An investigation was continuing today into the crash of a small airplane that took off from John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana and slammed into a neighborhood near El Cajon in San Diego County, killing four people aboard.
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.
There was no immediate word on what led to the crash. The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board will be handling the investigation. According to the NTSB, the plane was a Learjet 35A business jet, which seats eight people. Pepper Drive is expected to 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 225 customers in the El Cajon area were without power. By midday Tuesday, SDG&E crews were still on standby, waiting for clearance to access the area. The American Red Cross was providing assistance to residents who remain affected by the power outage, according to sheriff’s officials.
