A House Oversight Committee panel investigating the safety of the V-22 Osprey aircraft has not received critical data or accident reports requested. The aircraft has faced safety issues for decades, with 62 killed in accidents since 1992. The investigation revealed that wear and replacement rates on Osprey proprotor gearboxes were a factor in a crash off Japan.
The committee requested internal crash reports, but haven’t received them. Documents reviewed raised concerns about Pentagon oversight of the Osprey program. Recent fatal crashes highlight the need for more transparency and rigorous testing.
Vice Admiral Carl Chebi will testify before lawmakers regarding the Osprey program. The future sustainability of the program is in question due to parts wearing out faster than anticipated and budget cuts. Producers of the Osprey are facing a lawsuit from families of the Marines killed in a 2022 crash.
Last year’s crash in Japan led to the grounding of the entire Osprey fleet due to a material problem with the aircraft. Details on restrictions as the aircraft returns to operations have not been provided. Despite its speed and efficiency, the Osprey has a history of accidents, but all service members survived.
