Pilot Dies Following Plane Crash at Montgomery Field
A pilot died after suffering serious injuries in a plane crash at Montgomery Field on Saturday, officials said.
Air traffic controllers called 911 after the Cirrus SR20 went down in the northwest corner of the Kearny Mesa airport just before noon, San Diego Fire-Rescue Department Battalion Chief John Fisher said.
The pilot was taken to a hospital, and San Diego police confirmed around 9 p.m. that he had died.
According to FlightAware, a flight tracking website, the small aircraft had taken several short flights — from five to eight minutes long — starting around 10:40 a.m. Saturday. The aircraft took off again at 11:50 a.m. and crashed 5 minutes later.
Crews arrived from the fire station across the street in minutes and found the pilot was trapped, Fisher told OnScene TV. After the man was extricated, he was rushed to a hospital in critical condition.
The pilot was the only person aboard, according to the battalion chief. No one else was injured.
A hazardous materials crew was called to help clean the fuel that spilled during the crash.
Both the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the incident.
Updates:
9:36 p.m. Nov. 5, 2022: This story has been updated after the San Diego Police Department reported the pilot died from his injuries.
This story originally appeared in San Diego Union-Tribune.
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