Three from music industry killed in San Diego private plane crash
The music agency Sound Talent Group said three of its employees, including co-founder Dave Shapiro, died on the private plane that crashed into a San Diego neighbourhood.
Shapiro is listed as the owner of the plane and has a pilot's license, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Shapiro also owned a flight school called Velocity Aviation and a record label, Velocity Records, according to his LinkedIn page.
The UK Independent reported another of the fatalities was Daniel Williams, a former drummer with the Christian rock band The Devil Wears Prada.
The Devil Wears Prada official Instagram account shared a tribute to the former member. A photo of the drummer was captioned: "no words. We owe you everything. Love you forever."
Prior to the flight, Williams posted photos of an aircraft cockpit, saying he was "flying back" with Shapiro and that he was acting as a "(co)pilot".
The musician's father, Larry Williams, told TMZ his son was probably kidding and he did not have a pilot's licence.
The Sound Talent Group agency didn't share the names of the other two who died.
"We are devastated by the loss of our co-founder, colleagues and friends. Our hearts go out to their families and to everyone impacted by today's tragedy," the agency said in a statement.
Sound Talent Group has represented artists including Hanson, Sum 41 and Vanessa Carlton.
The total number of fatalities is unknown, but six people were on board the plane, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
The private jet crashed early Thursday (local time) into a neighborhood of US Navy-owned housing in San Diego during foggy weather, igniting at least one home and numerous vehicles parked on the street. The plane clipped power lines before slamming into the house, said Elliot Simpson with the National Transportation Safety Board.
Several people were injured while trying to flee after the crash just before 4am in Murphy Canyon, the largest neighborhood of Navy-owned housing in the country. Others were treated for smoke inhalation, authorities said.
At least one home was destroyed with its front heavily burned and its roof partially collapsed. About 10 others suffered damage at the site where half a dozen vehicles were melted and scorched into burned shells.
Ariya Waterworth said she woke up to a "whooshing sound" and then saw a giant fireball outside. She screamed for help as firefighters arrived and helped her get out with her two children and their family dog.
One of the family's cars was "completely disintegrated," and the other had extensive damage. Her yard was littered with plane parts, broken glass and debris.
"I definitely do feel blessed because we've been spared," she said.
San Diego police officer Anthony Carrasco said five people from a single family were taken to a hospital for smoke inhalation after evacuating to a nearby school.
Another person was treated at a hospital for injuries sustained while climbing out of a window trying to flee. Two others were treated for minor injuries at the scene.
At least 100 residents were evacuated, police said, with surrounding blocks cordoned off with yellow police tape and checkpoints. Jet fuel rolled down Salmon St hours after the crash. The smell of fuel lingered in the air while authorities worked to extinguish one stubborn car fire that sent smoke billowing up.
"I can't quite put words to describe what the scene looks like, but with the jet fuel going down the street, and everything on fire all at once, it was pretty horrific to see," San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said.
San Diego officials haven't released details about the plane but said it was a flight from the Midwest.
The flight tracking site FlightAware lists a Cessna Citation II jet scheduled to arrive at the Montgomery-Gibbs Executive airport in San Diego at 3.47am from the small Colonel James Jabara Airport in Wichita, Kansas. Officials at the Kansas airport said it made a fueling stop in Wichita.
The flight, according to FlightAware, originated Wednesday night in Teterboro, New Jersey, about 10km from Manhattan and is an airfield frequently used by private and corporate jets.
Audio recorded by www.liveATC.net includes a brief transmission from the pilot calling out that he was on final approach to the Montgomery-Gibbs airport and was about three miles out at 3.45am.
The plane is owned by Daviation LLC, based in Alaska, and its owner held a pilot's license, according to Federal Aviation Administration records. Public records show the owner also had at least one address in San Diego. The Associated Press couldn't immediately reach the owner, his family or business partners.
Christopher Moore, who lives one street over from the crash site, said he and his wife were awakened by a loud bang. They grabbed their three young boys and ran out of the house. On their way out of the neighbourhood, they saw a car engulfed in flames.
"It was definitely horrifying for sure, but sometimes you've just got to drop your head and get to safety," he said.
Police officers rescued multiple animals, including three husky puppies that were rolled away in a wagon. A few blocks away, families, including Moore's, stood in a parking lot waiting to learn when they could return to their homes.
Eddy said it was very foggy at the time the private plane crashed. "You could barely see in front of you," he said. Officials were looking into whether the plane had clipped a power line before crashing into the neighbourhood that is about 3km from the Montgomery-Gibbs airport.
City Councilmember Raoul Castillo said residents told him dramatic stories "about military families helping military families out of their homes, jumping out of windows and avoiding fire".
The FAA said the National Transportation Safety Board will lead the investigation.
At that hour and in foggy weather, the plane was likely operating on an instrument flight rules plan, which is typically used during reduced visibility, said Barry Newman, a board-certified aviation attorney.
However, for that airport, once the aircraft reaches 205m, the pilot also has to rely on his sight.
"If a pilot descends to that level and he can't see the runway, he has to call for a missed approach or divert to another airport," Newman said.
In October 2021, a twin-engine plane plowed into a San Diego suburb, killing the pilot and a UPS delivery driver on the ground and burning homes. It was preparing to land at the airport.
In December 2008, a US Marine Corps fighter jet slammed into a house in San Diego's University City neighbourhood, causing an explosion that killed four people inside. The Marine Corps blamed the crash on mechanical failure and human error.
— additional reporting by 1News.
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