US Air Force Finds Gearbox Failure, Pilot’s Decision Led to Deadly Osprey Crash in Japan

Eight airmen onboard the Osprey aircraft died in the 2023 crash.

In this file photo, a CV-22 Osprey aircraft kicks up a cloud of dust as it touches down at the Grants/Milan Airport in Grants, New Mexico, on June 7, 2007. Matt Hinshaw/AP Photo

The fatal crash of a U.S. Osprey aircraft in Japan last year was caused by a “catastrophic failure” in the gearbox and the pilot’s decision to continue flying despite the malfunction, according to a U.S. Air Force report.

The CV-22B Osprey crashed off the shore of Yakushima, Japan, during a training mission on Nov. 29, 2023, killing all eight airmen onboard. All Osprey aircraft were grounded for months after the incident.