The crash occurred sometime before 3:45 a.m. Thursday at the intersection of Sample and Salmon streets in the Murphy Canyon neighborhood, near Tierrasanta. The music agency Sound Talent Group said Thursday that three of its employees died on the private plane that crashed into a San Diego neighborhood.

Authorities in California say no-one was seriously injured in the residential area but at least two plane passengers have died.

Several people are feared dead after a small plane crashed into a California neighborhood before dawn Thursday, destroying homes and setting cars on fire.