Multiple System Failures, Single-Pilot Operations Under Scrutiny in Fatal San Diego Citation Crash
Fatal San Diego plane crash exposes years of airport safety lapses
A business jet's deadly collision with power lines highlights neglected infrastructure and regulatory gaps at Montgomery Field
In the Style of the LA Times Staff
June 27, 2025
When Dave Shapiro's private jet plowed into a San Diego neighborhood in the early morning darkness of May 22, killing all six people aboard and setting homes ablaze, it marked the tragic end of a cross-country flight plagued by equipment failures, poor weather and what federal investigators now describe as a cascade of safety violations.
The crash of the Cessna Citation business jet has exposed years of neglected airport infrastructure and raised troubling questions about whether a exhausted pilot flying alone should have attempted to land in thick fog at Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport, where critical safety equipment had been broken for more than three years.
A preliminary report released this week by the National Transportation Safety Board paints a disturbing picture of an aircraft that descended far below safe altitudes during its final approach, ultimately striking power transmission lines nearly two miles from the runway while flying blind through dense fog.
"This wasn't just one bad decision," said John Cox, a former airline pilot and aviation safety consultant. "This was a perfect storm of equipment failures, regulatory gaps and human factors that all lined up in the worst possible way."
A deadly descent
The 40-year-old Citation jet had begun its journey the previous evening at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey, with Shapiro, a 42-year-old music agent and co-founder of Sound Talent Group, at the controls. After a fuel stop in Wichita, Kan., the aircraft continued west through the night carrying five passengers, including rock drummer Daniel Williams and three employees of Shapiro's talent agency.
By the time Shapiro was talking to air traffic controllers while approaching San Diego around 3:30 a.m., he had been flying for nearly eight hours straight — a grueling overnight journey that aviation experts say could have contributed to fatigue-related decision-making errors.
The problems began piling up as the jet neared Montgomery Field. The airport's weather reporting system was completely down, forcing controllers to relay conditions from a Marine base four miles away. Even more troubling, the airport's approach lighting system — critical strobing lights designed to guide pilots through fog — had been broken since March 2022, more than three years, while officials waited for an environmental study to approve repairs.
The weather itself was brutal: half-mile visibility and a cloud ceiling just 200 feet above the ground — well below the minimum conditions required for the approach Shapiro was attempting to fly.
Despite the dangerous conditions, Shapiro pressed on. "All right, that doesn't sound great but we'll give it a go," he told controllers, according to air traffic control recordings obtained by investigators.
What happened next violated fundamental rules of instrument flying. Federal tracking data shows the Citation began descending below published safe altitudes early in its approach, with the deviations becoming progressively worse as the aircraft neared the runway.
At a checkpoint called PALOS, roughly three miles from the runway, the jet was supposed to be at least 1,380 feet above sea level. Instead, it was at just 1,190 feet — nearly 200 feet too low and still flying blind through fog.
The aircraft's final recorded position showed it at just 464 feet above sea level, roughly 60 feet above the ground, while still nearly two miles from the runway with no visual contact with the landing area.
Moments later, the Citation struck a set of high-voltage power lines stretched across the approach path about 90 feet off the ground. The impact tore off part of the aircraft's tail, sending it careening into the Murphy Canyon military housing neighborhood below.
'Everything was on fire'
Ring doorbell cameras captured the horrific scene as a fireball erupted across Salmon Street, with burning jet fuel flowing down the roadway and igniting cars parked on both sides. The main wreckage destroyed one home and damaged at least 20 vehicles, while debris scattered across a 1,200-foot area.
"Everything was on fire all at once," San Diego Police Chief David Nisleit told reporters, his voice heavy with shock as he described the scene.
Miraculously, no one on the ground was killed, though eight residents suffered minor injuries from smoke inhalation and burns. Emergency responders said the dense fog that had doomed the aircraft also helped slow the spread of the fire.
