U.S. Military Grounds Entire Osprey Fleet Following Fatal Crash

Longstanding safety issues with the aircraft's clutch and manufacturing standards come under scrutiny as more than 50 troops have died in Osprey-related incidents.

The U.S. military has grounded its entire fleet of V-22 Ospreys following a fatal crash off the coast of Japan that killed all eight Air Force Special Operations Command service members on board.
The Osprey, a unique aircraft that takes off and lands like a helicopter but can tilt its propellers to fly like an airplane, has had a long history of safety issues.
Concerns have been raised about a mechanical problem with the Osprey's clutch that has troubled the program for over a decade, with questions about whether all parts of the aircraft have been manufactured according to safety specifications.
More than 50 troops have died either flight testing the Osprey or conducting training flights over the program's lifespan, including 20 deaths in four crashes over the past 20 months.
A whistleblower lawsuit that Boeing settled with the Justice Department in September for $8.1 million raised questions about whether the Osprey's composite parts were strengthened according to DOD specifications.