Japan has grounded its V-22 Osprey fleet again after a flight incident

WASHINGTON (AP) — Japan has grounded its fleet of V-22 Osprey aircraft again after an incident Sunday in which one of the hybrid helicopter planes unexpectedly tipped over and hit the ground while trying to take off.

The V-22 took part in the joint US military exercise Keen Sword and carried 16 passengers, including three US military personnel. During takeoff, “it became unstable as it swayed back and forth, and the left wing, the lower part of the aircraft, came into contact with the ground and part of the aircraft was damaged, so the flight was aborted,” says Japan’s Ground Self Defense. The armed forces said this in a statement.

It was the first major incident involving Japan’s V-22 fleet since the U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command Osprey crash off the coast of Japan last November. eight killed service members and led to a months-long grounding of the entire fleet for both Japan and the US

The aircraft resumed flying operations earlier this year, but the Osprey is still in use controversial especially in Okinawa, where residents question the country’s safety record.

The Osprey was able to land in Sunday’s incident and no one was injured, but Japan will ground its fleet of more than a dozen V-22s while it investigates the incident, Defense Secretary Gen. Nakatani told reporters last week.

“We believe there is no safety problem with Ospreys, although ensuring flight safety is a prerequisite for aircraft operations,” Nakatani said.

The Pentagon’s Joint V-22 Program Office is supporting Japan’s investigation into the incident, spokesman Neil Lobeda said Saturday.

The V-22 was active on the Japanese island of Yonaguni during the joint exercise Keen Sword. Yonaguni is located just 100 kilometers (62 miles) east of Taiwan.

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Yamaguchi reported from Tokyo

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