San Diego, CA — A quiet Monday morning turned into a scene of tragedy in a suburban San Diego neighborhood when a small private plane crashed into a row of houses, igniting a fiery explosion that claimed the lives of at least three people and injured several others.
Authorities say the crash occurred just after 9:30 a.m. in the El Cajon area, a residential community located roughly 17 miles east of downtown San Diego. The aircraft, identified as a twin-engine Cessna 340, had departed from Yuma, Arizona, and was approaching Gillespie Field Airport when it suddenly lost altitude and crashed into the neighborhood.
Witnesses described a deafening roar followed by a massive boom. “It sounded like a bomb went off,” said Carla Jimenez, who lives two houses down from the impact site. “The windows shook, and when I ran outside, all I saw was smoke and flames.”
First responders arrived within minutes to battle the blaze, which had spread to at least two homes. The San Diego Fire-Rescue Department confirmed that three bodies were found in the wreckage — two inside the plane and one inside one of the homes. The identities of the victims have not yet been released pending family notification.
A fourth victim, a teenage girl who was inside a neighboring house, was airlifted to UC San Diego Medical Center with severe burns and is currently in critical condition.
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigators are on the scene, working alongside the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to determine the cause of the crash. Preliminary reports suggest the pilot may have experienced engine trouble shortly before impact, but officials caution it is too early to confirm.
Residents in the area remain shaken. “This is the kind of thing you see on the news, not in your own backyard,” said Michael Torres, whose home suffered minor damage from flying debris. “It’s heartbreaking.”
San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria issued a statement expressing condolences to the victims’ families and praised the swift response by emergency crews. “Our hearts go out to everyone affected by this devastating accident,” he said. “We will do everything we can to support this community as the investigation continues.”
The NTSB expects to release a preliminary report within the next two weeks. In the meantime, authorities have cordoned off the area, and displaced families are receiving assistance from the Red Cross and local organizations.
This tragic incident marks the second small-plane crash in San Diego County in less than a year, raising concerns about air traffic safety in the region.
