Three U.S. Marines died in the Aug. 27, 2023, crash after the crew lost control of the aircraft while maneuvering near a remote tropical island off northern Australia.
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A series of pilot errors led to the fatal crash of a U.S. military Osprey jet, a hybrid vertical-takeoff aircraft, in Australia in August 2023, the Pentagon said Friday, Aug. 9, after an investigation that also denounced a safety failure. Three U.S. Marines died in the Aug. 27, 2023, crash after the crew lost control of the aircraft while maneuvering near a remote tropical island off northern Australia.
It is one of several Osprey accidents in recent years that have prompted renewed scrutiny of the aircraft. The planes, a joint venture between U.S. aircraft maker Boeing and helicopter specialist Bell, have two engines at the wingtips that pivot to switch to helicopter mode for takeoff, or to airplane mode for faster flight.
“It appears that the main cause of this accident was pilot error and overconfidence“, the report reveals. But the investigation also highlighted “several worrying maintenance practices” by the crew, including falsified documents regarding the aircraft’s weight and load, and incomplete pre-flight inspections.
Although“There is no evidence that these practices caused the accident of August 27, 2023, and ultimately the aircraft should not have been certified as safe for flight.”he added. Following the crash in Australia, Pentagon investigators have called for disciplinary action against officials involved, including the former commander “for neglecting flight safety and aviation maintenance procedures”The three Marines killed were among 23 people aboard the Osprey as it headed toward Melville Island. The hybrid aircraft has been involved in several fatal crashes.
