San Diego is reeling after a deadly jet crash rocked a military housing community just before 4 a.m. on Thursday (May 22). A business jet slammed into homes near Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport, sparking fires, destroying property, and claiming multiple lives.
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Jet Crashes Into San Diego Neighborhood
A private jet has crashed into the Murphy Canyon neighborhood on Salmon Street in San Diego. Authorities say the Cessna 550, often used for private business travel, was carrying an unknown number of people. So far, two confirmed fatalities appear to be passengers from the plane, according to San Diego Fire Assistant Chief Dan Eddy.
The jet reportedly spilled fuel upon impact, igniting several cars and sending flames down the street. Residents apparently rushed to evacuate neighbors as first responders fought to contain the blaze. One person was hospitalized, and two others were treated and released.
Furthermore, the crash left a gaping hole in one home and collapsed the roof onto a car below. Meanwhile, a resident described being jolted awake by a loud boom and immediately rushing outside, where he saw the street engulfed in flames. He claims to have grabbed a hose to douse his yard before helping police knock on doors to evacuate others.
“I can’t quite put words to describe what this scene looked like but with the jet fuel running down the streets and everything on fire all at once, it was pretty horrific to see,” Scott Wahl, San Diego Police Chief, revealed during a press conference.
More Details On The Tragedy
The plane, built in 1985 and owned by an Alaskan company, had taken off from Teterboro Airport near NYC late Wednesday and stopped in Wichita for an hour before heading to San Diego. At the time of the crash, visibility was severely limited due to low clouds. The airport’s control tower is unstaffed overnight, so the pilot was using a shared radio frequency.
Dan Eddy confirmed the area, which houses many military families, was severely impacted.
“I can tell you that there are multiple homes, upwards of 10 homes, that were affected,” Eddy said at the conference.
According to reports, the crashed private jet is commonly used for business travel and can carry eight to ten people. Meanwhile, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration are currently investigating the crash. Captain Robert Heely, Commanding Officer of Naval Base San Diego, mentioned that the San Diego neighborhood is “one of the largest military housing units in the world.”
What’s Been Going On With Planes?
2025 has been marked by a series of tragic aviation accidents across the globe, raising concerns about air travel safety. In the United States, a devastating mid-air collision occurred on January 29 over the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., when a Black Hawk helicopter collided with an American Airlines regional jet. All 67 people from both aircrafts perished, making it the deadliest U.S. aviation disaster since 9/11.
In addition to this, several other fatal incidents have occurred this year. On January 31, a medical jet crashed shortly after takeoff in Philadelphia, killing seven people on board and injuring dozens of others.
In April, a sightseeing helicopter crashed into the Hudson River near Jersey City, New Jersey, resulting in the deaths of all six people aboard. These incidents, among others, have contributed to a heightened sense of concern regarding aviation safety in 2025.
