The U.S. Navy announced this week it has begun investigating the causes of the April 6 naval plane crash in Virginia Beach, which took no lives but destroyed the Mayfair Mews Apartment complex.
A flight systems technical expert from Boeing, the manufacturer of the F/A-18 aircraft, is on site to assist investigators, the Navy said in a press release. Investigators recovered the plane's Crash Survivable Flight Incident Recorder and have sent it to the Naval Air Station at Patuxent River, Md. for analysis. Such recorders document flight parameters, cautions and advisories.
The Navy said it plans to record the results of this investigation in a Safety Investigation Report (SIR) containing "succinct, factual information, opinions, and recommendations designed to help prevent recurrence of aviation mishaps," which will not be released to the public.
"[SIR's] are written with the sole purpose of improving safety, and that use or distribution of the SIR is limited to this purpose," according to the press release. "The concept of privilege allows witnesses to express their thoughts and information candidly."
The Navy has also initiated a Judge Advocate General investigation, in which a senior Naval Aviator "will determine the cause and responsibility for the mishap, nature and extent of any injuries, description of all damage to property, and any attendant circumstances," according to the press release. Similar cases are normally concluded within 30 days.
The Navy is currently compensating affected residents who lived in the Mayfair Mews Apartments which were destroyed in the crash, said Heather Welch, the public affairs officer for Naval Air Station Oceana. The current compensation per person stands at $2200, with additional funding provided for married couples and families. Welch said a total of 84 residents were affected by the crash.
The compensation comes from the Navy's emergency and extraordinary expense fund "which covers 14 days of lodging, food and a $200 per person clothing allowance," Welch said. The Navy must obtain the Secretary of the Navy's approval before it can access emergency funds not included in the Navy budget, Welch said.
-compiled by Kelly Kaler
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