thedrifter
04-23-09, 07:04 AM
Marine pilot in San Diego crash to resume flying
The pilot whose military jet crashed into a San Diego home in December and killed four people will return to the skies, the U.S. Marine Corps said today.
Two Marine review panels gave Lt. Dan Neubauer the thumbs up to get back into the cockpit. He has been put on "probationary status" and will resume the training.
“It's not a disciplinary thing,” Maj. Eric Dent, a Marine spokesman, told the San Diego Union-Tribune. “It's a matter of, is this pilot capable of carrying out safe flight operations?”
Neubauer was close to finishing his training and being assigned to a squadron when his F/A-18D fighter jet crashed Dec. 8 after suffering engine failure. He was trying to make an emergency landing at Miramar Marine Corps Air Station and bailed out moments before the jet hit several houses in the University City neighborhood, 2 miles short of the runway.
A Marine investigation blamed poor maintenance and a series of errors by Neubauer and officers on the ground. Neubauer was faulted for not landing at Naval Air Station North Island, which is 11 miles closer than Miramar.
Four squadron officers were relieved of duty and eight other Marines and a sailor were reprimanded.
Posted by Michael Winter
Ellie
The pilot whose military jet crashed into a San Diego home in December and killed four people will return to the skies, the U.S. Marine Corps said today.
Two Marine review panels gave Lt. Dan Neubauer the thumbs up to get back into the cockpit. He has been put on "probationary status" and will resume the training.
“It's not a disciplinary thing,” Maj. Eric Dent, a Marine spokesman, told the San Diego Union-Tribune. “It's a matter of, is this pilot capable of carrying out safe flight operations?”
Neubauer was close to finishing his training and being assigned to a squadron when his F/A-18D fighter jet crashed Dec. 8 after suffering engine failure. He was trying to make an emergency landing at Miramar Marine Corps Air Station and bailed out moments before the jet hit several houses in the University City neighborhood, 2 miles short of the runway.
A Marine investigation blamed poor maintenance and a series of errors by Neubauer and officers on the ground. Neubauer was faulted for not landing at Naval Air Station North Island, which is 11 miles closer than Miramar.
Four squadron officers were relieved of duty and eight other Marines and a sailor were reprimanded.
Posted by Michael Winter
Ellie