Air Force, Navy Ground V-22 Fleets Amid Crash Probe

While the cause of the accident remains unknown, military investigators suspect a potential materiel failure played a part.

Kimberly Johnson

Thursday, December 07, 2023 at 11:14 AM ET

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A V-22 Osprey aircraft bound for the Japan Ground Self Defense Force (JGSDF) based at Camp Kisarazu prepares to depart Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Iwakuni, Japan, July 6, 2020. [Courtesy: U.S. Marine Corps]

Key Takeaways:

The U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps have grounded all V-22 Osprey variants following a fatal crash off the coast of Japan last week.
The crash involved an Air Force CV-22B with eight crew members, and a preliminary investigation suggests a potential "materiel failure" as the cause.
The stand-down is implemented to allow for a thorough investigation into the incident and follows Japan's prior request for the U.S. military to ground its Ospreys for safety.

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The Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps grounded all V-22 Osprey variants Wednesday amid an ongoing investigation into what caused a fatal crash of an Air Force CV-22 Osprey off the coast of Japan last week.

The CV-22B assigned to the Air Force’s 353rd Special Operations Wing at Yokota Air Base, Japan, went down offshore of Yakushima Island on November 29 with eight crewmembers on board during a routine training mission. The Japan Coast Guard said it received an emergency call at the time of the incident, along with reports that the aircraft’s left engine was on fire as it fell.