Japan Press Weekly

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2017 September 6 - 12 [US FORCES]

Osprey emits smoke again during repair work

A U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey deployed to the U.S. Futenma base in Okinawa on September 7 emitted heavy smoke while undergoing repairs at Oita Airport where the aircraft made an emergency landing ten days ago.

The Osprey aircraft was scheduled to depart for the U.S. Iwakuni base in the afternoon of this day. In preparation for the flight, the tilt-rotor aircraft started its engines three times and discharged a large amount of white smoke twice from its left engine. When the smoke belched out, USMC maintenance staff checked the engines and the planned flight was cancelled.

Earlier on the same day, Japanese Communist Party member of the House of Councilors Yamashita Yoshiki (the JCP vice chair) and JCP member of the House of Representatives Tamura Takaaki visited Oita Airport to conduct an on-site investigation concerning the Osprey’s emergency landing which occurred on August 29.

Asked by JCP lawmakers about the cause of the emergency landing, a Defense Ministry official said that the ministry has no detailed information regarding the accident.

Yamashita referred to the fact that the MV-22 Osprey in question made another emergency landing at the U.S. Ie Jima Auxiliary Airfield on Okinawa’s Ie Island in June. He also cited reports of smoke emissions from the same aircraft at the U.S. Iwakuni base just before the latest incident. He said that it is suspected that the cause of the malfunction of the aircraft has not yet been determined and is still in need of repair.

Tamura criticized the Defense Ministry for its reluctance to obtain specific information regarding the accident from the U.S. forces.

After the on-site probe, Yamashita said to Akahata, “I really feel angry about the fact that accident-prone Ospreys continue to fly over Japan without receiving proper maintenance. The Japanese government clearly has no intention to fulfil its obligation to protect people’s lives and safety. The JCP will do its utmost to halt Osprey flights, achieve the withdrawal of the Osprey deployment to Japan, and block the purchase of tilt-rotor aircraft for the Self-Defense Forces.”

Past related articles:
> Osprey emits unreported smoke the day before its emergency landing [ August 31 & September 1, 2017]
> MV-22 Ospreys make 2 emergency landings within a week [ June 8 and 13, 2017]