WASHINGTON — New safety regulations have been instituted for a crucial component within all Osprey aircraft following an incident that uncovered a recurring issue linked to a previous deadly crash in Japan last year.
On November 20th, a CV-22B Osprey experienced a critical situation during a flight in New Mexico when the crew received alerts regarding problems with the metal gears located in the aircraft’s transmission, specifically the proprotor gearbox.
Although they lost an engine, the crew from the Air Force Special Operations Command was able to react effectively, thanks to the insights gained from the Japan incident in which eight service members tragically lost their lives. They managed to land the aircraft safely.
Subsequent investigations into the transmission from the New Mexico flight revealed similar metal defects, known as inclusions, which had previously contributed to gear failures in the earlier Japan accident.
As a precaution after the near-disaster in New Mexico, military forces temporarily grounded their Ospreys, which are capable of functioning like both airplanes and helicopters, marking the second grounding in 2023. The Marine Corps, however, reinstated their Osprey flights shortly thereafter.
New guidelines introduced indicate that all Ospreys with proprotor gearboxes that fall under a specified flight hour threshold will now face stricter safety measures. These measures are particularly relevant to newer transmissions, as reviews have shown that the metal defects are likely to manifest early in the lifespan of the equipment.
The issues with these metal weaknesses have been traced back to the manufacturing process of the alloys used. While an alternative production method exists that could prevent these weaknesses, implementing it would require replacing the costly transmissions, a lengthy endeavor expected to take several years for all 400 units in the military’s inventory.
An extensive investigation uncovered rising safety concerns regarding the Osprey over the past five years, highlighting issues with rapid wear of components and noting the aircraft’s design flaws that have been linked to numerous accidents.
Naval Air Systems Command, which oversees the Osprey program for the military, confirmed on Friday that the new safety protocols will remain enforced until the problematic proprotor gearboxes are fully replaced.
“Due to operational security issues, detailed information about the V-22 flight-hour limits, the number of affected aircraft, and specifics of the additional flight controls will not be disclosed,” stated NAVAIR in a public notice.
