Alaska Air says US prosecutors reopen crash probe Wednesday March 12, 2:55 PM EST WASHINGTON, March 12 (Reuters) - Alaska Air Group (ALK) on Wednesday said federal prosecutors have reopened their criminal probe into a January 2000 crash that safety investigators blamed on poor lubrication of a key tail part. The U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California had put its probe into the crash on hold pending the National Transportation Safety Board's final report on the accident that killed all 88 people on board. "Accordingly, following the final NTSB hearing on the Flight 261 investigation in December 2002, the U.S. Attorney's Office reactivated the matter in order to review it in light of the final NTSB report," the parent of Alaska Airlines said in its annual financial report filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The Jan. 31, 2000 crash off the coast of California occurred after the crew progressively lost control of the MD-80 jet's tail-mounted horizontal stabilizer that helps control the angle of flight, or pitch, of the plane. The safety board said the motorized jackscrew that drove the stabilizer had not been greased properly. Inadequate maintenance and poor government oversight were blamed. Alaska Airlines has been hit with civil lawsuits arising from the crash of Flight 261. "Alaska has settled 48 of these cases and continues in its efforts to settle the remaining ones, the airline said. Trial on the remaining cases is set for July 2003. Roger EWROPS