SAN DIEGO– In the early hours of May 22, 2025, a private jet tragically crashed while on approach to San Diego’s Montgomery Gibbs Executive Airport.
The accident occurred under poor weather conditions, and chilling air traffic control audio reveals the pilot’s calm demeanor until the final moments.
The Cessna Citation II, carrying six people, struck a residential area just two miles from the runway. Early investigations suggest that fatigue and limited landing alternatives may have played a role in the crash.
On May 22, 2025, at approximately 3:45 AM, a 1985 Cessna Citation II, registered as N666DS, crashed into the Murphy Canyon neighborhood, a military housing area near Montgomery Gibbs Executive Airport in San Diego.
The jet, on approach to runway 28R, struck power lines, clipped a house, and crashed, damaging 10 homes, one completely destroyed.
Six people were onboard, including Dave Shapiro, a 42-year-old music executive, pilot, and owner of the aircraft through Daviation LLC, and Daniel Williams, a former drummer for The Devil Wears Prada.
All are presumed dead, with eight ground injuries reported but no ground fatalities. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are investigating.
The aircraft departed Teterboro Airport, New Jersey, at 11:15 PM EDT on May 21, stopped for 45 minutes to refuel at Colonel James Jabara Airport in Wichita, Kansas, and continued to San Diego, a total flight time of nearly eight hours.
Dense fog with half-mile visibility and a 200-foot cloud ceiling complicated the approach.
Air traffic control (ATC) recordings, published by VASAviation, provide a haunting insight into the pilot’s final communications.
The pilot, identified as 42-year-old Dave Shapiro, a music executive and experienced aviator, was calm and composed throughout the exchange.
He requested an updated weather report, noting, “I want to see what I’m in for here.” Upon hearing the forecast, he responded, “Alright, doesn’t sound great, but we’ll give it a go.”
As the situation worsened, he asked about alternative airports, but conditions at nearby facilities offered no significant improvements.
In his final communication, he said, “We’ll hopefully not see you… But we might have to.” These words reflect both professionalism and the pressure of decision-making under fatigue and deteriorating conditions.
Shapiro was not a commercial pilot but was highly involved in aviation. He owned a flight school and had previously worked as an instructor.
Among the passengers was former musician Daniel Williams, who shared photos from the plane on social media shortly before departure.
