Small Private Jet Crashes in San Diego, Killing Six

A preliminary investigation has revealed that a small private jet clipped a power line during its approach, leading to a fatal crash in southern California last month. The incident occurred early on May 22 in the Murphy Canyon neighborhood of San Diego, as the aircraft was attempting to land at Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport.

The aircraft, a Cessna 550 Citation with tail number N666DS, departed from Teterboro Airport the night before, stopping for refueling in Wichita, Kansas, before heading to California. The crash resulted in the deaths of all five passengers and the pilot, believed to be music producer Dave Shapiro.

The aircraft was flying under challenging weather conditions, and critical airport systems, including weather and runway lighting indicators, were reported to be inoperable at the time. The pilot was descending below the minimum altitude for crossing when he struck power lines approximately 95 feet above ground, causing significant damage to the aircraft’s tail and stabilizers.

The crash caused extensive destruction, destroying a home and igniting nearby vehicles, which were set ablaze. On the ground, eight people sustained minor injuries.

Flight records show that Shapiro, a licensed pilot and owner of the aircraft, requested weather information and discussed alternate landing options with air traffic controllers, though he chose to proceed towards Montgomery-Gibbs. The controllers warned about the inoperative systems, and the pilot appeared to attempt activating runway lighting manually before the collision.

The National Transportation Safety Board noted that the aircraft’s approach was compromised by poor weather and system outages, which had been caused by a recent power surge. The report highlights that the airport’s runway indicator lights had been non-functional for over three years, with repairs delayed due to ongoing environmental reviews.

The final cause of the crash remains undetermined, and a comprehensive report is expected to take up to two years to complete.

Among the victims were members of the music industry, software professionals, and a photographer, highlighting the tragic loss of diverse individuals in the accident.