In the early hours of July 8, 2023, a devastating plane crash near Murrieta, California, claimed the lives of all six people on board. The Cessna C550 business jet went down at approximately 4:15 a.m. as it attempted to land at French Valley Airport—marking the second aviation incident at the airstrip in less than a week.
The aircraft had departed from Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas and was making its final approach when it crashed into a field just short of the runway. Upon impact, the jet erupted into flames, igniting a small brush fire that was later contained by the Riverside County Fire Department.
Tragically, there were no survivors. The jet was piloted by a licensed commercial aviator, and all five passengers were adults.
Officials report that dense early morning fog created hazardous flying conditions, severely limiting visibility. Preliminary assessments suggest that the low visibility may have caused the aircraft to miss the runway by several hundred yards.
Authorities continue to investigate the crash to determine the exact cause of this heartbreaking accident.
