A beloved drummer has tragically died following a private jet crash that claimed at least two lives and left several others injured.
The fatal accident occurred late Wednesday night when a Cessna 550 with the tail number N666DS crashed in a quiet military neighborhood in San Diego, just miles from its intended destination, Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport.
Private Jet Crash Kills 2, Sparks Firestorm That Destroys Homes And Injures 8
According to flight tracking data, the aircraft had departed Teterboro Airport in New Jersey at 11:15 p.m. ET, made a scheduled fuel stop in Wichita, Kansas, and continued westward before the crash.
On Thursday, investigators confirmed that both people on board were killed. Eight others sustained injuries, though authorities have not yet clarified whether they were passengers or individuals on the ground.
The impact of the crash extended well beyond the aircraft itself. At least 10 homes were either burned or damaged by debris scattered across a wide area, with vehicles on both sides of a residential street engulfed in flames. A family of five was hospitalized for smoke inhalation, while another resident sustained injuries while escaping through a window to flee the growing fire.
Two additional individuals were treated at the scene for minor injuries.
Former Devil Wears Prada Drummer Shared Eerie Final Posts Before Fatal Jet Crash
Instagram Stories | Daniel Williams
Just hours before the crash, 39-year-old Daniel Williams, former drummer of The Devil Wears Prada, shared a series of chilling posts on social media, including a video of himself boarding the jet and a selfie at the controls with the caption, “Here we gooooo.”
In one image, he jokingly referred to himself as the “co-pilot now,” though it remains unclear if he had any actual role in flying the aircraft.
The musician had been flying alongside music agent and pilot Dave Shapiro, who reportedly purchased the eight-seater jet in July of last year.
Shapiro’s friend, music producer Ryan Bruce, shared a heartfelt tribute in the wake of the tragedy. “Dave changed mine and a lot of other people’s lives,” he told the Daily Mail. “The community he built and the network of bands he worked with and supported will never forget him. Daniel left us a lot of music to remember him by, and he was a super sweet guy.”
Tributes For Daniel Williams Pour In
The official social media account for the podcast show “State of the Scene” paid tribute to Williams, writing, “Heart goes out to Dave Shapiro and Daniel Williams’ family and friends. What a f-cking tragedy this week has been.”
And someone else echoed, “Holy Sh-t! What A week it has been. Outdoor Boys retired, Nik Nocturnal retired, and now the tragic passing of Dave Shapiro (known well in the metal scene) and former TDWP drummer Daniel Williams.”
They added, “RIP Dave Shapiro, Daniel Williams, & everyone on that flight! This is sad.”
In another post, one of the band’s fans shared, “Spending the rest of my day listening to old Prada tunes. Rest in Power Daniel Williams. I’m gutted.”
“Rest in Peace Dave Shapiro, Daniel Williams, and everyone on that flight,” another wrote. “Some of my very first shows were booked through Dave. I had a handful of shows with Daniel, always a pleasure to see him play. Gone way too soon. “
Fans Grieve Daniel Williams After Horrific Crash
Others commented on the photos Williams shared just hours before the crash.
“Seeing Daniel Williams last posts being the plane that crashed hours prior is just such a chilling thing to view,” one X user wrote. “Rest in power, legend.”
“The fact that he shared photos shortly before he died is just eerie,” another expressed.
Cessna Crash Near San Diego Happened With Tower Closed
According to NBC, NTSB Senior Aviation Accident Investigator Eliott Simpson says the plane struck power lines approximately two miles southeast of the airport during its descent. Simpson noted that the airport’s control tower was closed at the time of the crash, which is typical for airports of that size and does not necessarily indicate procedural error.
Investigators are currently working to locate the aircraft’s black box and cockpit voice recorder, which could provide critical insight into the moments leading up to the crash. The NTSB team is expected to remain on site through Friday, with the aircraft recovery process scheduled for Saturday.
A preliminary report on the incident will be released in the coming weeks, though Simpson cautioned that a final, comprehensive report could take up to 18 months to complete.
