SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — The National Transportation Safety Board has released its preliminary report on the plane crash that killed six people and injured eight others in the Murphy Canyon military housing community of San Diego on May 22.
The report confirms many of the details ABC 10News has previously reported, including the Cessna S550's overnight flight path from New Jersey, the poor weather conditions the pilot attempted to navigate, and the runway alignment indicator (RAI) lights being out of service at Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport.
Although the RAI lights were out, NTSB's report points out that all other runway lighting was operable at the time of the crash. Montgomery-Gibbs' RAI lights have been out of service since March 28, 2022, and the repairs have been delayed due to an environmental study, the report states.
NTSB's report also sheds light on the communication between the pilot and air traffic controllers in the moments leading up to the crash.
The pilot, who ABC 10News has identified as Dave Shapiro, co-founder of Sound Talent Group, first made contact with air traffic control as he neared Montgomery-Gibbs while about 17,000 feet in the air.
According to Bob Katz, a commercial pilot and flight instructor with over 40 years of experience, who provided insight into the report's aviation language, Shapiro initially approached Montgomery Field too high and too fast. The controller informed Shapiro that the Automated Surface Observing System was down at the airport, and Shapiro replied that he was already aware of this.
After discussing approaches, the report shows that Shapiro descended quickly from 17,000 ft to 9,000 ft, as instructed by the controller.
Shapiro then inquired about the weather conditions at Montgomery-Gibbs. The controller didn't have that information.
Shapiro responded, asking for weather information at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, which is about four miles north of the airport, and the controller provided it. Katz said the controller broke FAA air traffic policy by providing that information.
The wind was calm, visibility was reduced to half a mile, and there was an indefinite 200-foot ceiling, according to the NTSB report.
The NTSB's report then stated that Shapiro discussed alternative airport weather conditions with the controller, should he have to make a missed approach. He told air traffic control he would notify them of his selection of a different airport; however, he "did not do so during the remainder of the flight."
When the plane got closer, about 10 miles northeast of a fixed approach point, the controller asked Shapiro if he was going to "make your descent," to which the pilot replied, "I think we'll be alright," declining vectors to the south from the controller.
"The airplane was at about 8,000 ft msl and 270 knots ground speed at that time. The controller informed Shapiro that he was five miles from NESTY and to cross at or above 3,800 ft msl. Shapiro was cleared to use the RNAV approach to the runway.
After continuing his descent, Shapiro made a position call on the Montgomery-Gibbs common traffic advisory frequency that he was at three miles on the approach.
The NTSB states that what followed was the sound of the microphone button being pressed seven times, consistent with an attempt to activate the pilot-controlled runway lighting, the same lighting mentioned above that's been out of service since 2022.
NTSB says Shapiro's Cessna hit power transmission lines at about 90 to 95 feet above the ground, located about 1.8 nautical miles away from the runway.
Katz said the report details that the power lines sliced the tail of his plane and damaged the stabilizers, sending the aircraft into a tumble.
The impact was on the residential homes in Murphy Canyon. The report states that the debris field was about 1,200 feet long, spanning brush-covered terrain and the Murphy Canyon neighborhood. Parts of the plane were found about 200 feet away from the power lines.
NTSB said the plane impacted one house and 20 vehicles, which were damaged or destroyed by the crash or post-crash fire.
The report also states that Shapiro was based at Montgomery-Gibbs and had undergone a flight evaluation on Dec. 15, 2024, to receive an exemption to fly the Cessna S550, a two-pilot plane, alone and was granted that exemption.
You can read the NTSB report below or by following this link:
