Investigation Summary
The flight originated from the USS Abraham Lincoln, located approximately 60 miles southwest of San Diego, for carrier qualifications. Shortly after takeoff, the pilot received an oil caution light for the right engine. Following standard procedures, he shut the engine down. While air traffic controllers and the aircraft carrier directed the pilot to land at Naval Air Station North Island, which was only 20 miles away and offered an approach over water; squadron officers at MCAS Miramar intervened. They instructed the pilot to fly to Miramar instead, prioritizing the pilot's familiarity with the base and the availability of maintenance resources. During the approach, the pilot encountered Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC) and reported breaking through the clouds at 2,500 feet. At this point, the left engine, which had a documented history of fuel flow issues that had been deferred 146 times, failed to provide sufficient thrust. The pilot attempted to restart the right engine without success. The investigation later noted that the pilot unnecessarily lengthened the approach by performing a 270-degree left turn to align with the runway, rather than a shorter 90-degree right turn. As the aircraft lost all electrical power and altitude, the pilot steered away from a high school before ejecting. The jet impacted a residential area two miles short of the runway.
Final Conclusions
The Marine Corps investigation concluded the accident was preventable and resulted from a chain of maintenance and operational errors. The primary mechanical cause was the failure of the left engine to produce thrust after the right engine was shut down, exacerbated by a known fuel flow problem that had not been repaired. Operationally, the investigation cited collectively bad decision-making by the squadron's commanding officer, operations officer, and duty officer for directing the pilot to Miramar instead of the closer NAS North Island. The pilot was also criticized for failing to consult his emergency checklist and for performing a 270-degree left turn that unnecessarily prolonged the flight. Consequently, four officers were relieved of duty and nine other personnel received disciplinary action.
Video Analysis
F/A-18D Fatal Crash Near San Diego, 12/8 — AVweb's Glenn Pew reports on the F/A-18D Hornet military jet that crashed 9,000 feet shy of Runway 06L at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, impacting a residential area.
If playback is blocked, the owner has disabled embedding — use the link above.
Systems & Failure Modes
F404-GE-402 Engines
The aircraft was powered by two turbofan engines; the right engine was shut down due to oil pressure, while the left engine failed due to a pre-existing fuel flow malfunction.
Fuel Flow System
A known defect in the left engine's fuel system prevented it from producing sufficient thrust when it became the sole power source.
NACES Ejection Seat
The pilot utilized the automated ejection system to exit the aircraft at a low altitude of 400 feet.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft had flown 146 times with a known, deferred maintenance issue in the left engine's fuel flow system.
- 02Four civilians on the ground, including two children, were killed in the crash.
- 03The pilot was the only person on board the two-seat aircraft and survived with minor injuries.
- 04The U.S. government paid $17.8 million in wrongful death compensation to the victims' family.
- 05Four officers were relieved of duty and nine other personnel received disciplinary action following the investigation.
- 06The pilot was flying in Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC) and did not break through cloud cover until 2,500 feet during the emergency approach.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Maintenance Procedure Revision
The Marine Corps altered maintenance rules to forbid the practice of deferring repairs on critical fuel flow system components.
Squadron Notification
The Marine Corps issued formal notifications to all F/A-18 squadrons regarding the specific engine and fuel problems identified during the investigation.