Among the victims was Williams, 34, the former drummer for the metalcore band The Devil Wears Prada, who had posted excited photos from inside the cockpit on Instagram just hours before the crash. Also killed were Emma Huke, 25; Celina Kenyon, 36; and Kendall Fortner and Dominic Damian, whose ages were not immediately released.
Years of deferred maintenance
The crash has turned a spotlight on Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport, a busy general aviation facility in Kearny Mesa that serves as a gateway for business jets and private aircraft flying into San Diego.
Federal records show the airport's Runway Alignment Indicator lights — critical safety equipment that helps guide pilots during low-visibility approaches — had been out of service for 1,151 days at the time of the crash. The lights remained dark while airport officials waited for completion of an environmental study required before repairs could begin.
The breakdown of the airport's weather reporting system compounded the safety issues. Without current local weather data, including the critical barometric pressure setting needed to calibrate aircraft altimeters, controllers were forced to provide information from other airports miles away.
According to Federal Aviation Administration procedures, approaches may not be authorized without current destination airport weather data — yet the flight was cleared to continue.
"When you have this many safety systems down at the same time, you're asking for trouble," said Mike Ginter, senior vice president of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association's Air Safety Institute. "These weren't just inconveniences — they were critical safety barriers that weren't there when they were needed most."
The single-pilot question
The crash has also renewed scrutiny of regulations that allow experienced pilots to fly certain business jets alone, without a co-pilot to share the workload and catch potential errors.
Shapiro had received special federal authorization to fly the Citation single-pilot just five months before the crash, in December 2024. The exemption required additional training and imposed operational restrictions, though investigators have not yet determined whether those limits were followed during the fatal flight.
Industry experts point out that flying alone in a sophisticated business jet — especially in poor weather conditions at the end of a long duty day — places enormous cognitive demands on a pilot who must simultaneously manage complex systems, navigate approaches, communicate with controllers and make critical safety decisions.
"Single-pilot operations can work safely, but they require perfect conditions and perfect decision-making," Cox said. "When multiple things start going wrong at the same time, having a second pilot can be the difference between a safe landing and a tragedy."
The Citation 500 series was originally designed as a two-pilot aircraft, and single-pilot operations require special federal exemptions that typically include minimum weather requirements and experience standards. Whether Shapiro met all those conditions remains under investigation.
Calls for change
The deadly crash has prompted calls for improved airport infrastructure funding and stricter oversight of single-pilot operations.
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association has urged federal officials to prioritize repairs to approach lighting systems and ensure backup weather reporting capabilities at all public airports. The group noted that Montgomery Field serves as an important reliever airport for San Diego International, handling thousands of flights each year.
Local officials said the environmental study blocking repairs to the approach lights has now been expedited, though they provided no timeline for when the safety equipment might be restored.
The families of the crash victims have begun exploring legal action, with aviation attorneys pointing to the years-long delays in fixing critical safety equipment as a potential factor in the tragedy.
"When basic safety infrastructure is allowed to deteriorate for years, it creates unnecessary risks for everyone who uses that airport," said Robert Hedrick, managing attorney at Aviation Law Group, which is investigating the crash.
Investigation continues
The NTSB's investigation is expected to take 18 to 24 months to complete, with a final report that will determine the probable cause and likely result in safety recommendations.
Investigators are analyzing the aircraft's cockpit voice recorder and engine data to understand exactly how the approach was flown and what decisions were made in the final minutes. The jet was not equipped with a flight data recorder, limiting investigators' ability to reconstruct the aircraft's systems and automation status during the critical final approach.
The preliminary report does not assign blame or determine a cause, noting only that multiple factors appear to have contributed to the tragedy.
For the residents of Murphy Canyon, the investigation offers little comfort as they work to rebuild their lives and homes. The crash has left a lasting scar on the quiet military housing neighborhood, where charred pavement and damaged homes serve as stark reminders of that foggy morning when a routine business flight became a deadly disaster.
