The U.S. Marine Corps has released findings from its investigation into the August 27, 2023, V-22 Osprey crash during a military exercise in Australia, revealing acts of heroism that led to the posthumous awarding of the Navy and Marine Corps Medal to Cpl. Spencer R. Collart, according to a news report by the Associated Press.
According to the official report, Cpl. Collart, a 21-year-old crew chief, initially escaped the burning aircraft after it crashed nose-first during the exercise. However, upon realizing that the two pilots were still trapped in the cockpit, Collart re-entered the smoke-filled and flaming wreckage in an attempt to rescue them.
The investigation suggests that Collart may have succeeded in unbuckling Maj. Tobin Lewis, the aircraft commander, from his restraints before succumbing to the hazardous conditions. Both Maj. Lewis and Capt. Eleanor LeBeau, the other pilot, also perished in the incident.
The crash, which resulted in three fatalities, is one of four fatal Osprey accidents in the past two years, further highlighting the aircraft’s troubled operational history. Of the 23 troops on board, most escaped through the rear of the aircraft. Cpl. Travis Reyes, the fourth member of the flight crew, survived with critical injuries and has been recovering at Brooke Army Medical Center for the past year.
Investigators found Collart’s undamaged tether outside the aircraft, confirming his initial escape. The report credits Maj. Lewis with a last-minute maneuver to level the aircraft as it was crashing, likely contributing to the survival of the troops in the rear compartment.
The Navy and Marine Corps Medal, the highest non-combat decoration awarded for heroism by the Department of the Navy, will be presented to Collart’s family in recognition of his valor. This award underscores the extreme risk to his own life that Collart undertook in his rescue attempt.
This incident adds to the ongoing discussion about the V-22 Osprey’s safety record and operational challenges.
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