Critical safety notification didn’t go out ahead of fatal crash

Good Morning, I’m Andrew Dyer….it’s Wednesday, May 28th.

The FAA failed to notify pilots about broken weather equipment before last week’s crash.

More on that next. But first... the headlines….

A planned six-story apartment building next to an Oceanside senior community is moving forward.

Oceanside’s planning commission approved the 73-apartment project in October, over the objections of nearby residents.

The city council upheld that approval last week.

The building will be next to the Oceana senior community of mostly single-story, multi-family homes.

According to the Union-Tribune, residents opposed to the development

are concerned about obstructed views and breezes, as well as the increase in cars.

Warm and dry weather will continue throughout the week in the county.

Expect highs in the upper 60s along the coast and mid to upper 70s inland.

Temperatures should warm a few degrees toward the end of the weak, peaking on Friday.

The low deserts will be hot with highs over the century mark.

A pygmy hippo at the Ramona Wildlife Center is now the oldest ever in managed care.

Hannah the hippo is just over 51-and-a-half years old. She surpassed the previous record Sunday.

Hannah was rescued from a private Escondido yard in 2002 and has lived at the county facility since.

She’s one of just a few dozen pygmy hippos in managed care in North America.

Life expectancy for pygmy hippos in the wild ranges from 30 to 50 years.

From KPBS, you’re listening to San Diego News Now.

Stay with me for more of the local news you need.

MORE DETAILS ARE EMERGING ABOUT LAST THURSDAY'S FATAL PLANE CRASH IN TIERRASANTA. METRO REPORTER ANDREW BOWEN SAYS THE FAA FAILED TO ISSUE A CRITICAL SAFETY NOTIFICATION TO THE PLANE'S PILOT.

AB: Two days before the plane crashed in foggy weather, the weather observation equipment at Montgomery Field Airport had stopped working. Pilots use that equipment to judge whether it's safe to land. Normally when the system goes offline, the FAA issues a "Notice to Airmen," or NOTAM. Last week, however, that notice about the failed weather observation system never went out. 

RK: “We need to notify airmen — that's the whole essence of the system.”

AB: Randy Klatt is a retired Navy pilot and an advisory board member for the Foundation for Aviation Safety. He says pilots depend on FAA notifications to fly safely. The pilot did eventually observe the weather monitoring system was offline. We know that from his communications with air traffic control. But he apparently learned this mid-flight, while an FAA notice would have given him the information before takeoff.

RK: "There are multiple factors involved in every mishap like this and this is one small piece of it. Better information probably would have been helpful, but I don't know that it would have changed the outcome."

AB: The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash. Andrew Bowen, KPBS news.

THIS STORY WAS ALSO REPORTED BY INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER SCOTT RODD.

THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO IS COUNTERSUING 11 SOUTHCREST PROPERTY OWNERS HIT BY LAST YEAR’S DEVASTATING FLOOD.

AN ATTORNEY FOR THE FLOOD VICTIMS TELLS REPORTER ALEXANDER NGUYEN IT’S AN INTIMIDATION TACTIC.

“A message the city is sending is that if you come after us, we’re coming after you.” Evan Walker represents Charles and Patricia Sloan. They are part of the 53 lawsuits against the city over the devastating January 22nd flood last year. Now they are among the 11 parties being countersued by the city. “It was a surprise for us.” Walker says the city could countersue more people. In a statement, the City Attorney’s Office says these property owners “either have maintenance responsibilities for drainage facilities on their properties or took actions that might have diverted or increased storm water runoff.” Greg Montoya lives next to the creek. He’s been after the city to clean up the creek for years. “I've got hundreds and hundreds of emails and documentation telling them to fix problems in this area, and they don't. But yet the city will try to spend millions and millions of dollars to get themselves out of a liability that they know they're liable for.” Montoya is NOT a party to the countersuit. Alexander Nguyen, KPBS News

SAN DIEGO COULD MAKE SMALLER BACKYARD HOMES CALLED A-D-U’S AVAILABLE TO BUY AND SELL. PUBLIC MATTERS SOCIAL MEDIA REPORTER JAKE GOTTA WENT TO CHECK ONE OUT.

Owning your own home is something that seems out of reach for many San Diegans, especially in the city's single family neighborhoods. The San Diegans could have a new type of home ownership opportunity if the city approves the sale and purchase of ADUs. Thousands of ADUs have been built in San Diego in the past few years, but for now they're only allowed to be rented. That could change if the city council approves changes to the ADU regulations that were approved by a committee last week.  Whitney Hill from Snap ADU, a local builder, told me this could make home ownership much more attainable. Currently in in the regulations, you can't have an ADU sold separately from the primary residence, so the state lifted that prohibition about a year ago and San Diego's getting ready to opt in.  So it would be similar to a condo mapping of a multi-unit property now where you can own one of the units.  And it doesn't have to be your typical granny flat.  In San Diego, there are ADUs ranging from 1 to 4 bedrooms. I think what's interesting about being able to sell ADUs.  You're accessing these standalone homes, then you really wouldn't be able to otherwise.  Usually at that size of a unit, you're talking about a multi-family living situation.  So being able to sell these smaller units means that folks might be able to access that starter home that they want.  ADUs in San Diego have been controversial.  Some people have worried about putting too many in certain neighborhoods and that they don't create homeownership opportunities, but that could be addressed with these changes.  Jake Gotta, KPBS.

TO SEE MORE OF JAKE’S SOCIAL MEDIA STORIES, FOLLOW KPBS ON INSTAGRAM AND TIKTOK.

