F-18 Crashes Into Residential Neighborhood in San Diego

Via FoxNews -

An F-18 has crashed in a residential neighborhood in San Diego, sparking at least one house fire.

Footage from the scene showed columns of white smoke rising from a housing development.

Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor said the plane crashed shortly before noon Monday as it prepared to land at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. The crash occurred two miles from the base.

Gregor said the pilot ejected.

Maurice Luque, a spokesman for the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department, said he didn't know if anyone was injured or property was damaged.

TV footage showed one house and two cars on fire.

The F-18 is a supersonic jet used widely in the Marine Corps and Navy.

Resident Scott Patterson cried as she told KNX radio, "We saw two big bangs. The smoke came up. We don't know what it was."

Miramar, well known for its role in the movie "Top Gun," is home to some 10,000 Marines. It was operated by the U.S. Navy until 1996.

The San Diego Union-Tribune reported that the crash happened near Cather Avenue and Huggins Street in University City.

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UPDATE (12/8 6:49 PM CST) - The New York Times is reporting that two people were killed in the incident.

UPDATE (12/8 11:08 PM CST) - The AP is reporting - Three people were killed in a house where two children, a mother and a grandmother were believed to be at the time of the crash, but fire officials did not immediately know who died. Another person remained missing, and officials said the search was suspended until Tuesday morning.

UPDATE (12/9 11:56 PM CST) - CNN - Four people have been reportly killed. A Korean immigrant who lost his wife, two children and mother-in-law when a Marine Corps jet slammed into the family's house said Tuesday he did not blame the pilot, who ejected and survived.