Tragic Jet Crash Near French Valley Airport Claims Six Lives Amid Heavy Fog
In the early hours of Saturday, July 8, 2023, tragedy struck near French Valley Airport in Murrieta, California, when a Cessna C550 business jet crashed during its landing attempt, killing all six people on board.
The aircraft, which had departed from Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, was nearing its destination around 4:15 a.m. when it went down in a field just short of the runway. According to early reports, the plane missed the runway by several hundred yards and burst into flames upon impact.
The crash site quickly ignited a small brush fire, which was extinguished by the Riverside County Fire Department. Emergency responders arrived at the scene but tragically, no survivors were found. All six individuals on board—including the commercial pilot and five adult passengers—were pronounced dead at the site.
At the time of the incident, the area was experiencing dense fog and poor visibility, conditions that may have played a critical role in the failed landing. Investigators believe the low-visibility weather may have disoriented the pilot or hindered a clear view of the runway.
This crash marked the second aviation accident involving French Valley Airport within a span of just a few days, raising concerns about safety and weather-related protocols at the small but busy airstrip.
Federal investigators, including the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), have since launched a comprehensive investigation to determine the official cause of the crash. Their findings will examine potential contributing factors, including pilot experience, air traffic communication, aircraft condition, and weather conditions at the time of the incident.
As the investigation continues, the local community mourns the loss of six lives in what has become one of the region’s most devastating recent aviation tragedies.
