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Six people were on board the plane when it crashed on Thursday – all are presumed dead
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Music talent agent Dave Shapiro and drummer Daniel Williams were among those killed when a small private plane crashed into a San Diego neighborhood early Thursday.
Shapiro, 42, was the owner of music agency Sound Talent Group, which represented bands like Hanson and Sum 41. Williams, 39, was the former drummer of metal band The Devil Wears Prada.
They were among six people on board the small Cessna 550 when it abruptly came down into the Murphy Canyon neighborhood around 3:47 a.m. There are not believed to be any survivors and eight people on the ground were also injured when the plane crashed.
The aircraft appeared to have destroyed at least one home, leaving it charred and collapsed. About 10 to 15 homes and half a dozen vehicles also suffered damage, and it took first responders several hours to extinguish the flames.
When asked where the plane debris spread, Assistant Fire Chief Dan Eddy noted it was “everywhere” and there was a “very large” debris field.
The disaster, which occurred during particularly foggy weather, prompted the evacuation of a stretch of homes within the neighborhood, which mainly serves military service members.
The crash let a steady stream of jet fuel running down the street and caused multiple cars to catch fire, Eddy said. San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said “close to 100 people” were displaced due to the sheer amount of jet fuel spilled and overall destruction. Authorities said they hoped people would be able to return to their homes by Thursday evening.
It was also not immediately known what led to the crash, though the National Transportation Safety Board is investigating a “clipped” power line in the area that the plane may have struck.
The flight had been coming from the Midwest, authorities said. According to the flight tracking site Flight Aware, the plane was supposed to arrive at the Montgomery-Gibbs Executive airport in San Diego at 3:47 a.m., coming in from the small Colonel James Jabara Airport in Wichita, Kansas.
Officials at the Kansas airport said it was there making a fueling stop. The flight originated Wednesday night in Teterboro, New Jersey, according to Flight Aware.
Hours after the disaster, chunks of metal from the aircraft remained littered across the street, with no clear body of the plane visible. The fiery aftermath, with cars up in flames and thick plumes of gray smoke rising from the neighborhood, left locals in shock.
Shapiro, the first person identified among the deceased, was an avid pilot with over a decade of experience flying. It was not immediately clear if he was flying the plane or if he was a passenger. He was also known around the music industry as a daredevil, according to the Billboard report.
“We are devastated by the loss of our co-founder, colleagues and friends,” a spokesperson for Sound Talent Group told Billboard. “Our hearts go out to their families and to everyone impacted by today’s tragedy. Thank you so much for respecting their privacy at this time.”
From BASE jumping to aerobatic flying, Helicopters to twin engines, flight instructing to furthering his own education, doesn’t matter to Dave as long as he gets to be in the sky,” his aviation website reads.
Shapiro, who worked with bands including Sum 41 and Pierce the Veil, was also a staunch supporter of independent music. He launched his own agency in 2018 with Tim Borror and Matt Anderson.
Williams had posted on his Instagram on Wednesday afternoon that he was boarding the plane with Shapiro. The band posted a tribute to Williams on their Instagram page.“No words. We owe you everything. Love you forever.”
The home that was struck when the plane hit was destroyed, with its front heavily burned and its roof partially collapsed.
Ben McCarty and his wife, who live in the home that was hit, said they felt heat all around them.
“My wife was screaming, and she’s like, ‘There’s a fire’,” McCarty, who has served in the Navy for 13 years, told KGTV. When he walked toward the front of the house, he saw that the roof had fallen off and flames blocked their exit.
The couple grabbed their children and dogs and ran to the back, where their neighbors helped them climb over the fence to escape. The plane also hit both of the couple’s vehicles, which burned.
“It put my truck into our living room,” McCarty said. Other vehicles along the block were melted and scorched into burned shells. One car fire sent smoke billowing up for hours.
Ariya Waterworth said she woke up to a ‘whooshing sound’ and then saw a giant fireball outside. She screamed for help as firefighters arrived and helped her get out with her two children and their family dog.
One of the family’s cars was ‘completely disintegrated,’ and the other had extensive damage. Her yard was littered with plane parts, broken glass and debris.
“I definitely do feel blessed, because we’ve been spared,” she said.
At least 100 residents were evacuated. Hours after the crash, jet fuel rolled down Salmon Street. The smell of fumes lingered throughout the day, and officials said it was unclear when it would be safe for people to return.
“We have jet fuel all over the place,” Assistant San Diego Fire Department Chief Dan Eddy said. Eddy added that the fog was so thick in the morning that “you could barely see in front of you”.
With Associated Press contributions.
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