San Diego plane crash victims list: Dave Shapiro, Daniel Williams and 4 others were on Cessna 550
The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed that six people were on board the Cessna 550 aircraft that crashed near Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport in San Diego, California, around 3:45 AM local time on Thursday. While authorities are yet to identify the victims, music producer David ‘Dave’ Shapiro’s team told Billboard that he was one of those killed. Former Devil Wears Prada drummer Daniel Williams also died.
San Diego plane crash victims were identified on Thursday(Instagram)
Shapiro was the co-founder of Sound Talent Group (STG). “We are devastated by the loss of our co-founder, colleagues and friends … Thank you so much for respecting their privacy at this time,” the agency told Billboard on Thursday.
Read More: Who was Dave Shapiro? Sound Talent Group founder dead in San Diego Cessna 550 plane crash
After producing some top hits, Dave Shapiro became a certified flying instructor. He had 15 years of experience under his belt, according to the web site of his flight school, Velocity Aviation.
At least two other STG employees died in the crash, Billboard further reported.
Daniel Williams posted an Instagram story about boarding the Cessna 550 before it took off. “Flying back with @davevelocity.”
“Hey. Hey … you … look at me … I’m the (co)pilot now,” he wrote with another photo. Members of his former band confirmed his tragic death by posting a heart emoji on their Instagram.
They said, “No words. We owe you everything. Love you forever.”
The private jet crashed early into a neighborhood of US Navy-owned housing during foggy weather, igniting at least one home and numerous vehicles parked on the street. Several people were injured while trying to flee as flames raced down a single street.
At least one home was destroyed with its front heavily burned and its roof partially collapsed.
San Diego police officer Anthony Carrasco said five people from a single family were taken to a hospital for smoke inhalation after evacuating to a nearby school. Another person was treated at a hospital for injuries sustained while climbing out of a window trying to flee. Two others were treated for minor injuries at the scene.
“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 tracking site FlightAware lists a Cessna Citation II jet scheduled to arrive at the Montgomery-Gibbs Executive airport in San Diego at 3:47 AM from the small Colonel James Jabara Airport in Wichita, Kansas.
(With inputs from AP)
