Several persons are feared dead after a small private jet crashed into a residential neighbourhood in San Diego, California, in the early hours of Thursday.
The aircraft, identified as a Cessna 550, went down around 3:45 am local time in the Murphy Canyon area, close to Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed the jet had departed from Kansas before the fatal incident.
At least 10 houses were affected—either destroyed or damaged by flying debris—while multiple vehicles caught fire as jet fuel spread across the street. Thick smoke and flames were seen engulfing both sides of the road shortly after the crash.
Speaking to the media, San Diego Assistant Fire Chief, Dan Eddy, confirmed multiple fatalities but noted that the total number of people on board the aircraft was yet to be determined.
“There are more than one fatality that we found so far, but we’re waiting to get the registered numbers that were on the plane itself,” he said.
According to Eddy, the aircraft’s fuel intensified the destruction. “When it hit the street, as the jet fuel went down, it took out every single car that was on both sides of the street. We have jet fuel all over the place,” he added.
Residents shared terrifying experiences. One man, who fled his home during the incident, told a local television station: “I looked out the window and there was just flames everywhere. Then we heard the chain reaction of boom, boom, boom.”
Despite the heavy impact, authorities say no one on the ground sustained serious injuries—a situation they described as “miraculous.”
Thick fog had blanketed the area at the time of the crash, possibly contributing to the tragedy. Images from the crash site revealed several charred vehicles, burnt trees, and homes with collapsed roofs.
The affected neighbourhood is largely made up of military housing, as San Diego hosts multiple U.S. Navy and Marine Corps facilities. Many residents, including military families, were evacuated from their homes after the crash.
Zane Baker, a high school student and son of a military officer, described the chaos: “Police were going door-to-door evacuating people. Our parking lots are full, people can’t get in or out. It’s a confusing mess.”
The crash comes amid rising concerns over aviation safety in the U.S., following recent incidents involving both commercial and military aircraft.
Investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the crash.
