Tierrasanta residents file tort claims for injuries and trauma they suffered after a plane crashed into their home in May 2025.
SAN DIEGO — Three people are taking legal action against the city of San Diego for injuries they suffered and trauma they witnessed on May 22, 2025, after a Cessna 550 Citation crashed into their home.
The plane crash killed all six people on board, including a San Diego-based music executive, two of his employees, a popular musician, a photographer and a well-known martial artist from Pacific Beach. Jet fuel from the plane ignited over 20 cars and parts of neighboring homes.
In three separate tort claims, the first step in filing a lawsuit, three residents who lived inside a home on Sample Street on the edge of Tierrasanta and Murphy Canyon say they were awoken at around 3:45 a.m. to the Cessna private plane crashing into their home.
The residents, Jessica Schrader, Phoenix Dye and Sara Gutshow immediately fled the home and, according to the claim, were forced to step over dead bodies and flaming wreckage as they evacuated. One of the three women fell while doing so and injured her knee. All the while, the three were forced to breathe in noxious fumes from the burning jet fuel.
Schrader, Dye and Gutshow say they are “extremely traumatized” by the crash and have dealt with a variety of medical issues.
The three residents say the city of San Diego is liable for the crash because it failed to “adhere” to Federal Aviation Regulations.
“Investigators determined there was thick fog, problems with runway lights and a broken weather alert system,” reads the claims.
National Transportation Safety Board investigators did find in their preliminary report that the runway lights at the urban Montgomery Field Airport had been non-operational since 2022. However, investigators did not indicate that the lack of lights contributed to pilot David Shapiro’s low approach.
In addition to the downed lights, pilot Shapiro was looking to land in dense fog.
Investigators also found that the Federal Aviation Administration had posted notices to inform pilots of the broken runway lights and that repairs were on hold pending an environmental study.
In addition to the inoperable runway lights, a power surge knocked out Montgomery Field’s weather system. Investigators say Mr. Shapiro was aware of the dense fog.
Each claim is seeking $5 million in damages.
The city of San Diego declined to comment due to pending litigation.