Marines to Overhaul Repair, Air Safety Rules

Blaming preventable errors and oversights for a fatal jet crash in December in San Diego, Marine officials are promising changes that extend from the operations room to the flight line.

The fixes include greater focus on trouble-shooting relatively minor problems before they become severe.

In July, for example, mechanics had found a fuel system glitch in the F/A-18D Hornet that eventually plunged into a University City neighborhood on Dec. 8. The Marine Corps did not ground the plane to make the needed repairs, instead allowing it to be used for 166 more flight hours before it crashed.

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