Plane Crashes into Neighborhood Near El Cajon, No Survivors Found

Photo: Getty Images

EL CAJON (CNS) - Authorities confirmed today that the small airplane that crashed in a neighborhood near El Cajon was carrying four people and departed from John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana.

The crash was reported at about 7:15 p.m. Monday near the 1200 block of Pepper Drive and North Mollison Avenue in the unincorporated Bostonia neighborhood.

The area is a few miles east of Gillespie Field airport, where the plane was scheduled to land.

Deputies from the San Diego County Sheriff's Department's Santee and Lakeside stations immediately responded to the scene along with the Lakeside Fire Protection District, the California Highway Patrol and the El Cajon Police Department.

One home was damaged, but no injuries were reported on the ground, officials said.

The sheriff's department tweeted at 8:57 p.m. that the fire was out, and added that the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board were notified and will be handling the investigation. The NTSB said the plane was a Learjet 35A business jet, which seats eight people.

Rick Breitenfeldt, an FAA spokesperson, told Fox 5 in San Diego that the aircraft departed from John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana with four people onboard.

``The FAA and NTSB will investigate. The NTSB will be in charge of the investigation and will provide all updates. Neither agency identifies people involved in aircraft accidents,'' Breitenfeldt said.

Anyone who witnessed the crash or has photos or videos from the scene was asked to email witness@ntsb.gov.

Pepper Drive would remain closed between Topper Lane and North Second Street through Wednesday, officials said.

The crash took down an unknown amount of power lines. San Diego Gas & Electric reported that 350 customers in the El Cajon area were without power. Power was expected to be restored early this morning, according to the utility.

The American Red Cross would provide assistance today to residents who remain affected by the power outage, according to sheriff's officials.


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