A fatal Osprey crash that occurred during a training exercise in Australia last year, claiming the lives of three Marines, was nearly preceded by a mid-air collision due to pilot errors, according to a military report released on Friday. The crash, which took place on August 27, 2023, resulted in the deaths of pilots Capt. Eleanor V. LeBeau, 29, and Maj. Tobin J. Lewis, 37, as well as crew chief Cpl. Spencer R. Collart. The report highlighted a “culture that disregarded safety of flight” within the squadron leadership.
LeBeau and Lewis, the aircraft commander, perished in the crash, while Collart, 21, lost his life after bravely attempting to rescue the trapped pilots from the burning cockpit, as per the military investigators. The crash, however, left 20 other service members who were aboard the aircraft alive.
The accident transpired as two Ospreys, aircraft capable of flying as either planes or helicopters, were making a final landing approach during the multinational training exercise. The lead aircraft reduced power without notifying the trailing one, causing the second Osprey to react with a steep bank to avoid a collision. The pilot then entered two more steep banks, encountered a 20-knot tailwind, and eventually stalled, leading to the crash.
The report also found that the aircraft commander should have taken control of the situation sooner during the critical moments leading up to the crash. The fatal accident revealed serious safety issues within the Hawaii-based squadron, potentially leading to court-martial charges for a senior squadron member and possible administrative actions against the squadron’s former commanding officer, Lt. Col. Joe Whitefield. The report alleged that Whitefield “permitted a culture that disregarded safety of flight procedures.”
An unnamed senior maintenance officer was charged with a Uniform Code of Military Justice violation for dereliction of duty and for falsely generating and signing a form that reported the aircraft’s weight and loads after the crash. The report also noted several issues leading up to the aircrafts taking off, including two minor accidents and another near-miss related to weight and load issues three weeks prior.
These issues should have served as warning signs, but Whitefield did not call for a standdown to investigate larger safety problems, according to the report. His inaction “directly contributed to the failure to execute required safety of flight and weight and power procedures” on the day of the crash.
Lewis, the aircraft commander, served as the in-flight instructor for the pilot flying the lead Osprey and also the aircraft commander on his own Osprey. However, he failed to check in on mission planning briefs that outlined the flight or review other details related to the exercise before the flight. Both Ospreys carried 2,000 pounds more fuel than planned and only had estimates of the weight of each troop in the back. The weight of the aircraft can significantly impact its safe operation.
The crashed Osprey also had incomplete maintenance that should have prevented it from taking off, although these issues did not contribute to the crash, the investigation determined. The 1st Marine Expeditionary Force stated on Friday that the loss of the three Marines “continues to be felt across the Marine Corps.” The crash is one of four fatal accidents involving the Osprey in the past two years.