U.S. Military Imposes New Safety Rules for Osprey Aircraft After Gearbox Failures

Recent inspections reveal manufacturing flaws in transmission parts linked to a fatal 2023 crash and a near-crash last month.

The Pentagon has ordered additional safety restrictions for V-22 Ospreys with newer proprotor gearboxes after a near-crash in New Mexico on November 20, 2024.
Investigators found the same metal defects in the gearbox from the recent incident as those that caused a fatal crash off Japan in November 2023, killing eight service members.
The Osprey fleet will undergo inspections to verify flight hours on gearboxes, with stricter limitations for aircraft using newer transmission components.
Replacing the flawed gearboxes with components made using improved manufacturing methods is expected to take years across the approximately 400-aircraft fleet.
Lawmakers and safety advocates are urging the Pentagon to ground the Osprey entirely until systemic safety issues are resolved, citing its history of over 21 major accidents.