The Pentagon has decided to temporarily halt flights of its V-22 Osprey fleet following a recent incident in New Mexico where weakened metals in a part of the aircraft broke apart during flight, resulting in an engine failure and a near crash. The pause, recommended by Vice Adm. Carl Chebi of Naval Air Systems Command, took effect on Monday morning and is being adhered to by both the Navy and Air Force as they investigate how to address the safety issue.
An in-depth investigation by The Associated Press revealed that safety concerns surrounding the Osprey have been on the rise in recent years, with parts wearing out faster than expected and design flaws contributing to accidents. Lawmakers have called for the fleet to be grounded until solutions are implemented to address these issues.
The Air Force Special Operations Command has also directed a pause in CV-22 flight training operations to allow for a thorough understanding of the recent incident before resuming operations. The incident at Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico bore similarities to a fatal crash off the coast of Japan last year, where metal weaknesses in critical gears led to a catastrophic failure of the aircraft.
While the investigation into the recent incident is ongoing, initial findings suggest that metal weaknesses may have played a role in the part failure. Since the Osprey's introduction three decades ago, there have been 64 fatalities and 93 injuries in crashes involving the aircraft. Japan briefly grounded its Osprey fleet in October after a violent takeoff incident.