"We're just grateful to be alive," said Maria Santos, whose home was damaged in the crash. "But we keep thinking — if all that safety equipment had been working, would this have happened at all?"
Times staff writer contributed to this report. Contact the reporters at aviation@latimes.com
NTSB Preliminary Report Reveals Below-Minimum Descent, Infrastructure Deficiencies in May 22 Accident
June 27, 2025
The National Transportation Safety Board's preliminary report on the fatal May 22 Cessna Citation S550 crash in San Diego reveals a complex accident chain involving multiple equipment failures, regulatory gaps, and operational pressures that culminated in the aircraft striking power lines during a low-visibility approach to Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport (MYF).
The accident, which killed all six occupants including pilot and aircraft owner Dave Shapiro, occurred at 03:47 PDT when the 1985-vintage Citation (N666DS) descended below published approach minimums and struck 90-95-foot transmission lines approximately 1.8 nautical miles from the runway. The resulting crash and fire in the Murphy Canyon military housing neighborhood damaged or destroyed 21 vehicles and one home, while injuring eight residents on the ground.
Infrastructure Failures Compound Weather Challenges
The preliminary report highlights multiple infrastructure deficiencies that complicated the single-pilot operation. Montgomery Field's Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS) was inoperative at the time of the accident, forcing air traffic controllers to relay weather information from Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, located approximately four miles north. This absence of local weather data, including a critical altimeter setting, may have violated FAA procedures outlined in Air Traffic Control Order JO 7110.65, which states that approaches are not authorized without current destination airport altimeter settings.
Adding to the navigation challenges, the airport's Runway Alignment Indicator (RAI) lights had been out of service since March 28, 2022—more than three years—while awaiting completion of an environmental study required for repairs. These strobing lights, designed to guide pilots through low-visibility final approaches, represent a critical safety system that had been unavailable longer than the pilot had held his single-pilot authorization.
Weather conditions at the time were well below approach minimums, with Miramar reporting half-mile visibility and an indefinite ceiling at 200 feet—significantly below the published minimums for any version of the RNAV GPS Runway 28R approach the aircraft was flying.
Below-Minimums Descent Sequence
ADS-B tracking data reveals a concerning descent profile that began early in the approach sequence. While the pilot correctly crossed the NESTY waypoint at 3,750 feet mean sea level (just 50 feet below the cleared altitude), subsequent altitude violations became progressively more severe.
At the PENYY final approach fix, the aircraft crossed at 2,450 feet MSL, 50 feet below the published minimum of 2,500 feet. The deviation escalated dramatically at the PALOS waypoint, where the Citation crossed at 1,190 feet MSL—nearly 200 feet below the required 1,380-foot minimum. The final ADS-B return showed the aircraft at just 464 feet MSL, approximately 60 feet above ground level, while still 1.8 nautical miles from the runway in instrument meteorological conditions.
Single-Pilot Operations Under Review
The accident places renewed focus on single-pilot operations in transport category aircraft. Shapiro had received his single-pilot exemption for the Citation S550 on December 15, 2024—just five months before the accident—following specialized training and evaluation. The exemption system, governed by FAA guidelines and individual training provider protocols, typically includes restrictions on minimum weather conditions and experience requirements.
Industry experts note that single-pilot operations in the Citation 500 series require pilots to manage complex systems, approach procedures, and weather decisions without the safety net of a second crew member. The Citation S550, originally certified as a two-pilot aircraft under Part 25 regulations, requires an exemption for single-pilot operations, unlike newer aircraft designed from inception for single-pilot flight.
The long-duty day may have contributed to pilot fatigue. The flight originated at Teterboro, New Jersey, at 23:09 EDT on May 21, made a fuel stop in Wichita, Kansas, around midnight local time, then continued to San Diego in the early morning hours—representing approximately eight hours of duty time for a solo pilot managing a coast-to-coast overnight flight.
