Overview of the Incident
A tragic accident occurred at a corporate airfield just north of downtown San Diego, claiming the lives of two individuals. The incident took place on Monday evening when a small Cessna aircraft crashed around 5:20 p.m., igniting a fire upon landing at Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport.
Response and Investigation
The San Diego Fire-Rescue Department quickly responded, deploying a crew of approximately 30 firefighters to combat the blaze. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) acted swiftly to close the airport during the emergency response phase. By 7 p.m., the fire had been extinguished, although the crews continued to manage an active fuel leak, as reported by Deputy Fire Chief Brian Raines during a press briefing.
In the wake of the accident, Chief Raines expressed the team’s commitment to providing aid where possible, explaining the unfortunate circumstance that rescue operations were hindered by the severe damage to the plane. “We were not able to extricate any of the victims,” he noted somberly, extending condolences to the families affected by this tragedy.
The circumstances surrounding the crash remain unclear, specifically whether the aircraft was in the process of taking off or landing. Authorities await further evaluation from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to shed light on the incident.
Additionally, the fire department is collaborating with airport officials to address the cleanup of spilled jet fuel. A contractor has been enlisted to ensure proper removal and safety measures are taken to minimize any environmental impacts. Raines indicated that the timing for moving the aircraft would depend on the needs of the ongoing investigation, as well as federal guidance on when it may be appropriate to reopen the airport.
