MV-22 Suffered Hydraulic Problem Before Crash
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A Marine Corps MV-22 tilt-rotor helicopter suffered a "hydraulic malfunction'' before it crashed in North Carolina on Dec. 11, killing all four crewmembers, the corps said on Thursday.
The corps added in a statement from the Pentagon (news - web sites) that it was not yet known whether the problem had anything to do with the crash. Hydraulic pressure is used by pilots to keep control of aircraft.
It was the second fatal crash this year of one of the revolutionary aircraft and prompted Defense Secretary William Cohen to order an investigation into the troubled $40 billion program.
The Marine Corps postponed a decision on whether to begin initial full-scale production of the MV-22, built jointly by Boeing Co. and Textron Inc., after the crash.
Thursday's Marine Corps statement said initial review of data from the MV-22's "black box'' flight recorder "shows the aircraft did experience a hydraulic malfunction -- however the magnitude of the hydraulic malfunction or whether it relates to the mishap is not yet known.''