Marine Corps: Hard Clutch Engagement Issue Cause of Fatal MV-22B Crash

Five Marines were killed when the Osprey went down during a training exercise in Southern California in June 2022.

Monday, July 24, 2023 at 03:35 PM ET

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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]

Key Takeaways:

The MV-22B Osprey crash in June 2022, which killed five Marines, was caused by a dual hard clutch engagement (HCE) leading to a catastrophic failure of a single engine and the interconnect drive system.
The investigation found no aircraft maintenance or aircrew errors, concluding there was nothing the crew could have done to prevent the mishap.
In response, the Marine Corps is installing crash-survivable flight data recorders and coordinating with the OEM to redesign components, improve software, and strengthen drivetrain materials to mitigate HCE events.
New inspection requirements and training for pilots and aircrew on the hazards of hard clutch engagements have also been implemented.

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A safety issue involving the clutch of a MV-22B was the root cause of a crash last summer that killed all five crew members on board, according to the U.S. Marine Corps.

The MV-22B went down near Glamis, California, on June 8, 2022, during a training mission. The Marines identified those on board who died as Captain Nicholas P. Losapio, Captain John J. Sax, Corporal. Nathan E. Carlson, Corporal Seth D. Rasmuson, and Lance Corporal Evan A. Strickland.