Two dead after private jet crashes into San Diego neighborhood

At least two people were killed and eight others were injured after a private jet crashed into a California military neighborhood early Thursday morning. The crash destroyed one home and set several others on fire, San Diego Fire-Rescue Department Assistant Chief Dan Eddy said during a Thursday afternoon press conference. Multiple cars along the street were also on fire, he added. Eddy noted that the neighborhood was a military housing area in Murphy Canyon and that all residents were evacuated. Maps showed the military neighborhood situated less than three miles east of the Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport.

Victims' injuries ranged from smoke inhalation to wounds received jumping through a window to escape a fire. Eddy could not confirm whether everyone onboard was killed, or whether neighborhood residents were among those killed. The plane took off from the Midwest and was heading to San Diego before it crashed, Eddy said. A powerline was downed during the crash, and it’s unclear whether that contributed to the fire, the fire chief added. Eddy confirmed that the Federal Aviation Administration investigators were on scene, adding that investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board were also en route.

What have federal investigators said? A Cessna 550 crashed near Montgomery-Gibbs airport just before 4 a.m. local time, according to the FAA’s Thursday statement. There were six people aboard, according to the FAA. The NTSB will lead the investigation and give further details, the statement added. The NTSB confirmed to WORLD that it was currently investigating the crash and updates would be shared at future media briefings, according to a Thursday statement.

Dig deeper: Read my report on Sen. Ted Cruz calling for air traffic control updates after the Black Hawk helicopter collision over the Potomac River in late January.