San Diego plane crash: NTSB releases preliminary report

Musician, founder of music agency among those dead in San Diego plane crash

FOX 11's Laura Diaz reports live in San Diego with the latest updates on the deadly plane crash.

SAN DIEGO - A preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reveals more details about the small jet crash in San Diego that killed all six people on board and injured eight on the ground.

NTSB preliminary report findings

What we know:

The report published on Wednesday confirms that the Cessna jet approached the airport too low, striking power lines before disintegrating and crashing into a nearby neighborhood in the early morning hours of May 22.

One home was struck, and 20 vehicles were damaged by the crash and subsequent fire.

The jet was carrying music executive Dave Shapiro and five other individuals. 

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While no fatalities occurred in the U.S. Navy housing neighborhood where the plane crashed, eight people were treated for smoke inhalation and non-life-threatening injuries. 

The pilot had acknowledged that weather conditions were not ideal for landing at Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport and debated diverting to another airport during a discussion with an air traffic controller. However, the pilot proceeded with the landing attempt, stating, "I think we’ll be alright."

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had posted an official notice for pilots that the runway alignment lights were out of service, a condition that the NTSB noted had persisted since March 2022. 

Repairs to these lights had been delayed due to an environmental study, though other lights at the airport were operational. 

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The NTSB report indicates that the pilot appeared to attempt to activate the runway lights by keying his microphone seven times during the approach. The pilot was based out of the executive airport near the crash site. Dave Shapiro held a pilot’s license and was listed as the owner of the plane.

A power surge had also disabled the weather system at the airport, but the pilot was aware of the fog, and an air traffic controller provided weather information from Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, located approximately 4 miles to the north. 

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The NTSB stated that the plane was only about 60 feet  above the ground when it struck the power lines, whereas it should have been flying almost 200 feet higher on approach.

What we don't know:

The preliminary report released on Wednesday does not specify the cause of the crash. 

The official cause will not be determined until the final report is completed, which is expected sometime next year, the NTSB said.

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Additionally, the preliminary report does not state whether investigators have determined if the pilot knew that the runway lights were not working.

What they're saying:

Aviation safety expert John Cox, CEO of the Safety Operating Systems consulting firm, commented on the situation, stating, "I’m not sure how he would have thought he was going to see the runway without lights at night in the fog."

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