Plane crash in San Diego kills two individuals in a small aircraft - Plane crash in San Diego, California leaves two fatalities
In the early hours of May 22, 2025, a Cessna 550 (Citation II) plane crashed in San Diego, California, causing extensive damage to a residential neighborhood near Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport.
The aircraft departed from Wichita, Kansas, with a scheduled refueling stop and was preparing to land under instrument flight rules due to thick fog. The plane was at about 500 feet in the air, three miles from the airport during its last radar check-in.
Tragically, all six people on board the Cessna 550 were killed. Among them were Dave Shapiro, co-founder of a music talent agency, and Daniel Williams, drummer for the band The Devil Wears Prada.
The plane struck powerlines two miles southeast of Montgomery Field and then crashed into the neighborhood, causing significant fires and forcing evacuation of over 100 residents. At least 15 homes and multiple vehicles were damaged or destroyed. Remarkably, there were no serious injuries or fatalities on the ground.
Residents spoke of terrifying scenes, with many describing the incident as resembling an earthquake in its intensity. Frightened residents helped each other escape burning homes, while military personnel stationed in San Diego joined the response.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating the crash, with no mayday call made before impact. The airport tower was closed at the time, which is standard procedure for late-night/early-morning operations. The incident has led to a review of flight safety protocols, particularly landing procedures in low visibility conditions.
- Despite the Cessna 550 plane crash in San Diego being a tragic event, remarkably, there were no serious injuries or fatalities on the ground among the residents.
- The Cessna 550 plane crash in San Diego, while resulting in the deaths of two prominent individuals, Dave Shapiro and Daniel Williams, fortunately did not involve any war-and-conflicts, car-accidents, or crime-and-justice related incidents.
- The investigating U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is looking into the factors leading to the Cessna 550 plane crash in San Diego, including the absence of a mayday call before impact, coming amidst the recent general-news coverage of politics and other contemporary events.
