2008 San Diego F/A-18 Crash - Aftermath

Aftermath

In the aftermath of the crash, University City residents renewed previous calls for the US military to relocate aircraft from the base to a more remote location. In a counterpoint, homeowners in University City signed disclosure forms saying they were aware of overflying jets and that this "...extraordinarily rare event...got enormous publicity the risk of living in University City and having a plane fall on you is millions to one." Miramar was also the location of the Navy Fighter Weapons School before it was moved to the more remote Naval Air Station Fallon.

Marine commanders apologized for the crash and defended the decision to order Neubauer to land at Miramar instead of North Island, which isn't surrounded by residences, stating that double-engine failures are extremely rare. Said Colonel Christopher O'Connor, Miramar's commander, "We are not contemplating changing our emergency procedures at this time. We very seldom fly over the area. We take being good neighbors very seriously."

On December 15, 2008, Marine officials stationed in South Korea helped receive Suk Im Kim's remains at Incheon International Airport and transport them to her home in Damyang. The next day, United States Forces Korea commander General Walter L. Sharp sent a delegation to Kim's home headed by Republic of Korea Army Major General Yong-goo Jang and U.S. Marine Corps Major General Frank Panther to express condolences to Kim's son-in-law, Dong-yun Yoon.

As of July 2010, US$700,000 in claims had been paid by the government. Young Mi Lee's husband, Don Yoon, publicly forgave Neubauer during a news conference the day after the crash. Said Sunny Wu of the crash, "I don't want to blame anybody. I think everyone makes mistakes sometimes. Just as long as you can learn from your mistake, it's fine."

In July 2010, Yoon sued Boeing and the United States government for an unspecified amount. In the suit, Yoon alleges that the government violated many of its procedures in its operation of the mishap aircraft and that Boeing was responsible for the defects in the aircraft's fuel systems which caused the crash. Yoon later stated that the compensation offer from the US government for the loss of his four family members and his home was "insulting". Yoon's lawsuit against the US Navy was heard in a federal district court in San Diego in December 2011. On 28 December 2011, U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Miller awarded Yoon, his father-in-law, and mother-in-law's three adult children a total of $17.8 million in damage compensation from the U.S. government. The US government appealed the award, and the appellate decision is pending.

The Wu family lived in a temporary home for two years until their home was rebuilt. Their homeowner's insurance did not cover all the cost of the reconstruction, temporary lodging expense, or replacement of all their lost possessions. More surprising, according to the Wu family, is that they have yet to receive any compensation from the US Navy. The family has filed a lawsuit against the US government for compensation for their damages. Said Sunny Zhuang-Wu, "I didn’t know the military would be so difficult." Four other lawsuits against the US Navy for crash damage are pending.