Getting Answers: Air Force grounds CV-22 Osprey aircraft after deadly crash

PITTSFIELD, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) - The U.S. military has grounded an entire fleet of Osprey aircrafts. This comes after eight service members, including Pittsfield native, Air Force staff Sgt. Jacob Galliher were killed in a crash off the coast of Japan just one week ago.

According to the U.S. Air Force, the standdown of these aircrafts was ordered to reduce risk while the investigation into the crash continues. To learn more about the unique aircraft, we spoke with retired U.S. Army officer, Gary Lefort.

“The V22 is a aircraft that when the engines are in a horizontal position it acts as a helicopter,” explained Lefort. “When it’s in the vertical position, it acts like an aircraft and can travel at high speeds.”

Lefort explained the Osprey V22′s versatility allows the military to react quickly, making it very useful in special operations, search and rescue missions and other scenarios. However, he told Western Mass News, the aircraft has had a history of problems and the fleet has been grounded before.

“From what I understand it relates to the clutch their generally considered clutch-related type problems,” added Lefort. “I’m not sure if the problem relates to being able to convert without problems from a horizontal helicopter configuration to a vertical airplane configuration or the problem lies possibly changing gears or being able to go to higher higher speeds.”

According to the Air Force, the preliminary investigation indicates a potential material failure caused last week’s accident, but the cause of the failure is unknown. Congressman Richard Neal released a statement on Thursday commending the decision to ground the fleet, reading in part:

“...Until the investigation is completed, our focus must remain on the family and friends grieving the tragic loss of staff Sgt. Galliher and seven of his fellow airmen...We join the Pittsfield community and a grateful nation in honoring their lives and service, as we send our thoughts and prayers to their families during this difficult time. We have a duty to ensure the safety of the brave men and women in uniform who have devoted their lives to defending our nation and promoting our values abroad...”