Early yesterday morning, a private jet tragically crashed in San Diego. While there are lots more questions than answers as of now, the air traffic control audio from this is quite something…
In this post:
Cessna Citation II crashed on approach to San Diego
Shortly before 4AM on Thursday, May 22, 2025, a 40-year-old Cessna Citation II with the registration code N666DS crashed (that’s quite the registration code). The plane was on approach to San Diego’s Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport (MYF), where visibility was just half a mile, with a low cloud ceiling.
The plane crashed into a residential area (with military housing) of Murphy Canyon, around two miles from the airport. The aircraft first struck power lines, then clipped part of a house, before coming to a stop a little further north. In total, 10 homes were damaged, with one being completely destroyed.
The plane was being flown by 42-year-old Dave Shapiro, a music industry executive who also seemed to be a huge aviation geek, as he owned a flight school, and used to be a flight instructor. It’s believed that there were six people on the plane, including former musician Daniel Williams, who had posted pictures from the plane on Instagram before the flight.
VASAviation has the air traffic control audio from this incident. First of all, this is almost eerie to listen to, since sadly you know these were likely among the last words that the pilot was speaking (it’s my understanding that it was Shapiro communicating). He comes across as polite, calm, and competent. Second of all, it’s pretty incredible how within hours of an accident, we can have the air traffic control audio and an exact visualization of what happened.
Listening to the audio, you can’t help but realize what a challenging situation this is. He asked the air traffic controller for an updated weather report, saying “I want to see what I’m in for here.” When he was given the information, he said “alright, doesn’t sound great, but we’ll give it a go.”
He asked for alternatives, only to learn those weren’t much better either. The last phrase is probably the most noteworthy — “we’ll hopefully not see you… but we might have to.”
It’s all just heartbreaking. May those onboard who lost their lives rest in peace, and may those on the ground who were injured make quick recoveries.
Fatigue & “get-there-itis” may be contributing factors
Based on what we know so far, the aircraft was on the correct course, it was just way too low. Since the aircraft was on an instrument approach, one certainly wonders what went wrong that caused the plane to impact the ground two miles from the runway. With very little visibility, I imagine the pilot had no clue what was happening until seconds before the plane impacted the ground (if that).
It’s hard to imagine that fatigue and “get-there-itis” didn’t factor into this in some way. The plane was coming from New York — it took off from Teterboro Airport in New York (TEB) at 11:15PM the night before, and operated a 3hr34min flight to Colonel James Jabara Airport in Wichita (AAO). There the jet was refueled for around 45 minutes, before taking off at 2:36AM local time, and operating the 3hr11min flight to Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport in San Diego (MYF).
Flying for nearly eight hours overnight is exhausting, especially on such a small jet, and especially when they all presumably had a full day in New York (it’s not like he’s an airline pilot, and his job is to sleep as much as possible before a flight). Keep in mind that weather in the San Diego area was fine when they initially left New York, and it deteriorated as they approached. While approaching San Diego, you could hear the pilot asking about alternative airports, but those weren’t much better either.
I’m not saying either of those were the root causes of this — we have to wait for an investigation — but the combination of fatigue and lack of good alternatives is a story that we’ve heard many times before, and I’m sure that will be closely investigated.
Bottom line
A Cessna Citation II crashed into a residential area in San Diego, two miles from the runway. This happened in the early hours of the morning, with very limited visibility. What a heartbreaking accident, especially when you consider the factors here, and hear the air traffic control audio.
The pilot had been flying all night from New York, the alternatives weren’t looking good, etc. One can’t help but wonder if this would’ve ended differently if exhaustion weren’t such a factor, and/or if the alternative airports had better conditions. May those who lost their lives rest in peace.
What do you make of this incident?
I live in San Diego and I believe the pilot was talking to air traffic control at Gillespie Field, which is east of Montgomery Field. Fog is almost always worse at the coast. When the pilot says he hopes not to see the air traffic controller, I believe he means he hopes not to have to divert to Gillespie Field, which would have had less fog because it is further inland. Unfortunately, that is what should have occurred.
Listening to it last night gave me goose bumps, they sounded so calm and looking at alternates if needed, RIP.
I own/operate a similar version of this plane, and fly single pilot including on occasional transcon trips (though not redeyes). I've heard through the grapevine that this pilot was experienced, sensible, safety oriented, and just a genuinely nice guy. Sounds like he regularly does this late night trip like this, and was based at this airport so likely familiar with the approach and runway environment in these conditions. This aircraft had upgraded engines but lacked...
I own/operate a similar version of this plane, and fly single pilot including on occasional transcon trips (though not redeyes). I've heard through the grapevine that this pilot was experienced, sensible, safety oriented, and just a genuinely nice guy. Sounds like he regularly does this late night trip like this, and was based at this airport so likely familiar with the approach and runway environment in these conditions. This aircraft had upgraded engines but lacked a glass cockpit.
That being said, the "holes in the Swiss cheese" are many here:
1. Fatigue / late departure time
2. Low IFR conditions (not in and of its self a risk)
3. Night
4. Pre-mature disconnect of the autopilot (my hypothesis)
5. Limited alternates
I firmly believe the single pilot operation of jets like this is very safe so you minimize your risk factors. The number of factors on this flight is far beyond my personal tolerances.
Sad outcome for a flight that should have just left at 7 or 8 AM the next morning.
Dinosaurs like JoeAmateurSaurus can get fatigue.
But Joe wants to live like a king holding flying public as hostages.
Ben asks: “What do you make of this incident?”
Well now, in my opinion, from the information available in the article, only a numpty would hazard a guess.