Pilot Moves On After Crash, Family Doesn’t

University City resident, Don Yoon, has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Government and jet manufacturer Boeing, as reported by 10 News and Sign On San Diego, due to the deaths of four of his family members when a jet crashed into their home in December of 2008.

The airplane accident killed Yoon's wife, their two babies and his mother-in-law.  Yoon believes that his family "is in heaven with God," but has yet to move on with his life and return to his job as a grocer since the event.

Kevin Boyle, the attorney representing Yoon, says that his client is still homebound in San Diego and having "an incredibly hard time moving on".

"He's living in relative solitude," stated Boyle. "You can imagine your entire family - young family - burning alive.  I think the gravity of his loss has settled in on him, and he's on the road to recovery, but it's going to be a long road."

The complaint filed by Yoon's legal representatives, against both the federal government and Boeing, stated that their negligence stemmed from a jet with "A history of warnings and system failures known by the defendant, United States and the jet's manufacturer."

Yoon's lawyers attest that Lt. Dan Neubauer flew off from the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln knowing "that there were problems with the plane's fuel systems."

After one engine shut down, Neubauer, after checking with his ground crews, made the decision to continue on and fly over University City.

When the second engine failed, Neubauer ejected; the crashed jet killing not only the four members of the Yoon family, but it also destroyed two homes and damaged three others. The pilot ejected in an area "known to the United States to be a public safety hazard for approximately 30 years."

A Marine investigation last year determined that Neubauer, and ground crews, made a major mistake in not landing sooner when they received the warning of low fuel before the jet's engines failed. 

Investigators contend that had Neubauer landed at Naval Air Station North Island instead of attempting to make it as far as Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, the F/A-18 Hornet jet would not have run out of fuel and crashed down into Yoon's family home.

Neubauer has been promoted to captain and has resumed his flight training in April of 2009, 10 news reported.  A military spokesperson confirmed that Neubauer is currently flying with the 2^nd Marine Aircraft Wing in Buford, South Carolina.

The money sought in the lawsuit will be determined in the next few weeks.  Yoon is motivated to prevent such a tragedy from happening to another San Diego family, per his attorney, and has publicly forgiven Neubauer. 

Philip Carder, a Boeing spokesperson, had no information to share while the matter is in litigation.

It can take up to two years for the lawsuit to be resolved with the Justice Department.  The complaint needs to be reviewed first, per department spokesperson Charles Miller.

If you have suffered from a personal injury, contact a qualified personal injury attorney to help you.