However, the San Diego Union-Tribune raises a question mark over why Neubauer “chose to land at Miramar, which involves an approach over heavily populated La Jolla and University City, instead of North Island Naval Air Station, which could be approached entirely over water”.
He's a student pilot in a mechanically crippled jet. He's going to fly the pattern and try and land at the airfield he's most familiar with. Also when he first declared the emergency he had only one engine out. Under those circumstances trying for his home field wasn't a dangerous decision. There was no reason to believe the second engine would crap out on him as well. I really don't see any reason to second guess him. I hope he continues on to a long and distinguished career as a Marine aviator.