WASHINGTON (AP) — The rate of major accidents involving military aircraft saw a drastic spike in 2024, according to internal Pentagon reports. The situation has raised significant concerns, as high-profile accidents resulting in fatalities and aircraft losses have been observed this year, perpetuating a troubling trend.
Data indicates that severe accidents per 100,000 flight hours soared by 55% in the 2024 budget year compared to four years ago, with the Marine Corps experiencing an almost threefold increase in mishap rates.
These statistics were submitted to Congress by the Defense Department, tracking Class A mishaps which denote the gravest accidents resulting in loss of life or permanent disabilities. An aviation expert highlighted that the increasing accident rates are likely due to a confluence of multiple factors, rather than a single cause. Key contributors to the unsafe environment include heightened operational demands, reliance on riskier aircraft such as the V-22 Osprey, and interruptions in training caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In Congress, lawmakers are expressing a need for accountability and reforms to ensure the safety of military operations. The troubling statistics, covering budget years from 2020 to 2024, reveal that 25 service members and Defense Department civilians were killed, while 14 aircraft were destroyed during the first ten months of 2024.
Senator Elizabeth Warren, who requested the data, urged for legislative measures to improve the transparency of accident reports to better understand their causes and ultimately protect service member lives.
The Osprey aircraft has been identified as particularly prone to accidents, along with the Apache helicopter, which had a significantly higher accident rate in 2024 compared to prior years. The C-130 transport plane also reported an alarming increase in mishaps.
Additionally, the Navy has reported a sharp increase in accidents this year, with numerous incidents occurring on aircraft carriers and a fatal collision between an Army helicopter and a passenger jet in January that claimed 67 lives.
Experts suggest that rising operational pressures on military pilots could contribute to the alarming trend in accident rates. Past events and deployments, such as those following the end of the Afghanistan war, have reportedly contributed to the uptick in mishaps.
In an ongoing effort to investigate and address these trends, Senator Warren has been pressing for detailed data on aviation mishaps over an extended period, reflecting a broader desire for improved safety oversight in military aviation.
