Tragic Light Aircraft Accident in San Diego Claims Life of a Heavy Metal Drummer; Father Confirms the Sad News
In San Diego, a tragic small plane crash on Thursday morning claimed the life of Daniel Williams, the former drummer of the heavy metal band The Devil Wears Prada, according to his father. The Cessna Citation, which carried six individuals in total, struck high-tension power lines and crashed into a military housing neighborhood just before 4 a.m.
National Transportation Safety Board Investigator-in-Charge Dan Baker confirmed that there were no survivors. Daniel Williams, aged 39, was among the deceased, as was David Shapiro, a co-founder of Sound Talent Group, and three other employees of the agency.
On Wednesday, Daniel Williams shared an image from the jet's cockpit on his Instagram story, shortly before takeoff. The band The Devil Wears Prada expressed their grief on their Instagram account, posting an image of Daniel and writing, "No words. We owe you everything. Love you forever."
The plane had departed from Teterboro Airport in New Jersey, just outside New York City, at 11:15 p.m. on Wednesday. The crash occurred hours later when the plane approached Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport in San Diego, resulting in the destruction of multiple homes and igniting fires in several cars. Fortunately, there were no serious injuries reported on the ground.
Sound Talent Group confirmed the deaths of their co-founder, Dave Shapiro, and two other employees, Kendall Fortner and Emma Lynn Huke, in a statement. Celina Kenyon, a 36-year-old woman returning from a trip to photograph friends, was also among the fatalities.
Dave Shapiro was a respected figure in the music industry, having led an impressive roster of artists including Vanessa Carlton, Pierce The Veil, Lamb of God, I Prevail, Sum 41, and Hanson. Tributes poured in from friends and colleagues who described him as a kind and beautiful individual.
The investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing. The NTSB is yet to determine a cause and is trying to ascertain whether the plane was equipped with a cockpit voice recorder. The plane did not have a flight data recorder. The name of the sixth individual on the plane has not been released, nor has the identity of the pilot. The pilot did not report any issues to air traffic control or declare an emergency before the crash. Weather conditions at the time were reported as calm winds with one-half-mile visibility and a 200-foot ceiling. The San Diego County Department of the Medical Examiner has identified only three of the deceased as of Friday evening.
Crime-and-justice authorities are investigating the cause of the plane crash in San Diego that left six individuals, including former drummer Daniel Williams of The Devil Wears Prada and co-founder David Shapiro of Sound Talent Group, dead. The remaining three deceased individuals have yet to be identified. Meanwhile, sports fans and music industry professionals mourn the loss of Daniel Williams and Dave Shapiro, with The Devil Wears Prada and numerous artists expressing their condolences online.
