New Details Emerge About Alaska-Based Owner of Jet That Crashed in San Diego
A small private jet crashed into a San Diego military housing area early Thursday, destroying homes and vehicles, killing several onboard, and forcing nearly 100 residents to evacuate.
San Diego, (WE) —New information continues to emerge surrounding the small private jet that crashed into homes in San Diego’s Tierrasanta neighborhood early Thursday morning. Federal records show the aircraft, a Cessna Citation 550 business jet built in 1985, carried the tail number N666DS. Daviator LLC, a limited liability company based in Homer, Alaska, owns the plane. The town lies more than 200 miles south of Anchorage.
Daviator LLC lists David Shapiro as its sole manager and employee. Public records indicate Shapiro is 42 years old and lives in El Cajon, California. He has held a flight instructor certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) since 2010. Although the FAA license lists Alaska, documents show that Shapiro has long-standing ties to California.
Attempts to contact Shapiro directly have been unsuccessful. A call placed to the phone number listed for him went to voicemail, and he has not returned messages. Officials have not yet confirmed whether Shapiro was piloting the plane at the time of the crash.
The crash occurred shortly before 4 a.m. near Sample Drive and Salmon Street in San Diego’s Murphy Canyon area. The neighborhood includes military housing units affiliated with Naval Base San Diego. The San Diego Fire-Rescue Department (SDFD) reported that the impact directly damaged at least 15 homes.
While flames engulfed multiple cars and damaged houses, no civilians in the neighborhood suffered serious injuries. However, Assistant Fire Chief Dan Eddy confirmed that “more than one” fatality occurred among those aboard the aircraft.
First responders evacuated roughly 100 residents following the crash. The SDFD conducted door-to-door checks to ensure everyone was safe and uninjured. Fire crews worked rapidly to contain the flames as jet fuel spilled into the streets, igniting parked vehicles.
Eddy said that firefighters were dealing with “jet fuel all over the place” and described the aftermath as chaotic. “It’s hard to describe the scene,” said Scott Wahl, Chief of the San Diego Police Department. “Jet fuel flowed down the streets, and everything was on fire at once—it was truly horrific.”
According to the FAA, the plane was a Cessna 550 Citation, a business-class jet designed to carry between eight to ten passengers. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have opened investigations into the incident. Both agencies are now trying to determine the cause of the crash and identify the passengers on board.
The aircraft appeared to be en route to Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport, located approximately six miles north of downtown San Diego. A recording from LiveATC.net revealed that the pilot contacted air traffic frequency just three miles from the runway. The pilot did not report any issues and made no emergency declarations.
Weather conditions at the time were poor. Data from the National Weather Service (NWS) showed fog and low visibility, with cloud ceilings as low as 500 feet. Assistant Chief Eddy told the Associated Press, “You could barely see in front of you.”
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Footage shared with CBS 8 San Diego captured the extent of the destruction. Flames tore through the neighborhood for hours, leaving multiple homes with gaping holes and reducing several cars to charred shells In one video, cars on both sides of the street were on fire. Alarms rang out as emergency crews rushed to the scene.
Local resident Christopher Moore described the terrifying moment. “We heard this loud bang, then our house started shaking,” he said. “We grabbed our kids and ran.” When Moore reached the street, he saw flames covering a nearby car and thick smoke rising into the air.
Another neighbor, a U.S. Marine who requested anonymity, told Fox News that he heard “a strange whistling, wheezing noise” followed by a loud boom. The impact shook his house. Moments later, flames erupted in the street outside.
In addition to SDFD, San Diego Police and U.S. Navy personnel responded to the scene. Captain Robert Heely, the commanding officer of Naval Base San Diego, confirmed that several military families live in the damaged homes. “This is one of the largest military housing units in the world,” Heely said. “Certainly we have a lot of military families that are impacted.”
San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria offered his condolences during a press conference. “They are part of a military community that makes up our city—proud partners of our community—and we will support them for as long as it takes to get back to good here.”
The plane’s flight path traced back to Teterboro Airport in New Jersey. FlightAware, a real-time flight tracking service, showed that the Citation took off late Wednesday evening. It made a stop in Wichita, Kansas for roughly an hour before continuing to San Diego.
The Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport control tower does not operate overnight. Pilots arriving during those hours use a common traffic advisory frequency to broadcast their positions to other aircraft. No other planes were reported in the area at the time of the crash.
Despite heavy fire damage, no homes in the area completely collapsed. Fire crews reported structural damage to at least ten buildings. The fire consumed several vehicles and left the street scarred by fuel and debris.
In an interview with CNN, one resident said he grabbed a garden hose to protect his yard before fleeing. He later returned to help law enforcement knock on doors and evacuate families still inside nearby homes.
As of now, authorities have not released the identities of the deceased passengers. Officials from the FAA and NTSB are working to confirm who was on board the jet. Investigators will also examine maintenance logs, pilot history, and air traffic recordings as part of their review.
The aircraft, a Cessna Citation 550, was popular among business travelers in the 1980s and 1990s. It remains in use today among private owners and corporate clients. Shapiro’s company, Daviator LLC, acquired the aircraft in recent years. Although the company is registered in Alaska, Shapiro’s residential and business dealings appear to span both California and Alaska.
The El Cajon address listed in public filings may suggest the plane had been stored or maintained at local facilities near San Diego. Montgomery Field, which includes Gibbs Flying Service, offers hangars and maintenance support for business jets, making it a likely destination for aircraft owned by regional pilots.
This crash follows other similar tragedies involving small business jets. In 2021, another Cessna 550 crashed in Santee, California, after departing from Yuma, Arizona. That incident killed the pilot and a resident on the ground, raising concerns over low-altitude approaches in residential neighborhoods.
The FAA and NTSB expect the investigation to take several months. Preliminary findings, including information from radar tracking and witness accounts, will likely be released sooner. A full report, including probable cause, could take a year or more to complete.
Meanwhile, affected residents face a long recovery. Many were military families stationed at nearby installations such as Naval Base San Diego or Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. Emergency shelters have opened for the 100 displaced individuals. The Red Cross and local charities are coordinating relief efforts.
Shapiro has not spoken publicly since the crash. FAA records do not indicate any past violations or enforcement actions against him. His aviation experience spans over a decade, including time as a certified flight instructor.
As new information becomes available, questions remain about what caused the plane to go down so close to its destination. While weather likely played a role, investigators will need to determine if mechanical failure, pilot error, or other factors contributed to the tragedy.
For now, San Diego’s military and civilian communities continue to support one another in the aftermath. Mayor Gloria pledged full cooperation with federal authorities and a long-term plan to restore the neighborhood.
“We’re going to be here for the families impacted,” he said. “San Diego is strong, and we will recover—together.”
