SAN DIEGO -- The pilot of a crippled Marine Corps jet was offered a chance to land at a base with an approach over water minutes before the jet crashed in a San Diego neighborhood while heading for a base inland. Four members of a family were killed in the December crash.

The F/A-18 jet crashed Dec. 8 in a neighborhood near the Miramar base, incinerating two homes. The pilot ejected safely.

Recorded communications with air controllers reveal the pilot at least twice was offered a chance to land at Naval Air Station North Island in Coronado - a base on a peninsula with a flight path over water.

But Federal Aviation Administration tapes show the pilot decided to fly the jet that had lost one engine to an inland Marine base on a route over the University City neighborhood.

Military officials have said the F/A-18D jet had a rare double engine failure.