The Marine Corps says that three Okinawa V-22 Ospreys that diverted from scheduled flight paths final week resulting from “warning indications” within the cockpit didn’t seem to endure from a clutch challenge that has plagued the service’s fleet and triggered a minimum of one deadly crash.
“At present, there aren’t any indications that these occasions resulted from an MV-22 laborious clutch engagement (HCE) malfunction. In every of those occasions, the plane sensors and monitoring techniques carried out as designed,” Maj. Rob Martins, a spokesperson for the Okinawa-based 1st Marine Plane Wing, mentioned in an electronic mail Monday night time.
The clutch malfunction shreds elements that energy the Osprey’s twin rotors, and seems to be a threat for each the Marine Corps and Air Power fleets. Final yr, a crash brought on by a tough clutch engagement killed 5 Marines in an Osprey incident close to El Centro, California.
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The reason for the warnings within the Osprey cockpits was not disclosed by the service.
The Marine Corps has mentioned that it has considerably lowered the chance of laborious clutch engagements following the crash of the “Swift 11” Osprey final yr, although some households of the Marines who died within the incident stay skeptical.
Previous to the Osprey diversions final week, three Marines additionally died in late August after their Osprey went down throughout a routine multinational coaching occasion close to the Northern Territory of Australia.
An investigation into the reason for that lethal Osprey incident in Australia remains to be ongoing.
Army.com reported final week that two Okinawa Ospreys made compelled landings on the southern islands of Japan inside two hours of one another. Two days later, a 3rd Osprey diverted to Oita Airport on the southwestern a part of the mainland, marking three complete in two days.
“When a warning gentle appeared in every cockpit, the pilots and aircrew complied with security procedures and diverted their plane, touchdown safely so every plane could possibly be assessed,” Martins mentioned.
The primary two Ospreys have been diverted on Sept. 14 and returned to Marine Corps Air Station Futenma on Okinawa inside the following couple of days “after finishing mandatory troubleshooting and upkeep actions,” Martins mentioned.
The third Osprey that diverted landed at Oita at round 4:35 p.m. native time on Sept. 16. The pilots and aircrew adopted correct touchdown procedures and diverted “out of an abundance of warning.” The plane was being examined Monday and was additionally set to return to Futenma when it was deemed protected to fly.
“We respect the assist from our native communities and host-nation companions in the course of the temporary time wanted at every airfield to make sure the protected return flights of every plane again to Futenma Air Station,” Martins mentioned. “We function all of our plane in accordance with established requirements and procedures, and stay absolutely dedicated to security.”
The previous month has proved to be a dangerous time for Marine Corps aviation.
On Monday, the Marine Corps lastly discovered what it believed was the particles of a downed F-35B Lightning II — a roughly $80 million fighter jet — greater than a day after it went lacking over South Carolina. The pilot safely ejected from the jet on Sunday earlier than it disappeared.
A F/A-18D Hornet crashed in southern California on Aug. 24, claiming the lifetime of its singular pilot.
In complete, the Marine Corps has skilled two lethal aviation crashes, one briefly lacking jet and three identified compelled Osprey landings in about 24 days.
The highest Marine Corps chief, Gen. Eric Smith, who’s appearing as commandant however has but to be confirmed by the Senate, on Monday ordered a two-day security stand-down for aviation models this week, the place all operations are paused and commanders will focus on security fundamentals with their troops.
— Drew F. Lawrence might be reached at drew.lawrence@navy.com. Observe him on Twitter @df_lawrence.
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