Initial findings from plane crash in Murphy Canyon released

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has published its initial findings regarding the tragic plane crash in the Murphy Canyon military housing community of San Diego that resulted in six fatalities and eight injuries on May 22. Key details highlighted in the report align with previous reports aired by ABC 10News, such as the Cessna S550's flight path from New Jersey, the adverse weather conditions encountered by the pilot, and the malfunction of the runway alignment indicator (RAI) lights at Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport. Despite the RAI lights being non-operational, the report clarifies that all other runway lighting was functioning at the time of the incident. The NTSB report also discusses the communication between the pilot, identified as Dave Shapiro, and air traffic controllers leading up to the crash. Shapiro apparently faced challenges in his approach to Montgomery-Gibbs, as noted by aviation expert Bob Katz. The report delineates that Shapiro engaged in discussions with the controller regarding weather conditions and possible alternative airports but did not follow through on diverting to another location. The report reveals that Shapiro's aircraft struck power lines close to the runway before crashing into residential properties, resulting in significant damage and loss. The NTSB report further mentions Shapiro's pilot qualifications and exemptions to fly the Cessna S550. Further details can be found in the full NTSB report linked below.