AN OSPREY WORRIES THEY ARE NOT SAFE TO FLY. HERE’S COURTNEY KUBE.
>> Reporter: TONIGHT,
DEFENSE OFFICIALS ARE
ZEROING IN ON THE
CAUSE OF THE MOST
RECENT DEADLY OSPREY
CRASH ADDING TO THE
LIKELIHOOD THAT THE
AIRCRAFT COULD BE BACK
IN THE AIR WITHIN
WEEKS.
BUT WHALEN AND MICHELE
STRICKLAND, THE
PARENTS OF EVAN
STRICKLAND WORRY IT IS
TOO SOON.
HE WAS JUST 13 WHEN HE
SAW HIS FIRST OSPREY.
HE WAS HOOKED.
>> IT WAS THE FIRST
TIME HE HAD EVER SEEN
AN OSPREY UP CLOSE.
>> HE WAS INTRIGUED --
HE WAS FASCINATED BY
IT.
>> YEAH, HE WAS JUST
OVER THE MOON ABOUT
IT.
>> Reporter: THE
OSPREY CAN TAKE OFF AS
A HELICOPTER BUT THEN
TURN INTO AN AIRPLANE
GETTING TROOPS TO THE
BATTLEFIELD QUICKLY.
>> I GOT A PICTURE OF
HIM WHERE HE’S SITTING
IN THE COCKPIT.
THAT WAS JUST IN FRONT
OF THE POSITION HE WAS
WHEN HE PASSED.
>> Reporter: EVAN
JOINED THE MILITARY
WORKING ON OSPREY
CREWS.
IN JUNE 2022 HE WAS ON
AN OSPREY OVER
CALIFORNIA WHEN
INVESTIGATORS SAY IT
EXPERIENCED WHAT’S
CALLED A HARD CLUTCH
ENGAGEMENT WHEN THE
CLUTCH RELEASES AND
SUDDENLY RE-ENGAGES.
>> SO AT THAT POINT
THEY LOST CONTROL OF
THE FLIGHT.
>> AND THE AIRCRAFT
FELL?
>> JUST LIKE A ROCK.
>> Reporter: NO ONE
SURVIVED THE CRASH.
IT WAS EVAN’S FIRST
OSPREY FLIGHT AS A
CREW CHIEF.
HE WAS 19 YEARS OLD.
AFTER THE CRASH THE
MILITARY SAID THEY
WERE 99% SURE THEY HAD
FIXED THE PROBLEM.
THERE HAVE BEEN NO
CLUTCH FAILURES SINCE
JANUARY 2023 BUT THEY
STILL CAN’T SAY FOR
SURE WHY IT HAPPENED
IN THE FIRST PLACE.
>> YOU CAN’T FIX
SOMETHING IF YOU DON’T
KNOW TRULY WHAT’S
CAUSING IT.
SO THAT’S THE WORRY
AND THE CONCERN.
WE JUST WANT IT FIXED.
>> Reporter: EVAN’S
CASKET WAS ESCORTED BY
MARINE HONOR GUARD
THAT INCLUDED ONE OF
HIS BEST FRIENDS,
COLONEL SPENCER
COLLARD.
>> I HAD RECEIVED A
TEXT.
>> Reporter: JUST 14
MONTHS AFTER HE WAS
THERE AT EVAN’S
FUNERAL, HE WAS KILLED
WHEN HIS OSPREY
CRASHED IN AUSTRALIA.
>> I’M LIKE, NO, NO,
NO.
YOUR HEART JUST SINKS
AND I ARERREMEMBER SHAKING
YOU SHOWING THE PHONE.
>> Reporter: IT
HAPPENED IN NOVEMBER
IN JAPAN, EIGHT MORE
SERVICE MEMBERS KILLED
IN DMOER OSPREY CRASH
FOCUSING ON AN ADDED
CONCERN THE PROP ROTOR
GEARBOX.
IN THE LAST TWO YEARS
FOUR CRASHES HAVE
TAKEN THE LIVES OF 20
SERVICE MEMBERS AND
MILITARY DATA SHOWS
THE NUMBER OF SERIOUS
AVIATION INCIDENTS
KNOWN AS CLASS A
MISHAPS ARE ON THE
RISE FOR THE OSPREY.
IN THE LAST TWO YEARS
THERE WERE 11
INCIDENTS COMPARED TO
JUST 2 IN THE PREVIOUS
TWO YEARS.
>> I DON’T KNOW ANYONE
THAT DOESN’T KNOW
SOMEBODY THAT’S PASSED
AWAY IN AN OSPREY
CRASH.
>> Reporter: THIS
FORMER MILITARY
AVIATION MECHANIC
WORKED ON THE OSPREY
FOR DECADES.
HE FEARS REPERCUSSIONS
FOR SPEAKING OUT.
WE PROTECTED HIS
IDENTITY INCLUDING
USING ANOTHER VOICE IN
PLACE OF HIS.
>> THEY NEED TO BE
DOING MORE TO PREVENT
THIS STUFF AND TO BE
MORE TRANSPARENT.
>> Reporter:
>> WOULD YOU GO UP IN
AN OSPREY TODAY?
>> NO.
>> Reporter: HE SAYS
THEY FELT PRESSURE TO
GET THE AIRCRAFT BACK
IN THE AIR QUICKLY.
>> YOU’RE TRYING TO
REACH THESE BENCHMARKS
THAT ARE REALLY HARD
TO GET TO.
SO THERE’S A LOT OF
PERCEIVED PRESSURE
THAT ENDS UP TURNING
THIS INTO ACTUAL
PRESSURE.
>> Reporter: IN
DECEMBER THE PENTAGON
TOOK THE RARE STEP OF
GROUNDING ITS ENTIRE
FLEET OF OSPREYS BUT
NBC NEWS LEARNED THERE
ARE STILL OSPREYS
FLYING IN DJIBOUTI AND
OKINAWA FOR PACEAL
OPERATIONAL NECESSITY.
>> WE’LL LEAVE IT TO
THE SERVICES TO
DETERMINE WHEN IT’S
BEST FOR THE OSPREYS
TO BE RELIEVED OF THAT
STAND DOWN ORDER BUT
RIGHT NOW THEY’RE
STILL NOT FLYING AT
THIS TIME.
>> Reporter: THE
PENTAGON SENT US A
STATEMENT SAYING IN
PART, THE SAFETY OF
OUR AIRCREWS IS OF
UPMOST IMPORTANCE AND
WE RECOGNIZE THE
CRITICAL ROLE THE V- 2
PLAYS IN OUR NATION’S
DEFENSE AND ARE
DEDICATED TO
SAFEGUARDING THE
WELL-BEING OF OUR
PERSONNEL.
MEANWHILE WHALEN AND
MICHELE SAY THEY’LL
KEEP DEMANDING ANSWERS
BECAUSE THAT’S WHAT
EVAN WOULD HAVE
WANTED.
>> OUR SON, IF HE NEW
THIS WOULD HAPPEN AND
LEAD TO SOME KIND OF
CHANGE TO PROTECT HIS
BROTHERS AND KEEP THEM
SAFE, HE HAD’S DO IT
AGAIN.
>> Reporter: WE
REACHED OUT TO THE
OSPREY MANUFACTURER,
BELL TEX TON AND GAVE
US THIS STATEMENT, OUR
THOUGHTS ARE WITH
THOSE LOST IN THESE
INCIDENTS ALONG WITH
THEIR FAMILY, FRIENDS
AND LOVED ONES.