A small plane crash in the Murphy Canyon neighborhood near San Diego early Thursday morning has left at least two people dead and eight others injured. The Cessna 550, which can carry up to 10 people, crashed into a residential street, destroying one home and damaging 10 other buildings. According to authorities, one injured person was taken to the hospital, while the remaining seven were treated on-site. Approximately 100 residents were evacuated from the area.
San Diego Fire Department Assistant Chief Dan Eddy described the crash scene as chaotic, with debris scattered in all directions. He confirmed a “direct hit” on multiple homes, though fortunately no serious injuries were reported among residents in those houses. Eyewitness accounts painted a dramatic picture. Christopher Moore, a local resident, recalled being awakened by a loud bang, seeing smoke, and rushing outside with his family to find a car engulfed in flames. A nearby marine reported hearing a “strange whistling wheezing noise” before a loud boom shook his house.
Footage from the scene shows charred vehicles and wreckage strewn across the street. The aircraft was reportedly en route to Montgomery Field, a small airport roughly 10 kilometers north of downtown San Diego. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating the crash. As of now, the identities of the deceased and the plane’s passengers have not been released.
