HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. -- Today, Air Force Special Operations Command released an Accident Investigation Board report on an CV-22B Osprey mishap that occurred Aug. 22, 2023, at Melrose Range, New Mexico. The aircraft and crew were assigned to the 27th Special Operations Wing’s 20th Special Operations Squadron at Cannon AFB, N.M. The mishap resulted in minor injuries to one crewmember and no fatalities or damage to civilian property. The damage to government property was valued at $2 million.
The AIB president found the cause of the mishap by a preponderance of the evidence was a flight engineer unintentionally and unknowingly shut down the right engine when their night vision goggles battery cable looped over the knob of the right engine control lever and moved it from the FLY to OFF position while attempting to sit down in the flight engineer seat.
Additionally, the AIB President found by a preponderance of the evidence the following factors substantially contributed to the mishap: (1) the mishap aircraft commander failed to guard the engine control levers, (2) inattention of the aircrew during a critical phase of flight, (3) failure of real-time risk assessment, and (4) a lack of procedural guidance.
The AIB report can be viewed at https://www.afjag.af.mil/AIB-Reports/ under the 2023 tab or here.
Questions can be sent to afsoc.pa.org@us.af.mil.