- Two people died when a Cessna Skyhawk crashed and burned at Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport on Monday evening.
- San Diego Fire-Rescue sent about 30 responders, who contained the fuel-fed blaze while crews secured the runway.
- The FAA closed the airport, and the NTSB is investigating the crash, which officials have not yet explained.
Two people died after a Cessna Skyhawk crashed and caught fire on a runway at Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport in San Diego on Monday, September 7, 2026, around 5:20 p.m. The aircraft came down at the airport in Kearny Mesa, killing both people aboard.
San Diego Fire-Rescue sent about 30 personnel to the airfield. Crews put out the flames while managing an active fuel leak.
Brian Raines, an assistant fire chief with the department, said the aircraft suffered heavy damage. Responders could not remove the victims from the wreckage.
Candice Hadley, a department spokesperson, offered condolences to the victims’ families.
“This is a terrible situation, and our hearts go out to the families of the individuals who were in this plane.”
The Federal Aviation Administration closed the airport during emergency operations. The National Transportation Safety Board was en route to lead the crash investigation.
Officials had not released the victims’ identities or determined what caused the crash. They also had not said whether the plane was departing or arriving.
The fire was contained before investigators took over
Raines said the aircraft stopped in the center of the runway, where fuel continued to burn as crews worked around the wreckage.
“It's tragic, our hearts, our thoughts and our prayers are with the two that were lost and the families,” Raines said.
He described the site as “right in the middle of the runway” and said the plane had “active fuel leaking and burning.” Crews knocked down the fire quickly, although the fuel leak required continued attention.
Raines said the location limited the danger beyond the aircraft.
“So there were no exposures or no danger of anything else catching fire”
A fire department official said responders would not release the aircraft’s tail number while the federal investigation was pending.
“We are not releasing the tail number at this point pending NTSB investigation.”
The tower received a report from a pilot who saw the flames on the airfield.
“Looks like there's a fire on the airfield?”
The tower replied:
“Yeah, there's an accident. The airport's closed.”
Witnesses saw the aircraft turn before flames spread
A witness said the aircraft appeared to tilt to the right before its wing hit the ground. The front of the plane caught fire within seconds.
Two people working in a nearby hangar reported hearing a boom. They saw flames rapidly engulf the aircraft and ran toward the wreckage with fire extinguishers, but the blaze spread too fast for them to stop it.
Mauricio Godinez, a pilot at the airport, also said he ran to get a fire extinguisher as the crash unfolded.
The accounts describe the aircraft’s final moments, but officials have not identified a confirmed sequence of events. Investigators must determine the aircraft’s flight path, operating status and mechanical condition.
Investigators have not established whether the plane was landing or taking off
The airport, also known as Montgomery Field, sits at 3750 John J. Montgomery Drive. It handles private and corporate aircraft, charter flights, air ambulance operations, law enforcement, fire-rescue traffic, flight training and light cargo.
Flight-tracking information and witness accounts suggested the aircraft may have been performing touch-and-go maneuvers. Officials had not confirmed that activity at the time of the briefing.
The formal investigation will be handled by the agency that arrived to examine the wreckage, records and other evidence. The tail number remained unreleased as emergency crews finished their work.
The fire was out, but crews were still cleaning up jet fuel and holding the scene for investigators. The airport remained closed after the crash while the site was secured.
