Osprey ferrying White House staff in New York grounded after witness reports flames

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: CBS News/AP

November 26, 2024 / 7:16 AM EST


NEW YORK -- An Osprey being used to ferry White House staff and government officials from an event in New York on Monday was grounded due to a safety concern, with one witness reporting flames under the right engine.

The staff and officials were removed from the aircraft, part of the Marine Corps HMX-1 presidential helicopter fleet, and transferred to a second Osprey to continue their trip accompanying President Joe Biden at a "Friendsgiving" event with members of the U.S. Coast Guard in Staten Island. The issue caused only a minor delay for Biden's return to Washington on Monday evening.

The incident occurred the same day lawmakers sent a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin asking him to re-ground the military's entire fleet of V-22 Ospreys until solutions can be put in place to address safety and design issues identified by The Associated Press in its recent in-depth investigation of the aircraft's accident record.

The Marine Corps did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the New York incident. A journalist traveling with the president reported seeing a fire under the right engine shortly before staff were notified the Osprey would be grounded.

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/white-house-osprey-grounded-over-safety-issue/

[Dennis Donovan]

1. Fascinating aircraft but problematic

It's a very complex aircraft.

[cloudbase]

2. I've wondered how they'd deal with asymmetrical thrust in an Osprey.

I suppose like many piston twins, the remaining good engine flies you to the site of the crash.

[InstantGratification]

3. No hands on expertise here, but I was in aircraft maintenance in the AF

My understanding is that there is shaft drive system of some sort that connects the gearboxes of the two engines so that one engine can drive both propellers. I have no insight at all into how much it affects the handling when it loses half it's power, I suspect that "flies you to the site of the crash" is closer to the truth than the aircrews would like.

Added: I found this from a google search: "what happens when a v-22 osprey loses an engine"


https://www.military.com/daily-news/2022/09/07/it-blew-everything-apart-osprey-accident-shows-danger-of-clutch-issue-services-keep-flying.html

[cloudbase]

5. Good find. Thanks for the link.

i like how they call the crewman "Jack" as though the USAF couldn't figure out who it is given the particulars of the incident.

[henbuck]

4. A guy who lived next door to me

was involved with Osprey testing and died in a crash of this plane. It is dangerous.