A small plane crashed Monday in a densely populated San Diego suburb, killing at least two people, including a UPS driver, and leaving a trail of devastation that sent neighbors scrambling to help neighbors. At least two other people were hurt.
In a statement, UPS spokesman Steve Nagata said, “We are heartbroken by the loss of our employee and extend our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends.” They also express their condolences to the other individuals involved in this incident and their families and friends.
Fire crews work the scene of a small plane crash, Monday, Oct. 11, 2021, in Santee, Calif. At least two people were killed and two others were injured when the plane crashed into a suburban Southern California neighborhood, setting two homes ablaze, authorities said. (Photo: AP/Gregory Bull)
San Diego Suburb
Neighbors recounted the dramatic rescue of a retired couple from one of two burning homes in Santee, a 50,000-person suburb. Ten additional residences were damaged. Several vehicles, including the UPS delivery truck, were also torched.
The hospital’s chief medical officer said that Dr. Sugata Das, who worked at Yuma Regional Medical Center in Arizona, was also killed in the crash. Das was the director of the Power of Love Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting women and children infected or affected by AIDS and HIV worldwide, according to the organization’s website.
According to Dr. Bharat Magu, Dr. Das leaves a lasting legacy as an exceptional cardiologist and devoted family man. Dr. Magu extends their prayers and support to his family, colleagues, and friends during this difficult time.
According to the FAA, aircraft crashed at 12:14 p.m. local time. The exact number of passengers is unknown at this time. Numerous structures and automobiles were on fire, and Officials reported that the blaze had been extinguished.
Residents have been urged to avoid the area.
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Fire crews work the scene of a small plane crash, Monday, Oct. 11, 2021, in Santee, Calif. At least two people were killed and two others were injured when the plane crashed into a suburban Southern California neighborhood, setting two homes ablaze, authorities said. (Photo: AP/Gregory Bull)
‘Low Altitude Alert’
The plane was on its way to land at San Diego’s Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport when it nosedived into the ground. A few minutes earlier, when the plane was about a half-mile from the runway, an air traffic controller warned the pilot that the plane was flying too low.
“Low altitude alert, climb immediately, climb the airplane,”
In audio obtained by KSWB-TV, the controller tells the pilot. The controller repeatedly instructs the pilot to climb to 5,000 feet and warns when the plane remains at 1,500 feet:
“You appear to be descending again, sir.”
KGTV, an ABC affiliate, posted a video of the plane arcing in the sky and then plunging into the neighborhood in a burst of flames that the station said it received from a viewer.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the plane was a twin-engine Cessna C340. Santee’s deputy fire chief said that it was a private plane flying from Yuma to Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport in San Diego.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate.
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