San Diego plane crash kills 6: Weather alert system, runway lights weren’t working

At least six people aboard a private Cessna died after the small aircraft struck a high-tension power line and crashed into a neighborhood in San Diego, after the National Highway Transportation Board revealed that the weather alert system and the runway lights weren't working at a local airport. "The pilot and passengers were fatally injured," NTSB investigator Dan Baker said Friday at a news conference. The FAA had previously said that six people were on board. Baker added that after the plane struck the power lines on Thursday morning at about 4 a.m. in the Murphy Canyon neighborhood at Sample and Salmon streets, it crashed down and was destroyed by fire. Baker said the pilot did not report any problems before crashing and did not have a flight data recorder on board. He also noted that the automated surface observation system, which provides airport weather conditions for pilots, was "inoperative" at the Montgomery-Gibbs Executive airport in San Diego at the time of the accident because of an unrelated power surge.Air traffic control provided the pilots with the weather conditions at Marine Corp Air Station Miramar, which is about four miles north of the Montgomery airport. The weather at the time was foggy. Baker did not identify anyone on board by name, saying that wasn't the jurisdiction of his agency. "I want to offer my sincerest condolences to the family and friends and those who are affected by this accident," Baker said at a news conference. The music agency, Sound Talent Group, said three of its employees – including the agency's co-founder, Dave Shapiro – had died in the crash. Shapiro is listed as the owner of the plane and has a pilot’s license, according to the Federal Aviation Administration."We are devastated by the loss of our co-founder, colleagues and friends. Our hearts go out to their families and to everyone impacted by today’s tragedy. Thank you so much for respecting their privacy at this time," a spokesperson for Sound Talent Group said in a statement to FOX 11.Another victim was identified as Daniel Williams, the former drummer of the band The Devil Wears Prada, Kendall Fortner, 24, and Emma Huke, 25, both Southern California natives. Forner and Huke were booking associates for the agency.A total of eight people were injured on the ground, San Diego officials said. Six were treated at the scene and two others were taken to the hospital from the evacuation center. One of the patients was being treated for smoke inhalation and the other was being treated for injuries sustained after jumping out of a window to safety. San Diego Fire-Rescue Department Chief Robert Logan said they responded to reports of a plane down in the Murphy Canyon neighborhood, near Sculpin Street and Santo Road, just before 4 a.m. The area is just off the 15 Freeway. According to Elliott Simpson, an investigator with the NTSB, the 1985 Cessna 550 citation aircraft departed from Teterboro, New Jersey around 11:15 p.m. Wednesday. It stopped at Colonel James Jabara Airport in Wichita, Kansas to fuel up, then departed for Montgomery-Gibbs Executive airport in San Diego where it was scheduled to arrive at 3:47 a.m. As the plane was attempting to land, it struck power lines about two miles southeast of the airport, then struck a house. The pilot could be heard on air traffic control moments before the crash, insisting the airport's weather system wasn't working.The pilot acknowledged the weather conditions for landing at the small airport were not ideal and debated diverting to a different airport while discussing the visibility with an air traffic controller at a regional Federal Aviation Administration control tower, according to audio of the conversation posted by LiveATC.net.The FAA had posted an official notice for pilots that the lights were out of service, but it’s not known whether the pilot had checked it. He didn’t discuss the lights being out with air traffic control, but was aware that the airport’s weather alert system was inoperable. Ultimately, the pilot is heard saying that he’ll stick with the plan to land at the airport."Doesn’t sound great, but we’ll give it a go," he told the air traffic controller.The plane crashed about 2 miles from the airport.This particular neighborhood is home to about 2,300 military homes. One house in particular bore the brunt of the damage at Sculpin Street and Santo Road. At least three cars were seen burned in the driveway and the roof was partially collapsed.Plane debris was scattered on the streets."I can't quite put words to describe what the scene looks like," Police Chief Scott Wahal said, adding that about 100 people were displaced. "With the jet fuel going down the street, and everything on fire all at once, it was pretty horrific to see."And when the plane crashed, Eddy said that "every single car was burning down both sides of the street."Navy Chief Damage Controlman Gilbert Gonzalez told Fox 11 that he had been sleeping when he heard a loud boom and awoke to his house shaking.He peeked out the window and yelled "Fire!" to his wife.He then ran outside to see if anyone needed help."We just jumped into action," he said. "This is our community."