Serious accident rates increase for Ospreys over the last year

 

November 9, 2017 Ryukyu Shimpo

 

On November 8, the Ministry of Defense made an announcement regarding Osprey accident rates after receiving information from the U.S. As of end of September, the class A accident rate of the 100-thousand hours of fly time made by the U.S. Marine Corps vertical takeoff and landing transport aircraft MV-22 Osprey is 3.27.

Research found that the accident rate has nearly doubled from 1.65 taken at the end of September of 2012 in which Ospreys were first stationed at the U.S. Futemna Air Station in Ginowan City of Okinawa Prefecture.

 

 

The accident rate increased due to major accidents occurring in the last year, such as Ospreys from Futemna crashing in Nago City and Australia.

The government had initially emphasized the safety of Ospreys saying they have “lower” accident rates compared to other models.

That premise has crumbled.

 

 

Ospreys from Futenma have had crash accidents, along with emergency landings due to engine issues.

In 2013, the governor and all 41 municipalities opposed the Ospreys being stationed in Okinawa.

They also handed Prime Minister Shinzo Abe a petition requesting the Ospreys to be removed.

It seems that more people will request the removal of Ospreys with the increased accident rate.

 

 

The U.S. concludes its fiscal year at the end of September and does the same for the accident rates.

Any accident that involves fatalities or result in total damages of two million dollars or more are considered class A accidents.

 

 

According to a spokesman from the Ministry of Defense, 10 cases of class A accidents involving Ospreys have occurred since 2003.

Flight time is 306,000 hours with an accident rate of 3.27.

Of the 10 accidents, 3 have occurred in the last year. Class A accident rates of all U.S. Marine Corps aircrafts as of end of September is 2.72, showing that the average has also increased.

 

 

Ospreys from the Futenma Air Station crashed in Abu of Nago City last December and in offshore Australia this August.

Both accidents took place in the U.S. fiscal year 2017 pushing the accident rate upward.

 

 

A spokesman from the Ministry of Defense explained the increased accident rate. Based on U.S. information, the increased accident rate is due both to the Ospreys’ sophisticated nature, allowing it to engage in various duties, and for having to fly under harsh conditions.

The spokesman went on to say that there are no aircraft safety issues and that the Ministry of Defense “wants to ask the U.S. to maximize their consideration toward safety.”

 

 

(English translation by T&CT and Chelsea Ashimine)

 

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