten homes were damaged, with one house being completely destroyed,[2][18][15] as were six vehicles.[19] The homes affected by the crash were military housing.[17] The FAA reported that the crash occurred at approximately 03:45 on May 22, 2025, with the crash being first reported two minutes later.[18] Jet fuel was spread across the area.[3] Over 50 police officers responded to the site within minutes of the crash[14] and HAZMAT was dispatched.[17]

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) later stated that it believed that there were no survivors on the plane.[20] There were no ground fatalities, though eight people suffered injuries; five people from one house were hospitalized for smoke inhalation, while another was hospitalized after trying to escape their house through a window. Two others suffered minor injuries and were treated at the scene.[14] A temporary evacuation site was set up at Miller Elementary School,[21] where almost 100 people were evacuated.[14] Later, Hancock Elementary School, which is closer to the scene of the crash, was also put into use as an evacuation site.[22]

Investigation

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The NTSB sent eight investigators along with representatives from the plane engine manufacturer and the airframe manufacturer to the crash site on the evening of the crash, intending to recover the wreckage to move it to a secure location on May 24. The team is working to locate a flight recorder from the crash scene.[21] The FAA also initiated an investigation.[6]

In June 2025, the NTSB released its preliminary report on the accident.[23] The report stated that Shapiro was properly qualified for the flight and was aware that the weather data systems at Montgomery Gibbs were disabled. He and the controller also discussed diverting to another airport in case of a missed approach, but did not select an alternate. The aircraft's cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and FADEC units were also recovered.[24]

References

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  1. ^ "All Six People Aboard Plane That Crashed in San Diego Confirmed Dead". U.S. News. Reuters. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  2. ^ a b "San Diego plane crash live updates: Small plane crash sets several homes on fire". BBC News. May 22, 2025. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Friedman, Matthew; Bailey, Chelsea; Cooper, Aaron; Muntean, Pete; Elassar, Alaa; Elam, Stephanie (May 22, 2025). "Business jet crash in San Diego neighborhood leaves multiple people dead, officials say". CNN. Retrieved May 24, 2025.
  4. ^ Hawkins, Mary (May 22, 2025). "Popular Drummer, 39, Feared to Have Perished in Plane Crash". Parade. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  5. ^ "Details emerge related to owner of small plane that crashed in San Diego". CBS News. May 22, 2025. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  6. ^ a b "FAA Statements on Aviation Accidents and Incidents". Federal Aviation Administration. May 22, 2025. Archived from the original on February 1, 2025. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  7. ^ Dorfman, Mike; Royster, Meredith (May 23, 2025). "What we've learned about the six San Diego plane crash victims". NBC 7 San Diego. Retrieved May 24, 2025.
  8. ^ Chiu, David; Bant, Brian (May 22, 2025). "Former The Devil Wears Prada Drummer and Music Agent Killed When Their Private Plane Crashed into Neighborhood". People.com. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  9. ^ "What we know about the music icons killed in San Diego plane crash". The Independent. May 22, 2025. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  10. ^ Oberholtz, Chris (May 22, 2025). "Small plane crashes in San Diego neighborhood amid low visibility prompting evacuations". FOX Weather. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  11. ^ "A small plane crashed into a San Diego neighborhood, killing multiple people and leaving a trail of torched debris. Here's how the tragedy unfolded". CNN. May 23, 2025. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  12. ^ "14 CFR § 91.175 - Takeoff and landing under IFR". Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute. Retrieved May 26, 2025.
  13. ^ AOPA (December 2020). "IFR approach minimums". Flight Training Magazine. [full citation needed]
  14. ^ a b c d e Watson, Julie (May 22, 2025). "Music talent agent among dead after jet crashes into San Diego neighborhood". AP News. Retrieved May 24, 2025.
  15. ^ a b Minsberg, Talya; Reed, Candice; Mayorquín, Orlando; Vigdor, Neil (May 22, 2025). "6 Are Feared Dead After San Diego Plane Crash". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 24, 2025.
  16. ^ Dawson, Danielle (May 27, 2025). "Temporary fence set up around site of deadly plane crash in San Diego". Fox 5 San Diego. Retrieved May 28, 2025.
  17. ^ a b c Lavietes, Matt (May 22, 2025). "Small plane crashes into San Diego neighborhood". NBC News. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  18. ^ a b Sainato, Michael (May 22, 2025). "Small plane crash reported in San Diego neighborhood". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  19. ^ Hanna, John (May 23, 2025). "What we know about a private plane's fatal crash into a San Diego neighborhood". AP News. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  20. ^ "6 jet passengers presumed dead in crash". NBC News. May 22, 2025. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  21. ^ a b "NTSB sending at least 8 investigators for plane crash". NBC News. May 22, 2025. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  22. ^ "San Diego plane crash 3:30 p.m. update - Expert says pilot should have never tried to land". CBS News. May 22, 2025. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  23. ^ Lin, Summer (June 19, 2025). "New report details final minutes of flight that killed rock drummer and 5 others in San Diego". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 11, 2025.
  24. ^ Aviation Investigation Preliminary Report (Report). National Transportation Safety Board. June 18, 2025. WPR25FA161. Retrieved July 11, 2025.
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