CV-22 Crash

An Air Force CV-22 Osprey, assigned to the 1st Special Operations Wing, crashed at about 6:45 p.m. Wednesday evening during a routine training mission at Hulrburt Field’s Eglin Range, north of Navarre, FL, according to a statement released by the Air Force last night. The accident is under investigation. Five crew members aboard were taken to local area hospitals, according to the statement. Two crew members were taken by ambulance, while the other three were taken via air. An Air Force spokeswoman said the site of the crash is a pretty remote area. A Pentagon source told InsideDefense.com that the wreckage burned until midnight.

A fatal CV-22 mishap occurred in April 2010 when an Osprey crashed in Afghanistan. An investigation board could not pinpoint the crash's cause, but concluded that engine trouble, crew errors and weather were contributing factors. More recently, the Marine Corps has been investigating a fatal MV-22 Osprey crash that occurred in Morocco on April 11. The Marine Corps has ruled out mechanical failure as a cause of that crash. But the Associated Press reported Tuesday that concerns about the safety of the Osprey have prompted Japanese officials to put on hold plans to temporarily deploy the aircraft to the city of Iwakuni.