Four families of Marines who lost their lives in a tragic V-22 Osprey crash in California in 2022 have recently filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the manufacturers of the military aircraft. The lawsuit alleges that the companies failed to disclose important safety issues to the Pentagon, leading to the fatal accident.
A federal lawsuit was filed on Thursday in California against Boeing, Bell Textron, and Rolls-Royce. The lawsuit alleges that the aircraft manufacturers failed to effectively communicate the dangers of the aircraft to the government and military service members in a timely, accurate, and truthful manner.
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Bell Textron and Boeing, the manufacturers of the aircraft, have chosen not to provide any comments regarding the ongoing litigation. Similarly, Rolls-Royce, the producer of Osprey engines, has not responded to a request for comment.
During a training mission in June 2022, five Marines tragically lost their lives when the MV-22B Osprey they were aboard crashed east of San Diego.
The Air Force Special Operations Command later identified a problem with the Osprey’s hard clutch engagement. This issue caused the clutch that connects one of the aircraft’s engines to the propeller rotor to slip unexpectedly. As a result, the aircrew was forced to make an immediate landing. The exact reasons for this slip are still unknown.
The hybrid aircraft, known for its ability to take off vertically like a helicopter and then transition into horizontal flight like a plane, has unfortunately experienced a series of crashes throughout its operational history. These accidents have resulted in the tragic loss of over 50 service members. Specifically, from March 2022 to November 2023, four crashes occurred, claiming the lives of 20 service members.
In November, eight Marines lost their lives when their tiltrotor aircraft crashed into the sea off the coast of Japan. The investigation into the cause of the accident is still ongoing.
The incident prompted the U.S. military to ground its entire Osprey fleet for three months. It also initiated a review of the program, which has yet to be released.
The families involved in the California crash filed a complaint on Thursday, claiming that the accident occurred due to two malfunctioning systems that the companies failed to address. They accuse the companies of making dishonest statements about the aircraft’s safety and airworthiness.
Tim Loranger, the attorney representing the families, expressed his concerns regarding the safety of the aircraft and its systems. Despite the claims made by Bell-Boeing and others about its safety, the facts seem to paint a different picture.
Amber Sax, the wife of Capt. John Sax, who passed away in the California crash, has expressed her concerns regarding the safety of the Osprey. In a statement to NBC News, she emphasized that her decision to file the lawsuit is driven by a desire to protect others from potential danger associated with the aircraft.
“Our brave soldiers deserve equipment and aircraft that are free from any malfunctions, particularly those that could potentially endanger their lives,” she expressed. “I had hoped to spend my golden years with my husband. It’s heartbreaking to see our two children growing up without their father.”
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