Cliff Notes
- All six individuals aboard the Cessna Citation that crashed in Murphy Canyon, San Diego, have been confirmed deceased, including prominent music agent Dave Shapiro.
- Investigators cited contributing factors to the crash, such as foggy weather and malfunctioning runway lights and a weather alert system at the time of landing.
- The aircraft went down two miles from the airport after the pilot, acknowledging poor conditions, attempted to proceed with the landing despite ongoing discussions with air traffic control.
All passengers confirmed dead after California plane crash | US News
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All six people aboard a small plane that crashed into a US neighbourhood have died, investigators said on Friday.
They also highlighted a number of issues that may have contributed to the incident, including the foggy weather conditions.
US music agent Dave Shapiro was among those who died on the jet that went down in Murphy Canyon, San Diego California, on Thursday.
Investigator Dan Baker of the National Transportation Safety Board said runway lights were out at the time of the incident, and a weather alert system also wasn’t working when the pilot made the decision to try to land.
Investigators said they came up short and crashed instead.
Before this, the pilot acknowledged the weather conditions were not ideal and debated diverting to a different airport while talking to an air traffic controller, according to audio posted by LiveATC.net.
The Federal Aviation Administration had posted a notice that the lights were not working, but it isn’t clear whether the pilot was aware.
He is heard saying “doesn’t sound great, but we’ll give it a go” to an air traffic controller.
The plane crashed two miles (3.2km) from the airport.
Mr Shapiro and two unnamed employees of the music agency he co-founded, Sound Talent Group, were among the dead, along with Daniel Williams, the former drummer for metal band The Devil Wears Prada.
Mr Shapiro, 42, was listed as the owner of the plane and had a pilot’s licence.
‘You could barely see’
The aircraft had taken off from Teterboro, New Jersey, around 11.15pm local time Wednesday, and it made a fuel stop in Kansas before continuing to San Diego.
This schedule wouldn’t have been allowed for an airliner under federal rules, but these do not apply to private planes.
Assistant San Diego Fire Department chief Dan Eddy said the fog had been so thick at the time of the crash that “you could barely see in front of you.”
The twin-engine Cessna Citation, on its approach to Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport, clipped power lines before crashing, according to Mr Baker.
The fire ignited by the impact of the plane damaged nearby homes and vehicles, but nobody on the ground was killed or seriously injured. Eight people were treated for minor injuries.
Following the crash, the San Diego Humane Society has been retrieving lost animals, and decontaminating dogs exposed to jet fuel.
The group said it had taken in 22 animals, including 16 contaminated dogs and puppies.
