 An F/A-18D from VMFAT-101, similar to aircraft involved in the accident | |
| Accident | |
|---|---|
| Date | December 8, 2008 |
| Summary | Mechanical failure[1] due to inadequate maintenance compounded by human errors[2] |
| Site | University City, San Diego, California 32°51′38″N 117°11′54″W / 32.860656°N 117.198195°W |
| Total fatalities | 4 |
| Total survivors | 1 |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet |
| Operator |  United States Marine Corps |
| Registration | 164017 |
| Flight origin | USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) |
| Destination | Marine Corps Air Station Miramar |
| Occupants | 1 |
| Passengers | 0 |
| Crew | 1[3] |
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Survivors | 1 |
| Ground casualties | |
| Ground fatalities | 4 |
On December 8, 2008, a United States Marine Corps (USMC) F/A-18 Hornet crashed in a residential area of San Diego, California. The pilot, First Lieutenant Dan Neubauer (28) from VMFAT-101, was the only crewmember on board the two-seat aircraft; he successfully ejected from the aircraft, landing in a tree. The jet crashed into the University City residential area, destroying two houses and damaging a third. A total of four residents in one house, two adults and two children, were killed.
A USMC investigation concluded that poor maintenance caused the engine malfunction. Errors by the pilot and USMC personnel on the ground led to the aircraft crashing into the San Diego residential neighborhood. As a result, in early 2009, the pilot was temporarily grounded and thirteen other officers and enlisted personnel were relieved and/or disciplined. The Marine Corps notified other F/A-18 squadrons of the engine and fuel problems discovered during the investigation.
- ^ "Korean Widower Doesn't Blame Pilot for F-18 Crash". Fox News Channel. Associated Press. December 10, 2008. Archived from the original on 6 March 2009. Retrieved 2009-03-25.
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