Small Plane Crashes in San Diego, Setting 15 Homes & Vehicles on Fire/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ A small private plane crashed into a dense San Diego neighborhood early Thursday. The crash ignited at least 15 homes and several vehicles, forcing widespread evacuations. Authorities cited poor visibility due to thick fog at the time.
San Diego Plane Crash Quick Looks
- Cessna 550 crashed around 3:45 a.m. near Montgomery-Gibbs Airport
- Heavy fog and poor visibility were reported at the time
- At least 15 homes and multiple vehicles caught fire
- Jet fuel spread across residential streets, officials said
- No confirmed injuries or fatalities as of latest reports
- Dense Murphy Canyon neighborhood sustained direct impact
- FAA and NTSB are investigating the crash
- This area was also the site of a fatal 2021 crash
Deep Look: Small Plane Crash Rocks San Diego Neighborhood in Foggy Morning Disaster
SAN DIEGO — May 22, 2025 — A small private aircraft crashed into a densely packed San Diego neighborhood during the early hours of Thursday morning, igniting at least 15 homes and multiple vehicles, and prompting evacuations across several blocks, local fire officials confirmed.
The crash occurred around 3:45 a.m. amid thick fog in the Murphy Canyon area, not far from Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
“We have jet fuel all over the place,” said Assistant Fire Chief Dan Eddy during a news briefing. “There is a direct hit to multiple homes, and our main goal is to search all these homes and get everybody out right now.”
Cessna 550 Crashes in Dense Residential Zone
The aircraft, identified as a Cessna 550, is a small business jet that typically seats six to eight passengers. The number of people aboard remains unknown as of Thursday morning.
“It was so foggy, you could barely see in front of you,” Eddy added, describing the poor visibility during the crash.
Emergency responders were met with “a gigantic debris field,” Eddy noted, highlighting the challenge of navigating and containing fires in the compact neighborhood.
Fires, Evacuations, and Emergency Response
Firefighters worked urgently to extinguish flames engulfing homes and parked vehicles, while hazmat teams addressed fuel spills that had saturated parts of the neighborhood. Streets were quickly cordoned off, and residents were evacuated as a precaution.
There have been no confirmed injuries or fatalities as of the latest updates, but authorities say the situation remains fluid as search-and-rescue efforts continue.
FAA and NTSB to Lead Crash Investigation
The FAA confirmed the incident in a public statement and noted that the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will take the lead in the crash investigation.
“The number of people on board is unknown at this time,” the FAA said.
Investigators are expected to examine weather conditions, flight data, air traffic control communications, and mechanical records of the aircraft.
Echoes of a Tragedy: 2021 Crash in Same Region
This latest incident bears a grim resemblance to a 2021 crash in a nearby San Diego suburb, where a twin-engine aircraft crashed while approaching the same airport. That crash killed the pilot and a UPS driver, and destroyed multiple homes.
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