Says Key Facts Overlooked In 2023 Incident

U.S. Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-TX 13th District) is defending the Bell V-22 Osprey against safety concerns raised about the tiltrotor aircraft in the wake of a deadly accident in shallow water off the coast of Okinawa, Japan, in November 2023.

The crash killed eight members of an Air Force Special Operations Command.

Rep. Jackson said in an Op-Ed on Military.com, “The loss of any service member is an absolute tragedy, but the conversation surrounding the V-22 Osprey has become disproportionately negative, often overlooking key facts about the incident and the essential role this aircraft plays in our military's success.”

It appears that weak spots in the metal used to manufacture a pinion gear in the proprotor gearbox initiated a crack in the pinion gear that developed into a catastrophic failure. The crew got warnings of loose chips in the gearbox but official guidance was to “land as soon as practical,” leaving the pilot to decide when to land.

Rep. Jackson said, "Critics paint a picture of the Osprey as an inherently dangerous aircraft, claiming it is more prone to accidents than other military platforms; however, the data and the facts tell a much different story. Compared with the UH-60 Black Hawk and CH-47 Chinook, the V-22’s safety record is well within acceptable industry standards.”

Despite being heavily used in training and combat missions, the accident rate of the Osprey per 100,000 flight hours of the Marines’ variant is “equal to or less than any airframe flown,” said Gen. Eric M. Smith, Commandant of the Marine Corps.

Rep. Jackson represents the 13th Congressional District in Texas, which includes Amarillo, home of the Bell Amarillo Assembly Center. It is one of the main sites for production of the V-22 Osprey.

FMI: https://www.bellflight.com/products/bell-boeing-v-22