Air Force Identifies Component Failure in Osprey Crash, Still Investigating Cause

The Air Force has pinpointed the failure that led to the fatal Osprey crash in Japan but remains uncertain about the underlying cause, with investigations ongoing.

The Air Force Special Operations Command has identified what failed in the CV-22B Osprey crash in Japan that killed eight service members, but the cause of the failure is still under investigation.
Hundreds of Osprey aircraft across the Air Force, Marine Corps, and Navy have been grounded since December 6, following the crash.
Two investigations, a safety investigation board and an accident investigation board, are currently looking into the crash, alongside a comprehensive review of the CV-22 Osprey program by the Air Force Special Operations Command.
The crash has been linked to chipping from the Osprey’s proprotor gearbox, a problem that has been under scrutiny in various Osprey accidents.
The Department of Defense awarded Bell-Boeing $12.7 million in January 2023 to improve the gearbox design across all Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps, and Navy Osprey variants.