A quiet San Diego neighborhood was shattered early Thursday when a Cessna 550 private jet crashed into the heart of Murphy Canyon, a military housing community near Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport. The devastating impact, just before 4 a.m., killed all six people on board and left eight residents injured, with flames engulfing homes and forcing nearly 100 families to flee. The crash, one of the deadliest in San Diego’s recent history, has left a tight-knit community grieving and searching for answers.
The plane, which had flown from Teterboro, New Jersey, with a stop in Wichita, Kansas, clipped power lines before slamming into a house, sparking fires that tore through the neighborhood. Thick fog and a reportedly faulty weather alert system at the airport may have contributed, though the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is still investigating. “It was like a scene from a nightmare,” San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said, describing the wreckage, with jet fuel spilling down streets and igniting cars and homes. One house was destroyed, and at least ten others were damaged.
The six victims were vibrant individuals whose loss has reverberated far beyond San Diego. Among them were three staffers from Sound Talent Group, a local music agency. Dave Shapiro, 42, the agency’s co-founder and the plane’s pilot, was a music industry titan who championed bands like All Time Low and a passionate flyer who once piloted a plane to his own wedding. “Dave was larger than life, always chasing dreams,” his colleague Sarah Jenkins told ABC News. Also on board were Emma Huke, 25, a booking associate with a contagious laugh and a knack for spotting talent, and Kendall Fortner, 24, whose love for music started at childhood punk shows. “They were the heart of our team,” Sound Talent Group shared in a tearful statement.
The other victims included Celina Marie Rose Kenyon, 36, a photographer who took the flight to make it home for her daughter’s school drop-off. “She was my rock, always putting family first,” her mother, Linda Kenyon, told CBS8. Daniel Williams, 39, a former drummer for The Devil Wears Prada and a software developer, was remembered by his bandmates: “You shaped us, Danny. We’re lost without you.” Dominic Damian, a software engineer and jiu-jitsu lover, was mourned by his gym community in Pacific Beach, who called him “a quiet warrior.”
Eight people on the ground were injured, mostly with smoke inhalation or minor wounds. A family of five was hospitalized, and one person was hurt escaping through a window as flames closed in. “The community came together to save lives,” said San Diego Fire Assistant Chief Dan Eddy, noting neighbors who risked their own safety to help a trapped family. The San Diego Humane Society stepped in, rescuing 12 pets, including dogs soaked in jet fuel, and giving them baths to remove the toxic residue.
Murphy Canyon, home to Navy families, is still in shock. Residents like Maria Lopez described waking to a deafening explosion and running outside to see their cars on fire. “We grabbed our kids and ran,” she said. Mayor Todd Gloria pledged support, saying, “San Diego wraps its arms around this community.” On Social media, users shared their grief, with one writing, “Those victims were so young, so full of life. Praying for Murphy Canyon.”
The NTSB is digging into why the plane, which sent no distress signal, went down, with early clues pointing to power lines and possible equipment issues. A full report could take years, but a preliminary one is expected soon. For now, the focus is on healing—a community mourning neighbors, friends, and heroes, and holding tight to the memories of those lost in a tragedy that hit far too close to home.
