SANTEE, Calif. (KGTV) – At least two people are dead after a plane crashed in a neighborhood near San Diego, California, on Monday.
Authorities say they began receiving reports of a plane down in a Santee neighborhood around 12:30 p.m.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the plane was a twin-engine Cessna C340. The FAA added, "We do not yet know how many people were on board."
UPS confirmed that one of its employees was killed during the plane crash. Read a statement from UPS below:
We are heartbroken by the loss of our employee, and extend our deepest condolences to his family and friends. We also send our condolences for the other individuals who are involved in this incident, and their families and friends.
We are cooperating with the responding authorities in their investigation, and we are respectfully deferring questions to the investigating authorities.
The crash appeared to have sparked a fire that burned at least two homes and several vehicles, but responding firefighters were able to put out the fire before it spread to other houses.
Santee Deputy Fire Chief Justin Matsushita said in addition to the two people who died, two others were taken to a hospital.
Matsushita described the scene as “pretty brutal,” and noted there was a possibility of more fatalities.
Details on what led to the crash were not immediately available.
According to the county, the plane's flight plan listed the aircraft coming from Yuma, Ariz., and scheduled to land at Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport in Kearny Mesa. The county added that the plane was not in radio contact with nearby Gillespie Field tower, and there is no indication it was trying to land there.
