Music agency Sound Talent Group said Thursday that three of its employees, including co-founder Dave Shapiro, died on a private jet near San Diego.
Shapiro is listed as the owner of the aircraft and has a pilot license, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). According to his LinkedIn page, Shapiro also owns a record company called Speed Aviation and a record company.
The agency did not share the names of the other two dead employees.
“We are shocked by the loss of co-founders, colleagues and friends. Our hearts are doing our best to their families and everyone affected by the tragedy today,” the agency said in a statement.
Sound Talent Group represents artists, including American pop band Hanson, American singer-songwriter Vanessa Carlton and Canadian Rock Group 41. mmmmbop.
American rock bands such as Rosecoloredworld and Concrete Castle and Japanese heavy metal band Nemophila signed Shapiro's speed record.
Shapiro also owns a flight school, Speed Aviation.
San Diego authorities earlier said two people died. The total death toll is unclear, but six people were on the plane, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
Private jets crashed in fog near U.S. Navy-owned housing in San Diego, igniting at least one house and many vehicles parked on the street. Elliot Simpson of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said the plane cut the power cord before hitting the house.
Several people who tried to escape after the Murphy Canyon crash before 4 a.m. were injured, the largest home owned by the country's navy. Others were treated for inhaling smoke.
Neighbors hit hard
At least one house was burned, its front was severely burned, and the roof part collapsed. About 10 people caused damage at the scene, and six of them were melted and coking the shell.
Ariya Waterworth said she woke up and made a “hoarse voice” and saw a huge fireball outside. When the firefighter arrived, she screamed for help and helped her get out with her two children and their domestic dog.
One car in the family “completely disintegrated” and another car suffered extensive damage. Her yard was scattered with airplane parts, broken glass and debris.
“I will definitely feel happy because we are spared,” she said.
San Diego police officer Anthony Carrasco said five people in a family were taken to a hospital for smoking after evacuating to a nearby school. Another person was treated at a hospital and was injured while climbing out of a window that he tried to escape. The other two were slightly injured at the scene.
Police said at least 100 residents were evacuated from the neighborhood, with surrounding blocks blocked with yellow police tape and checkpoints. The jet fuel rolled down a few hours after the crash. The smell of fuel lingers in the air as authorities struggle to put out a stubborn car fire, causing smoke to roll.
“I can't say a word to describe the appearance of the scene, but with jet fuel popping up on the streets, everything caught fire immediately and everything was horrible,” said San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl.
The plane takes off from New Jersey
Tracking website Flighataare shows Shapiro's Cessna Citation II jets take off from Teterboro, New Jersey, and fly to Wichita, Kansas on Wednesday night. Simpson said the plane stopped in Kansas before continuing to San Diego. The New Jersey Airport, where the flight originates, is about 10 kilometers from Manhattan and is a frequent airport for private and corporate jets.
The recording included a brief spread from the pilot calling for him to be on the final path of Montgomery-Gibbs Airport, less than five kilometers local time at 3:45 a.m.
Rescue workers help residents and pets escape
Christopher Moore, who lives on a street at the crash site, said he and his wife were awakened by a loud explosion. They caught three little boys and ran out of the house. On the way out of the neighborhood, they saw a car engulfed in flames.
“It’s certainly scary, but sometimes you just need to put your head down to be safe,” he said.
Police rescued multiple animals, including three husky puppies rolling away in the van. A few blocks away, families, including Moore, stood in a parking lot, waiting to learn when they could return home.
Weather may play a role in crashes
The FAA said the NTSB will lead the investigation.
