THE CAJON (CBSLA) Federal investigators on Wednesday continued to aim through the wreckage of a business jet that left Orange County and crashed into a residential neighborhood near El Cajon, while the second of four people who died in the crash were identified.
(credit: SIEO.TV)
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Deputies from the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department’s Santee and Lakeside stations responded to the crash, which was reported around 7:15 p.m. Monday near the 1200-block Pepper Drive and North Mollison Avenue in the unincorporated Bostonia neighborhood.
The plane was scheduled to land at Gillespie Field Airport, a few miles east of the crash site.
A home was damaged but no damage to the ground was reported, officials said. All four of the plane’s occupants were killed in the crash.
On Tuesday, the International Association of EMTs and Paramedics identified via its Facebook page one of the victims as Local 162 President Laurie Gentz.
The IAEP “issues sincere condolences for the devastating and sudden loss of local 162 President Laurie Gentz, her fellow passengers and the Learjet flight crew …,” the post said. “President Gentz will be greatly missed by all who knew her and all who benefit from her selfless contribution to organized work in the San Diego area.” wrote IAEP on the Facebook page.
The union, which represents the Oceanside firefighters, meanwhile, reported that one of the victims was Tina Ward, a flight nurse and wife of the ward’s recently retired deputy chief, Joe Ward.
“It is with heavy hearts that the Oceanside Fire Department and their fire family would like to express our deepest condolences to our newly retired Chief Ward, his family and all the family and friends of the Aeromedevac N880Z flight crew. Chief Ward’s wife, Tina, was a flight nurse on board on the plane that crashed last night in El Cajon, “Oceanside Firefighters Association 3736 wrote on Instagram.” We are shocked and saddened by this devastating news and keep you all in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. “
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A fire broke out after the accident, but was reported to have been extinguished at. 20.57
The accident also took down an unknown amount of power cord, leaving 350 customers in the El Cajon area without power. By noon on Tuesday, the SDG&E teams were still on standby waiting for permission to access the area.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board handled the investigation.
The NTSB said the aircraft was a Learjet 35A business jet.
Rick Breitenfeldt, an FAA spokesman, said the plane took off from John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana with four people on board.
“The FAA and the NTSB will investigate the matter. The NTSB will be responsible for the investigation and will provide all updates. None of the agencies identify persons involved in the plane crash,” Breitenfeldt said.
The U.S. Red Cross provided assistance to residents who remain affected by the power outage, according to sheriff’s officials.
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(© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All rights reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)
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