The NTSB is yet to confirm a cause of the crash, although highlighted two major factors that could have led to the tragedy
Investigators looking into why a private plane crashed into a San Diego neighborhood this week have revealed potential factors that could have caused the tragedy.
At around 3.45am local time, on May 22, the small jet collided with a home in Murphy Canyon, near the Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport, destroying one home, damaging 10 others and forcing evacuations along several streets.
The property that was struck was completely destroyed, with its front heavily burned and its roof partially collapsed.
Talent music agent Dave Shapiro, who is believed to have been the pilot of the aircraft, was on board with two of his employees at Sound Talent Group – Kendall Fortner and Emma Huke.
Drummer Daniel Williams, a former member of the Ohio-based metal band The Devil Wears Prada, was also on the plane, as was Shapiro’s friend Dominic Damian, and photographer Celina Kenyon.
There were no survivors.
According to Dan Baker of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the administration is yet to confirm a cause of the crash, although highlighted two factors that could have lead to the tragedy.
Plane crashes in San Diego neighborhood
(CBS 8 San Diego)
He explained that the weather alert system at the airport the plane had hoped to land at was down due to a power surge prior to collision, while the pilot is believed to have been aware of the foggy conditions.
The operator of the plane instead received weather information four miles to the north, from Marine Corps Air Station Miramar.
As well as this, the power outage caused the runway lights at Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport to turn off.
The pilot is believed to have been battling with foggy conditions before sunrise all while the medium intensity light system with runway light indicator lights were out, as was the precision approach path indicator.
Dave Shapiro is among the victims of the crash in which there were tragically no survivors (Instagram/@davevelocity)
Jeff Guzzetti, a former NTSB and Federal Aviation Administration crash investigator, speculated that the dense fog and fatigue could have played a factor in the incident – with the pilot believed to have flown all night.
Speaking to PBS, he said: “This accident has all the earmarks of a classic attempt to approach an airport in really bad weather and poor visibility. And there were other airports that the crew could have gone to.”
Ben McCarty, owner of the property that the plane collided with, explained how he and his wife were woken in the early hours of the morning by an explosion.
Ben McCarty’s home was destroyed upon impact with the plane in the early hours of Thursday morning (Ariana Drehsler/Getty Images)
He told ABC’s KGTV: “All I could see was fire. The roof of the house was still on fire. You could see the night sky from our living room.”
Meanwhile a spokesman for Sound Talent Group issued the following statement to the BBC: “We are devastated by the loss of our co-founder, colleagues and friends.
Mysterious lights spotted in the sky over San Diego
“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.”Featured Image Credit: NBC
Topics: California, US News, Travel
Published 18:11 23 May 2025 GMT+1
San Diego plane crash victims identified including drummer Daniel Williams and Sum 41 agent Dave Shapiro
Six people are believed to have been onboard the plane that crashed in San Diego on Thursday
Two people onboard the small plane that crashed into a San Diego neighbourhood on Thursday (May 22) have been identified.
The plane, which is said to have six onboard, plummeted into Murphy Canyon, San Diego, on Thursday morning causing evacuations along several streets.
“We have jet fuel all over the place,” assistant Fire Department chief Dan Eddy said during a news conference. “Our main goal is to search all these homes and get everybody out right now.”
The crash sent shockwaves across a local community (SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP via Getty Images)
He added that ‘there is a direct hit to multiple homes’ in the area and described ‘a gigantic debris field’ in a densely populated neighbourhood.
Talent music agent Dave Shapiro, believed to be the owner of the Cessna 550, was on board the plane and sadly died as a result of the crash.
Shapiro was the co-founder of Sound Talent Group, whose clients include the likes of Sum 41 and Story of the Year.
A spokesman for Sound Talent Group told the BBC: “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.”
Dave Shapiro is among the victims of the horror incident (Instagram/@davevelocity)
The company went on to tell the BBC it lost ‘three employees in the plane crash’ including Shapiro – though they did not identify the others.
The talent agent was also a keen pilot and a certified flight instructor who had notched up over 15 years of experience, according to Velocity Aviation, his aviation company.
“From BASE jumping to aerobatic flying, Helicopters to twin engines, flight instructing to furthering his own education, doesn’t matter to Dave as long as he gets to be in the sky,” an expert from the aviation company’s site reads.
