Early on Monday, a catastrophic Cessna 550 plane crash shook a military housing community in San Diego, causing a huge fireball to engulf houses and cars and possibly killing up to ten people. The private jet crashed in heavy fog, underscoring the risks of flying in dangerous weather conditions that still endanger American communities.
Fiery Crash Devastates Military Housing Area
The catastrophic accident occurred around 3:47 AM in the Murphy Canyon neighborhood near Tierrasanta, as the aircraft attempted to land at Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport just three miles away. Jet fuel spilled down residential streets, creating an inferno that destroyed at least 15 homes and numerous vehicles in what authorities describe as a scene of unprecedented destruction.
The Cessna 550 plane crashed in San Diego's Murphy Canyon neighbourhood around 3.47am during a period of dense fog.
A huge fireball erupted after the crash, setting multiple homes and cars ablaze. At least 15 properties have been affected.https://t.co/QAxenqSOWk via @MailOnline pic.twitter.com/jN4dr6T4Es— Tamra M McDougall (@TamraMcDougall) May 22, 2025
Emergency responders from multiple agencies, including San Diego Fire-Rescue, police departments, and military police, quickly established a large perimeter around the extensive debris field. The Cessna 550, capable of carrying eight to ten passengers, was reportedly on a flight from the Midwest when it potentially struck a power line during its attempted landing in poor visibility conditions.
Hazardous Conditions Force Evacuations
Authorities evacuated several blocks surrounding the 3100 block of Salmon Street due to concerns about hazardous materials from the spilled jet fuel. A temporary evacuation center has been established at Miller Elementary School for the approximately 100 displaced residents. At the same time, officials work to restore power after downed lines left many in the area without electricity.
Multiple people killed when small plane crashes into military homes in Murphy Canyon neighborhood in San Diego, California
The plane, a Cessna 550, crashed near Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport around 3:45 a.m. Thursday pic.twitter.com/QfB7mz4fxI
— Sam Korean-American (@seminary2018) May 22, 2025
San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl described the scene as “horrific,” with the aircraft’s impact creating a massive blast radius that left nothing recognizable. Local schools Hancock Elementary and Miller Elementary, closed for the day. However, Miller provides child care services for affected families while emergency crews continue their extensive search and recovery operations.
Investigation Underway as Community Reels
The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board have launched investigations into what caused the deadly crash during challenging weather conditions. Residents reported hearing a loud boom and feeling their walls shake during the early morning hours, with many awakening to find their neighborhood transformed into what one witness described as a war zone of burning vehicles and structures.
“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. You can see that every single car was burning down both sides of the street.” – Assistant Fire Department Chief Dan Eddy.
While one person has been hospitalized and two others treated and released, authorities have confirmed no injuries to residents on the ground despite the extensive property damage. Traffic has been severely impacted with closures affecting the northbound Interstate 15 off-ramp to Aero Drive and all southbound lanes of Santo Road, as investigators work to piece together the events leading to this tragic accident.
Sources:
https://www.the-sun.com/news/14298010/plane-crashes-san-diego-neighborhood-cars-home-fire/