At least two people died and eight were injured on Thursday when a plane crashed in a residential area of San Diego, California, local authorities report.
The small, Cessna 550 private plane was en route from Wichita, Kansas, to Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport in San Diego when it crashed just before it was scheduled to land, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The FAA has launched an investigation into the crash, along with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
CNN quotes an accident investigator from the NTSB as saying that the aircraft first hit power lines about two miles from the airport, then slammed into nearby homes.
“There are at least two dead and eight injured,” said Dan Eddy from the San Diego Fire Department. The casualties are believed to be those on board the aircraft, rather than residents of the destroyed homes and vehicles.
Six people were on board the Cessna 550, according to the FAA, which also reported two fatalities.
The crash occurred around 3:45 a.m. local time in the Murphy Canyon area, a predominantly military neighbourhood. Eddy noted that several vehicles caught fire and jet fuel spread throughout the area, likening the scene to a movie scenario.
The fire was swiftly brought under control, according to the fire department.
At least ten homes were damaged or destroyed, and a number of cars were burnt out. About 100 residents were relocated to hotels, while others found shelter with friends and family.
Many of the affected residents have military backgrounds.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have launched an investigation into the cause of the crash.
