Accident Overview
On May 22, 2025, at 0347 Pacific daylight time (PDT), a Cessna Citation S550, registration N666DS, was destroyed in an accident near San Diego, California. The pilot and five passengers sustained fatal injuries, and eight individuals on the ground received minor injuries. The flight was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
Flight History
The airplane departed Teterboro Airport (TEB), Teterboro, New Jersey, on May 21 at about 2309 eastern daylight time (EDT) and arrived at Colonel James Jabara Airport (AAO), Wichita, Kansas, at approximately 0148 central daylight time (CDT). At AAO, it was refueled with 548 gallons of Jet-A fuel before departing again at about 0236 CDT (0036 PDT) for Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport (MYF), San Diego, California. MYF is a tower-controlled airport between 0700 and 1800 local time and operates as an uncontrolled airport during other hours.
As the airplane neared MYF, the pilot contacted Southern California Terminal Radar Approach Control (SOCAL TRACON) while at 17,000 ft mean sea level (msl). The controller informed the pilot that the Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS) at MYF was out of service, a fact the pilot acknowledged. The controller asked which approach the pilot intended to fly; the pilot requested the RNAV (GPS) instrument approach to runway 28R but did not specify whether it would be the LPV or LNAV variant. The controller cleared the pilot direct to the NESTY approach fix and instructed a descent to 9,000 ft. The pilot then requested assistance in obtaining weather conditions at MYF, and the controller relayed conditions from Marine Corps Air Station Miramar (NKS), about 4 miles north: wind calm, ½ mile visibility, and an indefinite 200 ft ceiling.
The pilot discussed alternate airport options with the controller in the event of a missed approach but did not inform SOCAL TRACON of his final selection.
Approach and Impact
When the airplane was approximately 10 miles northeast of NESTY, the controller asked if the pilot intended to make his descent and offered vectors to the south. The pilot replied, “I think we’ll be alright.” At that time, the airplane was at about 8,000 ft msl with a ground speed of 270 knots. The controller then instructed the pilot to cross NESTY at or above 3,800 ft msl and cleared him for the RNAV approach to runway 28R.
ADS-B data indicated the airplane crossed abeam NESTY at about 3,750 ft msl and a ground speed of 200 knots (191 KCAS). It continued to slow and descend, crossing the final approach fix PENYY at 0344:50 at an altitude of about 2,450 ft msl and ground speed of about 175 knots (167 KCAS). The pilot made a position call on the MYF common traffic advisory frequency stating he was at 3 miles on the approach, followed by seven microphone key presses consistent with an attempt to activate the pilot-controlled runway lighting.
The airplane crossed PALOS, 2.9 nautical miles from the runway 28R displaced threshold, at 0346:12 at about 1,190 ft msl and 120 knots ground speed (117 KCAS). The published minimum crossing altitude at PALOS is 1,380 ft msl. The airplane continued to descend until the ADS-B data ended at 0346:47 at an altitude of about 464 ft msl (approximately 60 ft above ground level).
The first identified point of contact (FIPC) was damaged power transmission lines about 90–95 ft above the ground (about 500 ft msl), located about 1.8 nautical miles from the threshold. Parts of the left horizontal stabilizer, left elevator, and vertical stabilizer were found about 200 ft beyond the lines. The debris field extended about 1,200 ft on a magnetic heading of approximately 300° from the FIPC, spanning brush-covered terrain and a residential neighborhood.
The main wreckage—thermally damaged remnants of the cabin, engines, and left wing—came to rest on a residential street about 1.6 nautical miles from the threshold. One residential structure and 20 vehicles were damaged or destroyed by the impact or subsequent fire.
Post-Accident Examination
A cockpit voice recorder (CVR) was recovered from the wreckage and sent to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Laboratory for examination and audio extraction. The left and right engine Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC) units were also recovered for data download. The airplane was not equipped with a flight data recorder (FDR).
The RNAV (GPS) runway 28 approach was designed for Category A and B aircraft only. According to the Flight Standardization Board Report for CE-500 series airplanes, the CE-500 series is considered Category B.
A notice to airmen (NOTAM) effective at the time informed pilots that the Runway Alignment Indicator (RAI) lights at MYF had been out of service since March 28, 2022, with repairs delayed pending completion of an environmental study. All other runway lighting was operational.
The pilot was based at MYF and had received a flight evaluation and an exemption to fly the Cessna Citation S550 single-pilot on December 15, 2024.