A small private plane crashed into a military housing neighborhood in San Diego early Thursday, igniting approximately 15 homes and several vehicles and prompting evacuations across multiple blocks. Officials said the crash occurred amid dense fog near Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport around 3:45 a.m.
Assistant Chief Dan Eddy of the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department confirmed the aircraft appeared to be a Cessna 550. "I just walked it myself, and down the street itself, it looks like something from a movie," Eddy told reporters at the scene.
Eddy said there were no immediate reports of injuries but emphasized that emergency personnel were still searching homes for possible victims. "The good thing that we have was we have not transported anybody off scene from any of these areas here right now," he said. "And we're searching through to make sure that nobody's in any of those homes."
The impact triggered a massive fire and a hazardous materials situation due to leaking jet fuel. "We have jet fuel all over the place," Eddy said. "We have hazmat on scene right now, and we've asked for more resources to come for that."
The crash took place in the Murphy Canyon neighborhood, a densely populated area with military housing. "There is a direct hit to multiple homes," Eddy said, describing "a gigantic debris field."
The San Diego Police Department urged residents to avoid the area and announced that further updates would be released as more information becomes available.
The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed the aircraft type and time of the crash but said, "The number of people on board is unknown at this time." The Cessna 550 typically carries six to eight passengers. The FAA added that the National Transportation Safety Board would lead the investigation.
