A fatal Cessna 550 crash near San Diego is now under federal investigation, with early findings pointing to San Diego airport glitches and fog as possible contributing factors. The crash killed six people, including music industry veterans and a former rock band drummer.
The plane went down around 3:45 a.m. on Thursday in the Murphy Canyon neighborhood, just two miles from Montgomery Field Airport. The jet hit power lines before crashing into homes, sparking fires and forcing 100 residents to evacuate. One person on the ground was hospitalized, while several others suffered injuries.
At the time, San Diego was experiencing dense fog, and critical airport systems were down. The airport’s weather data system—called the Automated Surface Observing Station (ASOS)—was inoperative due to a power surge. Additionally, the runway lighting system was disabled. Pilots were warned through an official NOTAM.
Dan Baker, an NTSB investigator, said the pilot never declared an emergency or reported issues to air traffic control. The pilot was targeting the runway affected by the lighting outage. The aircraft lacked a flight data recorder, but investigators are checking for a possible cockpit voice recorder.
A preliminary report will be released within 30 days, while a full investigation could take up to 24 months. The NTSB is working closely with the FBI to gather and preserve crash evidence.
The tragedy claimed the lives of six passengers, including:
- Dave Shapiro, a renowned music agent for Sum 41, Parkway Drive, and Vanessa Carlton.
- Daniel Williams, former drummer of The Devil Wears Prada.
- Emma Huke and Kendall Fortner, both employees at Sound Talent Group.
Williams had posted photos from the cockpit just hours before the crash, sitting alongside Shapiro.
Sound Talent Group described Huke as a “beautiful soul” and Fortner as someone who “lit up any room.” The music community has since shared heartfelt tributes online.
San Diego airport glitches and fog have now become central to understanding how a seemingly routine flight ended in catastrophe. The NTSB stressed that system outages combined with poor visibility are key areas of focus in the investigation.
Montgomery Field is a small regional airport with three runways. Officials have yet to determine if the technical issues breached safety regulations, but they acknowledge that not all small airports are equipped with redundant systems.
As the investigation unfolds, San Diego airport glitches and fog will remain under scrutiny for their potential role in one of the region’s deadliest recent crashes.
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