Drummer Daniel Williams, a former member of the Ohio-based metal band The Devil Wears Prada, was also on the plane that crashed in San Diego.
Drummer Daniel Williams has died (Instagram/@xcadaverx)
William’s former The Devil Wears Prada bandmates paid tribute to the artist and Shapiro in a social media post, saying: “No words. We owe you everything. Love you forever.”
Reports state that numerous homes were ablaze, alongside half a dozen vehicles following the devastating crash on Thursday.
Meanwhile, officials confirmed eight residents were taken to hospital for smoke inhalation and non-life-threatening injuries.
Recalling the horrid scene, San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said: “I can’t quite put words to describe what the scene looks like, but with the jet fuel going down the street, and everything on fire all at once.
“It was pretty horrific to see.”
The police chief went on to explain how it was a ‘bit of a miracle’ that there were no fatalities on the ground.
An investigation into the crash is ongoing.Featured Image Credit: Noel Vasquez/Getty Images
Updated 15:10 22 May 2025 GMT+1Published 14:36 22 May 2025 GMT+1
Plane crashes in San Diego neighborhood setting at least 15 homes on fire
An aircraft has crashed into a residential neighborhood in the southern Californian city
A small plane has crashed into a San Diego neighbourhood, setting about 15 homes on fire as well as vehicles, authorities confirm.
The plane crashed early this morning (May 22) in San Diego’s Murphy Canyon neighborhood, forcing evacuations along several streets.
“We have jet fuel all over the place,” assistant Fire Department chief Dan Eddy said during a news conference. “Our main goal is to search all these homes and get everybody out right now.”
He added that ‘there is a direct hit to multiple homes’ in the area and described ‘a gigantic debris field’ in a dense, packed neighbourhood.
It is currently not known if there are any injuries or casualties.
Plane crashes in San Diego neighborhood
(CBS 8 San Diego)
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Eddy said it was very foggy at the time the private plane crashed, adding: “You could barely see in front of you.”
The Cessna 550 aircraft crashed at about 3.45am local time near the Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said.
“The number of people on board is unknown at this time,” their statement reads. “The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will investigate. The NSTB will lead the investigation and provide any updates. This information is preliminary and subject to change.”
It is understood that the small plane can carry between six to eight people.
The San Diego Police Department has taken to Twitter to warn residents to avoid the area.
The location of where the plane crashed in San Diego (Mehmet Yaren Bozgun/Anadolu via Getty Images)
They wrote: “Plane crash in Tierrasanta: Evacs still in place for Salmon, Sample & Sculpin St. If you smell jet fuel or find debris, call 619-531-2000. SB Santo Rd closed at Aero Dr. Evac site: Miller Elementary, 4343 Shields St.”
CBS caught up with one of the residents who was evacuated from the area, whose name was not mentioned.
Explaining what was going through his head the moment he was informed that he had to leave his home, he said: “As soon as I saw a police officer and he told me about like there’s some big incident going on, instantly my mind went to – ‘I have to get my family out of here’.
“Whatever’s going on, like my car, her car, everything that’s inside the house – that’s irrelevant just make sure everybody’s safe.Featured Image Credit: NBC
Topics: US News, California
Published 14:01 11 Jan 2025 GMT
Investigators reveal ‘black boxes’ from Jeju Air plane stopped recording four minutes before crash that killed 179 people
The Jeju Air Flight 2216 crashed on 29 December 2024
Investigators have revealed ‘black boxes’ from the Jeju Air plane that crashed in South Korea last month stopped recording just four minutes before the aircraft exploded.
The Jeju Air Flight 2216 crashed on December 29, 2024 at the Muan International Airport, located in southwest South Korea approximately 180 miles (290km) south of Seoul.
179 people of the 181 on board the aircraft died in the crash, while two crew members survived.
An investigation into the tragedy has since begun by South Korean authorities, but a cause of the crash has yet to be detailed.
Jeju Air CEO Kim Yi-bae previously said that pre-flight inspection of the Boeing 737-800, including its landing gear, showed ‘nothing abnormal’, BBC News reports.
A Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 series aircraft crashed last month (JUNG YEON-JE/AFP via Getty Images)
Officials began by inspecting the aircraft’s black boxes, with an update on their findings being detailed to the public on Saturday (January 11).
And now, South Korea’s transport ministry confirmed that both the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR) stopped working a mere minutes before the plane crashed, CNN reports.
It remains unclear what exactly caused the recorders to stop working at this time, but the ministry said they are working to find more answers, saying in a statement: “CVR and FDR data are important data for accident investigations, but accident investigations are conducted through investigation and analysis of various data, so we plan to do our best to accurately identify the cause of the accident.”
The cockpit voice recorder was initially analyzed in South Korea before being sent to the US for another look over, with the director of of the aviation policy division at the Ministry of Transport, Joo Jong-wan, previously explaining that South Korean analysts would still be participating in the process.
While the investigation into what happened continues, aviation expert Professor Ron Bartsch has said ‘something sinister’ may have happened on board.
An investigation is ongoing (JUNG YEON-JE/AFP via Getty Images)
Speaking on Australia‘s Today, Bartsch said: “I suspect that the initial reports that have indicated that birdstrike or weather may have been a contributing factor, but to me, that’s pretty unlikely that a birdstrike alone would be sufficient to bring down an aircraft or to foresee landing gear not to be able to be operative.”
He continued (via 9News): “Obviously the pilot would have known the high risk of landing without the availability of reverse thrust or flaps to slow the aircraft down coming into land.
“So it may have been, and this is only speculation, that there may have been something more sinister on board the aircraft that could have caused it.”
The expert concluded by describing the Boeing 737-800 as a ‘very reliable and safe aircraft’.Featured Image Credit: BBC/JUNG YEON-JE/Getty
Topics: Jeju Air, News, Travel, World News
Published 16:48 17 May 2025 GMT+1
Horrifying details emerge after plane carrying 200 passengers flies with no pilot after first officer collapsed
The plane was diverted and thankfully all 200 passengers onboard landed safely.
The details of an investigation into a flight which flew without a pilot for nearly 10 minutes have been published revealing what happened to the first officer.
In February 2024, a Lufthansa flight – an Airbus A321 with over 200 people onboard – set off from Frankfurt, Germany, set to travel to Seville, Spain.
However, during the flight with around half-an-hour of the journey left, after experiencing 10 minutes with no first officer pilot navigating the plane, the aircraft was forced to be diverted to Madrid, Spain.
On Thursday (May 15), a report by Spanish investigators was published revealing the final report on the incident.
It’s reported by Business Insider the captain of the plane left the flight desk to go to the bathroom when there was around 30 minutes of the flight remaining.
The Lufthansa flight had to be diverted (Getty Images/ Andreas Haas)
When Lufthansa flight Airbus A321 was left without any pilot for around 10 minutes
During his interview about the incident, he told investigators when he left the cockpit, the first officer of the plane seemed fine.
However, when the captain returned eight minutes later, he was reportedly unable to access the cockpit anymore.
Despite multiple attempts to use the security door’s access code and a flight attendant’s intercom calling of the first officer, there was no response. And when the captain tried to use the emergency access code, he discovered the timer for it had run out.
The plane ultimately went without anyone in control of the aircraft for 10 minutes.
But what had happened to the first officer?
The flight was left without a pilot for nearly 10 minutes (Getty Images/ Stuart Pearce)
Investigation reveals what happened to first officer of flight
The first officer – who remains anonymous but is reported as being a 38-year-old man – told authorities he suddenly lost consciousness.
Thankfully, he came to enough to get up and open the door – the captain describing him as ‘pale, sweating and moving strangely’ when he saw him.
The captain immediately made the call to divert the plane to Madrid while cabin crew and a passenger – who identified themselves as a doctor – attended to the first officer.
The first officer was rushed to hospital as soon as the plane landed and it was resolved he had a neurological issue which meant he had a seizure disorder which had caused his ‘sudden and severe incapacitation’.
The investigation has prompted calls for the European Union Aviation Safety Agency to consider revising safety protocols, The Economic Times reports.
UNILAD has contacted Lufthansa and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency for comment.Featured Image Credit: Lukas Wunderlich/Getty
Topics: Travel, World News
