By Deborah Nnamdi
A small aircraft crashed into a residential neighborhood in San Diego, California, early Thursday morning, igniting fires and destroying homes and vehicles. Several fatalities are feared, though authorities are still working to confirm the number of people aboard.
The Cessna 550, arriving from Kansas, went down around 3:45 a.m. near Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport, hitting the Murphy Canyon neighborhood — a community that primarily houses military families. At least 10 homes were damaged or hit by debris, and vehicles on both sides of the street caught fire.
“There is more than one fatality that we’ve found so far,” said Assistant Fire Chief Dan Eddy. “We’re still confirming how many were on board.” He noted that the crash left jet fuel scattered across the area, fueling fires that proved difficult to extinguish.
Dramatic footage captured in the aftermath shows burning vehicles linked by a trail of ignited fuel. One car continued to burn despite firefighters’ efforts.
Miraculously, no residents on the ground were killed or seriously injured. Daylight revealed how narrowly many escaped, with some homes visibly blackened and partially collapsed. Twisted, charred vehicles lined the street.
Thick fog blanketed the area at the time of the crash, which may have contributed to the tragedy. Resident and high school senior Zane Baker described the chaos, saying police knocked on doors to evacuate homes. “The entire area is a mess. Parking lots are full, entryways are blocked, and people are trying to figure out what’s happening.”
This crash comes amid growing concerns over aviation safety in the U.S., following recent air traffic control failures and other incidents, including a deadly mid-air collision over Washington and another small plane crash near Los Angeles earlier this month.
