(NAVARRE, Fla.)?? Military officials say five airmen have been hospitalized after their aircraft crashed during training. The CV-22 Osprey crashed Wednesday evening on Eglin Air Force base property north of Navarre.
The aircraft is assigned to the 1st Special Operations Wing.
The extent of the damage to the Osprey was not released, however at a news conference held at Hurlburt Field Thursday the wing's commander said, "This particular mission was a gunnery training mission so it was a two aircraft formation and when the lead aircraft turned around in the gun pattern they did not see their wing man behind them so they started a search and found the aircraft had crashed right there on the range," Colonel Jim Slife said.
How it happened will be investigated. Even the Air Force has questions.
When the aircraft was found, the Osprey was upside down and on fire.
"We don't know how it got that way, if it was because of the impact. We just don't know how it got that way. There was some fire. It did not burn all the way to the ground, but if the aircraft is salvageable its going to be significantly damaged," said Slife.
The CV-22 is essential to rescue and special ops. It's the one aircraft that can land in small areas quickly.
Despite some critics, including former Vice President Dick Cheney who wanted the Osprey program cancelled when he served as Defence Secretary, the Air Force stands by the aircraft's safety record.
"We don't intend to ground the fleet based on any information we have at this time," said Slife.
Click here to read this story on www.local15tv.com
jesse james pearl harbor day discovery channel lea michele michael buble michael buble teddy roosevelt
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.