Deadly Crash of Marine Osprey Last Year Was Caused by Mechanical Failure, Report Says

An MV-22B Osprey with Marine Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron (VMX) 1 transports ordnance during an Expeditionary Advanced Base Operation (EABO) exercise to Old Highway 101 near Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., on May 25, 2022. U.S. Marine Corps via AP

WASHINGTON—The deadly crash of a Marine V-22 Osprey in California last year was caused by mechanical failure, according to an investigation that ruled out pilot and maintenance errors.

The more than 400-page report released on Friday concluded that the Marines were doing routine flight operations when a “catastrophic, unpreventable, and unanticipated mechanical failure occurred.” The Osprey crashed in a remote area near Glamis, about 115 miles (185 kilometers) east of San Diego.