Overview
- A small aircraft crashed and caught fire on the runway at Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport on Monday evening, and two people on board were confirmed dead.
- About 30 San Diego Fire-Rescue personnel extinguished the blaze by roughly 7:00 p.m. and have been working to contain an active jet-fuel leak at the crash site in the middle of the runway.
- Local police are holding the scene while the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration coordinate the investigation and set conditions for moving the wreckage.
- Officials say it is not yet known whether the plane was taking off or landing and details such as the aircraft’s registered owner and exact type have not been confirmed, while social-media claims about victims remain unverified.
- The FAA has closed Montgomery-Gibbs, which handles private, training and corporate flights, and airport reopening will depend on fuel cleanup and NTSB recommendations, with nearby flights likely to be diverted until the field is cleared.