The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed Thursday evening that six people were on board the small aircraft that crashed into a San Diego neighborhood earlier that day.
Local station 7 San Diego has identified all six victims. In addition to Dave Shapiro and Daniel Williams, whose names were released Thursday, the other passengers included Kendall Fortner and Emma Huke—both booking assistants at Shapiro’s company, Sound Talent Group. Also on board were Dominic Damien, a friend of Shapiro, and professional photographer Celina Kenyon.
Dan Baker, a National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator, spoke at a press briefing Friday afternoon and provided initial findings. He confirmed that no one survived the crash but emphasized that there were no serious injuries or fatalities on the ground.
“The pilot did not report any issues to air traffic control, nor did he declare an emergency,” Baker stated. He noted that investigators have recovered flight path data, air traffic communications, and surveillance information from the aircraft’s tracking systems.
The NTSB also revealed that runway lights and flight path indicators at Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport were not operational at the time of the crash.
The crash occurred Thursday morning when the private aircraft clipped power lines and went down in a residential area. The impact ignited fuel, setting a home and multiple vehicles on fire and forcing the evacuation of nearly 100 nearby residents.
Sound Talent Group confirmed the death of its co-founder, 42-year-old Dave Shapiro, in a statement expressing grief:
“We are devastated by the loss of our co-founder, colleagues, and friends. Our hearts are with their families and everyone affected by today’s tragedy. Thank you for respecting their privacy during this difficult time.”
Shapiro, a licensed pilot, was listed as the owner of the plane, though it remains unclear whether he was at the controls during the flight.
Among the passengers was Daniel Williams, former drummer for the metalcore band The Devil Wears Prada. Before takeoff, Williams shared videos on Instagram from inside the plane, including one of him seated next to Shapiro. Following the crash, his former band posted a tribute on social media:
“No words. We owe you everything. Love you forever.”
