Cliff Notes – Small plane crashes into San Diego neighbourhood in direct hit to multiple homes
- A small plane has crashed in a San Diego neighbourhood, directly impacting multiple homes and igniting fires, prompting evacuations in the area.
- Emergency services are on-site, with concerns over jet fuel contamination; no injuries have been reported as of yet.
- The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will investigate the crash, which occurred near Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport.
Small plane crashes into San Diego neighbourhood in ‘direct hit to multiple homes’
A small plane has crashed into a San Diego neighbourhood in what authorities are calling a “direct hit to multiple homes”.
About 15 homes have caught fire as well as vehicles, and people living in several blocks are being evacuated.
“We have jet fuel all over the place,” assistant fire department chief Dan Eddy told reporters. “Our main goal is to search all these homes and get everybody out right now.”
The fire chief said there had been a “direct hit to multiple homes” as he described it as a “a gigantic debris field”.
Potential injuries are unknown at the moment.
Describing the scene “like something from a movie”, Mr Eddy told reporters: “This is a worst-case scenario, right, a plane into homes off of a runway.
“So, as of now though, the best thing that I have for you is that no one has been transported from the scene so far.
“We’ll continue to search to find out where the plane came from, and continue to work on that and give you updates.”
It was said to be foggy at the time the private plane crashed. Mr Eddy said: “You could barely see in front of you.”
San Diego Police Department (SDPD) confirmed the force is responding to the crash in the neighbourhood of Tierrasanta.
Posting on X, a SDPS spokesperson warned people to avoid the area while emergency crews get to work and urged all those who smell jet fuel or find debris to alert the authorities.
Evacuations are taking place in Salmon Street, Sample Street and Sculpin Street. The southbound Santo Road has also been closed at Aero Drive.
An evacuation site has been set up at Miller Elementary School.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the Cessna 550 crashed near Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport.
In a statement, the agency said: “The number of people on board is unknown at this time.
“The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will investigate. The NSTB will lead the investigation and provide any updates.”
The plane can carry six to eight people.