Investigators Probe Technical Glitches in San Diego Plane Crash

In a tragic incident, a Cessna 550 crashed in a residential area near Montgomery Field Airport, claiming six lives, including notable figures from the music industry. Investigators are probing whether foggy conditions and airport equipment failures contributed to the accident.

The investigation into a devastating plane crash in San Diego on an early Thursday has revealed troubling technical malfunctions and treacherous weather conditions. The Cessna 550 went down shortly after taking off, impacting homes and vehicles in the Murphy Canyon neighborhood, and leaving all six individuals aboard presumed dead. Among the victims were notable music agent Dave Shapiro and former drummer of the rock band The Devil Wears Prada, Daniel Williams.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is currently scrutinizing the circumstances leading up to the crash. Prior to the tragedy, reports indicated that the Automated Surface Observing Station, a key weather data provider for pilots, was nonoperational due to an unrelated power surge. Contributing to the precarious scenario were foggy conditions that plagued the San Diego area. NTSB investigator Dan Baker confirmed that an outage in weather data functionality was observed, although its direct impact on the crash remains under investigation.

Adding to the crisis, a Notice to Airmen (Notam) had been issued regarding lighting malfunctions on runways at Montgomery Field Airport, where the plane was aiming to land. The pilot did not communicate any emergency to air traffic control before the crash, which occurred at approximately 3:45 AM local time. Disturbingly, the Cessna lacked a flight data recorder, though it is unknown if a cockpit voice recorder was present.

The aftermath has led to the evacuation of about 100 residents in the vicinity, with at least eight individuals on the ground reported injured in the incident. Initial investigations will provide a preliminary report within 30 days, while the entire investigation may take up to 24 months.

Among the deceased, Shapiro had a successful career managing bands such as Sum 41 and was an experienced pilot. His colleague Emma Huke and friend Kendall Fortner were also aboard the aircraft, as is remembered fondly by Sound Talent Group, who expressed heartfelt condolences.

Williams, who had been part of The Devil Wears Prada for over a decade, shared moments before the incident of him flying with Shapiro. The band has expressed deep sorrow in the wake of the tragedy, paying tribute to their former member through heartfelt messages on social media.