Family of Marine killed in Osprey crash begs military not to use the aircraft after TWENTY service members die in space of a year

The family of a young marine, tragically killed in an Osprey crash, is urging the military to avoid using the aircraft, following a series of fatal accidents leading to the deaths of twenty service members within one year. 

Evan Strickland was killed at 19-years-old in a June 2022 Osprey crash, when the MV-22 he was in came down in the California dessert during a training flight.

The V-22 Osprey is a unique aircraft capable of functioning like both a helicopter and a propeller plane, and used primarily to transport combat troops. From March 2022 to November 2023, twenty service members died in four fatal Osprey crashes. 

While the military claims to have has solved the issue relating to the clutch in the Osprey's rotor gearbox that led to at least one crash, it has not determined the root cause behind the Osprey's recurrent problems. 

As the military considers a return to operation for the aircraft, Wayland Strickland, Evan's father expressed his frustration, telling NBC Nightly News, 'You ain't fix something if you don't know truly what's causing it. So that's the worry and concern - we just want it fixed.

Evan Strickland passed away at 19-years-old in a June 2022 Osprey crash, when the MV-22 he was in came down in the California dessert during a training flight

As the military considers a return to operation for the aircraft, Wayland Strickland, Evan's father (left) expressed frustration, telling NBC News, 'You ain't fix something if you don't know truly what's causing it. So that's the worry and concern - we just want it fixed

The V-22 Osprey is a unique aircraft capable of functioning like both a helicopter and a propeller plane, and used primarily to transport combat troops. From March 2022 to November 2023, 20 service members died in four fatal Osprey crashes 

It was Evan's first and final flight as a crew chief aboard the aircraft he was always fascinated with - and dreamt of working on. 

'Evan had a love for the Osprey from when he was little, maybe 6 years old to 7 years old. His dad — an Air Force veteran — had taken him to an air show,' Strickland's mother, Michelle, said to the Valencia County News Bulletin after his death.

'He sat in the cockpit of the Osprey and he just fell in love with it.' 

Tragedy struck again in August 2023 when another Osprey crashed in Australia, claiming the lives of three other service members. The cause of the crash remains undetermined.

'Evan had a love for the Osprey from when he was little, maybe 6 years old to 7 years old. His dad — an Air Force veteran — had taken him to an air show,' Strickland's mother, Michelle, said to the Valencia County News Bulletin after his death

Five Marines died in the crash: Two pilots, Capt. Nicholas P. Losapio, 31, of Rockingham, New Hampshire, and Capt. John J. Sax, 33, of Placer, California; and three crew chiefs, Cpl. Nathan E. Carlson, 21, of Winnebago, Illinois; Cpl. Seth D. Rasmuson, 21, of Johnson, Wyoming, and Lance Cpl. Evan A. Strickland, 19, of Valencia, New Mexico

'And, you know, right away I was like, Oh, no. … Your heart just sinks. And I remember shaking, kind of showing [Wayland] the phone, like, 'No, this can't be.'

As discussions on the potential resumption of Osprey flights loom, the Strickland family and others affected emphasize the need for thorough investigations and transparency. 

Tim Loranger, representing families of Osprey crash victims, stressed the importance of specific explanations to address concerns among those still flying the aircraft.

'If they could come forward and say that and be very specific, then I think the families would be put at ease, especially those who are still flying in the aircraft, but that hasn't happened yet,' said Tim Loranger, a lawyer who is representing the families of service members lost in Osprey crashes.

'Military aviation is an inherently risky endeavor,' Keith Wright, chief of public affairs for the Air Force, told NBC News. 'Our primary purpose is to defend the nation in air, space, and cyberspace, and critical to that is preserving the combat capabilities our personnel and systems provide by mitigating those risks.'

'There are a variety of reasons mishaps occur, which can include human error, mechanical failure, procedural guidance, or training. Every mishap is different, and each is investigated individually and thoroughly to identify causal factors in efforts to prevent similar mishaps,' Wright added.

A spokesperson for Bell-Textron, the Osprey manufacturer, told NBC News, 'Our thoughts are with those who were lost in these incidents, along with their families, friends and loved ones. We are steadfast in our commitment to safety and are fully supporting the investigation.' 

Since its introduction in 1989, the Osprey has been controversial due to its history of crashes. From 1989 to 2017, seven accidents claimed the lives of 41 service members and passengers.

Although there were no fatal crashes from 2018 to 2021, recent years have seen a resurgence in accidents. 

In 2020 and 2021, there were two incidents categorized as 'Class A mishaps.' Between 2022 and 2023, there were 11 Class A mishaps, four of them fatal.

In March 2022, a crash in Norway claimed the lives of four Marines, attributed to pilot error. 

Just months later, the Osprey crashed in California, killing Evan and four other Marines. Investigators determined the crash resulted from a 'hard clutch engagement,' causing a sudden loss of lift.

Since the California crash, there have been six more incidents involving hard clutch engagements, raising concerns over the aircraft's safety.

In August 2023, a crash in Australia resulted in further fatalities, while a November 2023 crash off the coast of Japan claimed the lives of eight service members.

Despite the military's assertion of a 99 percent resolution to the clutch engagement issue in February 2023, the problem persists. Ongoing investigations are focusing on the Osprey's proprotor gearbox as a potential cause of recent crashes but the problem remains unsolved.

In July 2023, a 400-page report released concluded that the deadly crash of a Marine V-22 Osprey in California was caused by mechanical failure, 

A Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey is pictured in 2012

The investigation ruled out pilot and maintenance errors. The Marines were doing routine flight operations when a 'catastrophic, unpreventable and unanticipated mechanical failure occurred,' the report wrote. 

The Osprey crashed in a remote area near Glamis, about 115 miles (185 kilometers) east of San Diego.

Five Marines died in the crash: Two pilots, Capt. Nicholas P. Losapio, 31, of Rockingham, New Hampshire, and Capt. John J. Sax, 33, of Placer, California; and three crew chiefs, Cpl. Nathan E. Carlson, 21, of Winnebago, Illinois; Cpl. Seth D. Rasmuson, 21, of Johnson, Wyoming, and Lance Cpl. Evan A. Strickland, 19, of Valencia, New Mexico.

'The tragedy of this event is impossible to capture in words,' said Maj. Gen. Bradford Gering, who was commander of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, in a memo attached to the report. 'It is clear from the investigation that there was nothing the crew of SWIFT 11 could have done to anticipate or prevent this aviation mishap.'

The report also ruled out any issues with weather, birds or other external factors. And it concluded that there should be no disciplinary actions or administrative actions against any Marines.