Fatal Osprey Crash Blamed on ‘Pilot Error’
Three Marines, including both of the aircraft’s pilots and a corporal who attempted to save them, were killed in the accident.
The MV-22 Osprey’s mission for the U.S. Marine Corps is the transportation of troops, equipment, and supplies from ships and land bases for combat assault and assault support. [Courtesy: Naval Air Systems Command]
A fatal U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey crash in Australia last year has been blamed on human factors rather than the trouble-plagued aircraft.
According to Military.com, a military investigation found "pilot error and complacency" to be the cause of the accident, which killed three Marines, including both pilots and a corporal who died trying to save them.
Corporal Steven Collart went into the burning flight deck to try to bring out Major Tobin Lewis and Captain Eleanor LeBeau.
The crash punctuated a chaotic multinational military exercise called Exercise Predator's Run near Darwin in northern Australia. The aircraft crashed after taking evasive maneuvers when it came too close to another Osprey it was trailing.
But much of the report focused on a pervasive attitude of lax maintenance and discipline in the unit, Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 363. The report recommended administrative action against unit commander Colonel Joe Whitfield for "permitting a culture that disregarded safety of flight and aviation maintenance procedures."
Whitfield has since resigned. The report also recommended charges against the head of maintenance for the unit, who was not named.
Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AVweb.
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