Fatal Osprey Crash Blamed On ‘Pilot Error’

A fatal Marine Osprey crash in Australia last year has been blamed on human factors rather than the trouble-plagued aircraft. According to Military.com, a military investigation found "pilot error and complacency" to be the cause of the accident, which killed three Marines, including both pilots and a corporal who died trying to save them. Cpl. Steven Collart went into the burning flight deck to try to bring out Maj. Tobin Lewis and Capt. Eleanor LeBeau.

The crash punctuated a chaotic multinational military exercise called Exercise Predator's Run near Darwin in northern Australia. The aircraft crashed after taking evasive maneuvers when it came too close to another Osprey it was trailing. But much of the report focused on a pervasive attitude of lax maintenance and discipline in the unit, Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 363. The report recommended administrative action against unit commander Col. Joe Whitfield for "permitting a culture that disregarded safety of flight and aviation maintenance procedures." He has since resigned. It also recommended charges against the head of maintenance for the unit, who was not named.