A private jet carrying six people, including two prominent figures in the music industry, crashed into a residential neighborhood in San Diego early Thursday as it attempted to land in dense fog without working runway lights.

The accident claimed all six lives on board, including that of a well-known drummer, and damaged more than a dozen homes when the Cessna Citation went down about two miles from Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport around 3:45 a.m., as the New York Post reports.

The aircraft departed from Teterboro Airport in New Jersey late Wednesday night, headed for San Diego. The passengers included Dave Shapiro, 42, co-founder of Sound Talent Group, and Daniel Williams, 39, former drummer of the metalcore band The Devil Wears Prada. Billboard confirmed that at least two other Sound Talent Group employees were also on board and perished in the crash.

Shortly before the crash, a power surge at Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport reportedly disabled both its runway lighting system and the automated weather notification system. The Federal Aviation Administration had issued a formal notice to airmen advising of the lighting failure, but it's unclear whether the pilot saw it.

Multiple hazards encountered

Air traffic control records reviewed by the National Transportation Safety Board show the pilot was aware of worsening visibility and considered diverting the flight. However, within minutes, the pilot decided to attempt an approach despite concerns about low visibility due to thick fog. During communications with air traffic personnel, the pilot remarked, “Doesn’t sound great, but we’ll give it a go,” according to the NTSB.

Tragically, the plane struck a power line during the low-altitude descent, crashing into a U.S. Navy housing unit two miles from the intended runway. While no one on the ground was killed, the resulting explosion ignited multiple homes and sent residents scrambling for safety.

Resident Ben McCarty described the moment of impact, telling KGTV, “All I could see was fire. The roof of the house was still on fire. You could see the night sky from our living room.” His home was reportedly one of the 15 properties damaged in the crash. Emergency responders treated at least eight people for smoke inhalation, though none suffered life-threatening injuries.

High-profile victims

Shapiro was a well-respected music industry veteran with 14 years of experience as a certified flight instructor, according to associates. Williams, who posted photos from inside the aircraft on Instagram shortly before takeoff, had survived a 2019 mass shooting in Dayton, Ohio, and often joked publicly about his luck. In one of his final social media updates, he shared a photo from the cockpit and jokingly referred to himself as the “co-pilot.”

Jeff Guzzetti, a former NTSB and FAA crash investigator, told the Associated Press that the crash bore similarities to classic scenarios where pilots attempt to land under hazardous weather and visibility conditions. “This accident has all the earmarks of a classic attempt to approach an airport in really bad weather and poor visibility,” Guzzetti said.

He pointed out that such flights, especially red-eye trips like the one the victims were on, could lead to pilot fatigue, further complicating situational awareness. The NTSB has yet to determine whether fatigue or failure to notice the NOTAM about runway lighting played a definitive role in the crash.

Airport system failures central to probe

The timing of the airport power failure is likely to be a significant focus of the probe. The loss of runway lights and weather alerts just before a scheduled landing is considered highly unusual and increases the risk of human error, especially in low-visibility conditions. Aviation safety experts say that even experienced pilots can misjudge altitude and positioning without visual references.

Officials have confirmed that the pilot did not mention the malfunctioning runway lights to air traffic controllers. Whether he was aware of this system failure remains uncertain, making it a critical piece of the ongoing safety investigation.

The NTSB’s investigation is expected to take several months. Preliminary findings suggest that a combination of atmospheric conditions, communication gaps, and mechanical readiness at the airport likely contributed to Thursday’s tragic outcome.

Lessons to learn

1. Know destination conditions before departure. Pilots and travelers should be aware of real-time conditions at arrival airports, including any NOTAMs regarding outages or weather complications. While the pilot may not have known about the lighting failure, updated awareness could have factored into safer decision-making.

2. Avoid unnecessary landings during low visibility. Attempting to land in heavy fog and with inoperative visual aids substantially increases the risk of error. Even skilled pilots should not override safer options like diverting to better-equipped airports, especially with additional lives at stake.

3. Understand that accidents compound quickly. With the combination of weather, outages, and possibly fatigue, this crash demonstrates how multiple minor factors can result in major consequences. Though no one ever deserves to suffer from such conditions, knowing what can amplify danger could help mitigate future risks.

That said, it's important to remember that even with all precautions, tragedy can't be eliminated, and the victims should never be blamed.

Why this story matters

This accident raises urgent questions about the reliability of airport systems and the transparency of communication during in-flight emergencies. The community’s narrow escape from ground casualties highlights how a tragic aviation event can ripple through neighborhoods in moments.

The music industry also mourns the passing of influential figures whose loss will be deeply felt among fans and colleagues. As investigators comb through the wreckage, their findings will have implications not just for aviation policies but also for the way we prepare for cross-country travel under uncertain conditions.

It's a reminder that with every flight, safety depends not just on the pilot’s expertise, but on the coordination of multiple systems operating as intended, both in the air and on the ground.