Records sought on jet type involved in crash

updated 9:07 p.m. ET Dec. 9, 2008

SAN DIEGO - A high-ranking congressman called on the Marine Corps on Tuesday to release the maintenance records of all fighter jets of the type that lost power and crashed into a San Diego neighborhood, killing four members of a Korean family.

Rep. Duncan Hunter, the ranking Republican on the House Armed Services Committee, said the fiery crash Monday of the F/A-18D Hornet fighter as it approached Marine Corps Air Station Miramar was apparently caused by power failure.

"My understanding ... is that the engines failed, causing the aircraft to lose thrust," said Hunter spokesman Joe Kasper.

The crash was probably unrelated to the previous discovery of cracks in hinges on the wings of more than a dozen of the $57 million aircraft, the San Diego-area congressman said.

"It is important that we gain a complete understanding of what went wrong," Hunter said in a statement.

Marine Cpl. Travis Easter said officials at Miramar had no immediate response to the request for maintenance records.

Navy grounded some planes
The Navy announced last month that it was grounding 10 of the planes and limiting the flights of 20 others because of the cracks. It was not immediately clear whether the plane that crashed in San Diego was under any flight restrictions.

The death toll from the crash was revised to four Tuesday after a toddler's body was found.

Fire Department spokesman Maurice Luque says the body of 15-month-old Grace Yoon was found Tuesday in the home where three other family members died.

The Rev. Kevin Lee of the Korean United Methodist Church says the other victims were Young Mi Yoon, who was in her mid-30s; her 2-month-old daughter, Rachel; and her mother, Suk Im Kim.

Lee says the grandmother had recently arrived from South Korea to help care for the infant.

Both engines on the jet failed while it tried to land at a nearby Marine base Monday. The pilot ejected before the crash. Both engines of the jet fighter failed before the crash, a congressional aide said Tuesday.

Neighbors were in shock at the tragedy that befell the family hours after the father kissed his wife and baby goodbye in the driveway.

The twin-engine F/A-18D Hornet went down about two miles from Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. The pilot ended up suspended by his parachute in a tree. He was being treated at a hospital.

One other home was destroyed and three were damaged.

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