Cause of U.S. military Osprey’s emergency landing at Oita Airport remains undisclosed

Cause of U.S. military Osprey’s emergency landing at Oita Airport remains undisclosed

The MV-22 Osprey landing at MCAS Futenma in Ginowan City on September 9 at 1:13 p.m. (photograph by Manato Akira)


 

September 10, 2017 Ryukyu Shimpo

 

An MV-22 Osprey vertical takeoff and landing aircraft made an emergency landing at Oita Airport while traveling between MCAS Iwakuni and MCAS Futenma, where it is based.

At 1:13 p.m. on September 9 it returned to Futenma. The aircraft from which smoke and flames were seen rising flew in the sky over Okinawans’ heads both before and after its emergency landing, and following replacement of its engines.

On August 29 the Osprey at hand landed at Oita Airport while en route from MCAS Iwakuni to MCAS Futenma.

Directly after landing, smoke and flames were seen on the aircraft.

While at Oita Airport the right and left engines were both replaced, but once more on September 7 smoke rose from the aircraft.

The next morning the Osprey was taken on a test flight to MCAS Iwakuni.

Past 11:00 a.m. on September 9 the Osprey departed from MCAS Iwakuni, and two hours later arrived at MCAS Futenma.

Upon landing at Futenma the aircraft had taxied itself to a parking apron and continued to run its propellers for about 10 minutes, during which time American soldiers crowded around the aircraft.

The Okinawa Prefectural Government, Ginowan City, and other concerned municipal governments received an ex post facto report from the Okinawa Defense Bureau.

Local sentiment calling for the halt of Osprey flights has been ignored, even in light of the recent crash off the coast of Australia and cases of emergency landings.

As such, voices opposing flights of these aircraft in Okinawa have spread. No information on the cause of the emergency landing or other details had been announced as of September 9.

This Osprey was the same one that made an emergency landing at Iejima Auxiliary Airfield in June this year.

Smoke rose from the aircraft on August 28 as well, as confirmed by a citizen’s photograph taken at MCAS Iwakuni.

 

(English translation by T&CT and Erin Jones)

 

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