Regulatory and Safety Implications
The accident exposes potential gaps in current regulations and infrastructure maintenance protocols. FAA Advisory Circular 150/5345-28 recommends regular maintenance of approach lighting systems, yet critical components at MYF had remained inoperative for more than three years due to administrative delays.
The absence of a flight data recorder, not required for aircraft of this vintage, limits investigators' ability to reconstruct the aircraft's automation status during the final approach. Only a cockpit voice recorder was installed, leaving questions about autopilot configuration, mode selection, and pilot inputs unanswered pending CVR analysis.
Aviation safety experts point to this accident as highlighting the cumulative effect of multiple risk factors in single-pilot operations. Former NTSB investigator and aviation safety consultant John Cox noted, "When you have inoperative weather equipment, missing approach lights, marginal conditions, and a fatigued pilot operating alone, the safety margins become razor-thin."
Industry Response and Future Implications
The accident has prompted renewed discussion within the aviation community about infrastructure investment and single-pilot operational standards. The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) has called for accelerated repairs to approach lighting systems and improved backup weather reporting capabilities at public-use airports.
Textron Aviation, manufacturer of the Citation series, is participating in the investigation along with engine manufacturer Williams International. The company has historically supported single-pilot operations through specialized training programs while emphasizing the importance of rigorous weather minimums and currency requirements.
The NTSB's final report, expected within 18-24 months, will determine the probable cause and may result in recommendations addressing infrastructure maintenance, single-pilot operational limits, and weather reporting requirements. The investigation continues with analysis of the cockpit voice recorder and engine Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC) data.
Current Status
The wreckage has been relocated to a secure facility for detailed examination. The NTSB's investigation team, led by Investigator-in-Charge Daniel Baker, includes representatives from the FAA, Textron Aviation, and Williams International.
The accident marks the first fatal Citation S550 single-pilot operation since the current exemption protocols were established, potentially influencing future single-pilot authorization requirements and training standards across the light jet fleet.
Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport remains operational with repairs to the RAI lighting system now prioritized following the accident, though completion timelines remain dependent on the ongoing environmental study process.
Sources and Citations
- National Transportation Safety Board. (2025, June 18). Aviation Investigation Preliminary Report WPR25FA161. Retrieved from https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200192/pdf
- Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. (2025, May 22). Citation struck wires on approach. AOPA Online. https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2025/may/22/citation-apparently-struck-wires-on-approach
- Godlewski, M. (2025, June 18). NTSB Releases Preliminary Report on San Diego Crash. Flying Magazine. https://www.flyingmag.com/ntsb-releases-preliminary-report-on-san-diego-crash/
- CNN Staff. (2025, June 18). San Diego plane crash: NTSB releases preliminary report. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/18/us/san-diego-plane-crash-ntsb-report
- Federal Aviation Administration. (2024). Flight Standardization Board Report, Revision 2: CE-500 Series Aircraft. Washington, DC: FAA.
- Aviation Source News. (2025, June 19). NTSB Releases Preliminary Report on Fatal Cessna Citation Crash Near San Diego. https://aviationsourcenews.com/ntsb-releases-preliminary-report-on-fatal-cessna-citation-crash-near-san-diego/
- Fear of Landing Aviation Safety Blog. (2025, May 23). Citation II Crashes in San Diego Residential Area During Low-Visibility Approach. https://fearoflanding.com/accidents/citation-ii-crashes-in-san-diego-residential-area-during-low-visibility-approach/
- Aviation Safety Network. (2025, May 22). Wirestrike Accident Cessna S550 Citation S/II N666DS. https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/513483
- Ramos Law Firm. (2025, May 23). Cessna 550 Citation Crashes into Murphy Canyon Neighborhood San Diego - May 22, 2025. https://www.ramoslaw.com/cessna-550-citation-crashes-into-murphy-canyon-neighborhood-san-diego-may-22-2025/
- Wikipedia Contributors. (2025). 2025 San Diego Cessna Citation II crash. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_San_Diego_Cessna_Citation_II_crash
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