Investigation into Osprey Crash Reveals Causes and Contributing Factors
An extensive investigation conducted by the Air Force has concluded that a “catastrophic failure” of the gearbox was the primary cause of a tragic Osprey crash that occurred off the coast of Japan last year. This incident, which claimed the lives of eight Air Force Special Operations Command personnel, also prompted the grounding of hundreds of similar aircraft both in the United States and internationally.
Released on Thursday, the report shed light on the circumstances surrounding the crash, which took place in November near the small southern island of Yakushima. Lt. Gen. Tony D. Bauernfeind, who oversaw the command during the inquiry, emphasized the importance of the findings: “The purpose of the investigation was to identify the cause and contributing factors that led to this mishap. By conducting a thorough review and accident safety investigations, we hope to provide answers to the families of the airmen that lost their lives and prevent future occurrences and tragedies.”
The investigation revealed that the crew had received multiple warning signals, including a critical alert to “land as soon as possible” due to metal chipping off the aircraft’s gears. In fact, the crew encountered six different warnings on the day of the crash. Although they eventually decided to abort their planned mission, the inquiry found that their risk management strategies were insufficient.
- Investigators noted that the pilot should have opted to land earlier, especially when there were opportunities to divert to closer airfields.
- Instead, the pilot delayed action on the warnings and continued with the scheduled exercises.
In the moments leading up to the crash, the Osprey was approximately half a mile from the runway at Yakushima Airport, attempting an emergency landing that investigators concluded was executed too late. A series of cascading failures ultimately resulted in the aircraft catching fire before it plunged into the water.
