Rare "dual unrelated engine failures" caused Virginia Beach F-18 crash.

By Ian SimpsonWASHINGTON, July 2 (Reuters) - The Navy on Monday blamed a
rare two-engine mechanical failure for the April crash of 
an F/A-18D fighter into a Virginia apartment complex that caused
minor injuries.


An investigation of the crash, on April 6 in Virginia Beach
just over a minute into a training flight, showed that the right
engine compressor stalled and the left afterburner blew out,
said Rear Admiral Ted Branch, the Atlantic naval air commander.

The root cause of the crash remains under investigation but
may never be known since many parts were destroyed in the crash
and a subsequent fire. A leaking fuel cap is a possible culprit,
he said.

"Let me stress again, this type of concurrent dual-engine
malfunction is extraordinarily unusual," Branch told a news
conference carried online.

"We are very confident we can continue to operate the F-18
and fly it safely and effectively, not only here in Virginia
Beach but around the world