IMAGINE LIVING IN A 15-STORY BUILDING WHERE THE ELEVATORS RARELY WORK.

RESIDENTS OF AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMUNITY IN THE EAST VILLAGE SAY THAT’S BEEN THEIR SITUATION… UNTIL RECENTLY.

REPORTER JOHN CARROLL SAYS THERE’S NOW HOPE THE ELEVATOR NIGHTMARE IS OVER.

When St. Teresa of Calcutta Villa opened in early 2022, it was hailed as a symbol of hope by Fr. Joe’s President and CEO, Deacon Jim Vargas. 407 units of affordable housing for San Diegans transitioning out of homelessness...  A place they could connect with services.  But residents say it wasn’t long before all that hope and promise descended into something quite different… a building that was not properly maintained… and at the center of it all, the bank of 3 elevators. “I’m not supposed to use the stairs. I’m not supposed to lift anything over 5 pounds. I have severe degenerative disc disease.” That’s Christina Ennis - she goes by her middle name, Maria.  Ennis was one of the first residents of St. Teresa… she moved here in February of 2022.  We first met her in July of 2023 when she and fellow resident Maurice Trull got a lawyer and brought a lawsuit against Fr. Joe’s and the company that runs the place:  Commercial and 14th LLC.  “There’s many, many, many more people a lot worse off than I am, that live in this building, people in wheelchairs and walkers and canes all the way up to the 15th floor.” Trull is one of the residents who uses a wheelchair. “It’s been kind of difficult.  Cause I like to go, come and go like I want to.” The allegations from Jimmy Williams, Maria Ennis and Maurice Trull were confirmed by Cal/OSHA’s Elevator Unit…. Which told us via email that they’ve gotten confidential complaints… and sent inspectors who found the elevators weren’t working. But, they said, they do "not have the power to require elevator owners to return non-functioning elevators to service." “This is a violation of the fair housing laws that require access.” Enter attorney Ann Menasche.  She’s a longtime civil rights attorney.  She calls herself a “bulldog for justice.”  She took up the case. “And constant breakdowns, either one working, two working, or none working, which was disastrous for people, including Michael Mendez, one of the plaintiffs, who ended up being stuck out of his apartment for hours, ended up in the hospital….  I mean, just one disaster after another.  And that is so incredibly irresponsible to not put the money in to have proper maintenance of elevators.” Menasche filed her lawsuit in July of 2023.  At that time, Fr. Joe’s said they couldn’t talk about pending litigation. But they did provide a statement which said in part:  “FJV has an internal complaint process to remedy structural or maintenance issues residents may discover.  Now, in 2025, there is a settlement. Building management is being compelled to fix the elevators and to keep them running. “And we have a mechanism in place with the court for two years that there'll be court monitoring and we can go to the judge if there's a problem that's not being handled properly. So we have that mechanism. They're also going to be quarterly meetings. So we are going to stay on top of it.” Now that the lawsuit is settled, we thought Fr. Joe’s would be eager to be interviewed on the matter.  I spoke on the phone with Deacon Jim Vargas and he confirmed to me that he was aware the litigation had been resolved.  He said he’d direct their Media Relations company, Mixte, to reach out to me.  A public relations strategist there, Byron Kimball did reach out.   In an email he said ‘this is an active case, and Fr. Joe’s Villages is not at liberty to comment on the proceedings.’  Knowing the case had been settled, I responded with that fact, and asked if perhaps Kimball was referring to a different lawsuit.  He responded that he was aware of the current situation and that - quote - ‘Despite all that, Father Joe's Villages is not able to discuss this case or its proceedings at this time. We can't grant you an interview.’  I then asked why they would not provide someone for an interview, or even issue a statement.  I never heard back. I’ve also tried calling and texting Deacon Vargas again, I haven’t received a response. And… I reached out to the law firm that represented the building management company, 14th and Commercial LLC.  I didn’t get a response from them either. The lack of response from Fr. Joe’s and the law firm aside, residents Maria Ennis and Maurice Trull are… cautiously optimistic. “They've been a lot nicer now that things have been tightening up and the elevators have been fixed a lot more lately. Every now that everything's coming together, there's a lot less to tension in the building with residents and management and everything.” “That's great because it's so many people in here that need things to work for them, especially when people that want to get out. You know what I'm saying? If the elevators don't work, it's difficult for people to come enjoy this weather, you know what I'm saying? This is a great thing. A great thing… that’s now under court order to stay that way.  John Carroll, KPBS News.

POPE LEO HAS APPOINTED HIS FIRST U.S. BISHOP AND IT'S HERE IN SAN DIEGO.

REPORTER JACOB AERE SAYS BISHOP MICHAEL PHAM (FOM) IS THE FIRST VIETNAMESE-AMERICAN TO LEAD A DIOCESE IN THE UNITED STATES AND HE HAS DEEP TIES IN OUR REGION.

Bishop Michael Pham (FOM) has lived in San Diego for 40 years.

He spent much of that time pastoring  … including at Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Mira Mesa…  where 20-year-old Phong (FONG) Tran has long been a parishioner. He’s inspired by the Bishop.

“It's really crazy to me. I've known now Bishop Michael for a very long time, when I was very young. I've seen him hold lots of masses, I've listened to his homily.”

The Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego says they serve around 1.4 million Catholics in San Diego and Imperial counties.

Pham’s installation mass as the new bishop will be held on July 17. JA KPBS News. JA KPBS News.

That’s it for the podcast today. As always you can find more San Diego news online at KPBS dot org. I’m Andrew Dyer. Thanks for listening and have a great day.