Investigators said Wednesday that the private jet that killed all six people on board when it crashed in San Diego last month was flying too low before colliding with power lines and crashing into a house.
A preliminary investigation from the National Transportation Safety Board states that the aircraft descended to 60 feet above the ground after reaching an unsuitable descent location around three miles from the runway. The plane struck power lines around 1.8 nautical miles from the runway and 90 feet above the ground.
The NTSB investigation states that parts of the aircraft’s left horizontal and vertical stabilizers were later discovered around 200 feet away from the power cables. The aircraft then crashed into a home in a community close to San Diego.
Rock drummer Daniel Williams, music agent Dave Shapiro, booking associate Emma L. Huke, 25, photographer Celina Marie Rose Kenyon, 35, and booking associate Kendall Fortner, 24 were among the people killed in the collision. Investigators reported that eight individuals on the ground suffered minor injuries.
According to the four-page NTSB investigation, Shapiro was flying the Cessna Citation aircraft from Teterboro, New Jersey, on May 22 with plans to land at Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport in San Diego, when he ran into dense fog and poor visibility.
California
The official cause of a plane crash near San Diego is still being investigated, and six people have died.
According to the investigation, the airport’s automated weather and runway lighting system was not functioning before to the jet crash.
According to the NTSB report, the pilot informed the control tower that he was aware that the weather information system was not functioning. According to the NTSB investigation, the pilot requested assistance from the air traffic controller in assessing the weather at Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport. Rather, the report stated that the controller informed the pilot of the weather conditions at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, which is approximately four miles north, where visibility was up to half a mile and winds were calm.
The runway lighting system had not been operational since March 28, 2022, according to the report, and repairs had been postponed while an environmental analysis was being completed.
The preliminary study does not address misconduct, draw any conclusions, or specify when the final report is anticipated to be published.
