Multiple deaths after small plane crashes in California neighbourhood | Aviation News

Authorities in the city of San Diego say that heavy fog had created low-visibility conditions at time of crash.

Authorities in the city of San Diego, California, have said that several people are dead after a small, private plane crashed into a military housing complex.

On Thursday, Assistant San Diego Fire Chief Dan Eddy said that the plane had capacity for between eight and 10 people, but it is not clear how many people were on board during the crash.

“I can’t quite put words to describe what the scene looks like, but with the jet fuel going down the street, and everything on fire all at once, it was pretty horrific to see,” San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said.

The incident took place in the early hours of Thursday morning, just before 4am Pacific time (11:00 GMT) in the United States.

The crash left a trail of charred vehicles and damaged houses in the Tierrasanta neighbourhood of San Diego, located in the southernmost region of California. Downed power lines were observed near the scene, as emergency responders struggled to contain the fire.

Residents of the neighbourhood were evacuated, and police say that two schools located near the site have been closed for the day. Authorities also asked people to avoid the area while emergency crews are at work.

The San Diego Police Department said in a social media post that “multiple fatalities” had been confirmed from the crash and that one person remains hospitalised, with two others treated and released.

The plane, which officials say was en route from the Midwest, caused damage to several homes and vehicles in the neighbourhood but did not cause any injuries to residents.

“It was definitely horrifying for sure, but sometimes, you’ve just got to drop your head and get to safety,” said Christopher Moore, who lives one street over from the site of the crash.

Eddy, the assistant fire chief, said that heavy fog had severely diminished visibility at the time of the crash.

“You could barely see in front of you,” he said.

Authorities have yet to share details about the make and model of the plane, but the flight tracking website Flight Aware says that a Cessna Citation II jet was scheduled to arrive at the Montgomery-Gibbs Executive airport in San Diego at 3:47am after departing from the Colonel James Jabara Airport in Wichita, Kansas.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has said that the National Transportation Safety Board will oversee an investigation into the incident.