RALEIGH, N.C. - The manufacturers of the V-22 Osprey have reached out-of-court settlements with all but one of the families of 23 Marines killed in two crashes of the tilt-rotor aircraft in 2000, The News & Observer of Raleigh reported Friday.
The lone exception is the family of Staff Sgt. Avely Runnels, 25 one of four Marines killed in a December 2000 crash near Camp Lejeune. His family sued last week in a state court in Fulton County, Ga.
The other crash was in Arizona in April 2000.
Boeing Corp. and Bell Helicopter Textron have made the settlements during the past few months, with the last deal struck in the past two weeks, according to a lawyer who represented many of the families. Bell and Boeing spokesmen did not return phone calls seeking comment.
``We were happy that we were able to have an effect on the process, and to make it safer we helped to bring some attention to the airplane,'' said attorney Brian Alexander.
The Osprey, which takes off and lands like a helicopter and flies like an airplane, has been grounded since the North Carolina crash, but is scheduled to resume flight testing next month.
The Secretary of Defense convened a special panel of experts to evaluate the Osprey, and NASA studied the craft at the request of the Navy. Both reports concluded there were no aeromechanical obstacles to prevent the Osprey's safe deployment gave the go-ahead to resume testing.
Several family members contacted Thursday declined to discuss the settlements. The terms of the settlement prohibit the lawyers and families from discussing how much Bell or Boeing paid.
At least one family member said the companies got off lightly.
``With as many lives as they destroyed, they got off scot-free,'' said Donna Harter, whose son, Cpl. Kelly Keith, 22, was aboard the Osprey that crashed in Arizona, killing 19 Marines. ``Just imagine pocket change. If I had the time and energy, I'd take them to the cleaners, but I don't have the energy, I've just grieved too much.''
The Marines have counted on the Osprey replacing their aging fleet of medium-lift helicopters.
The crashes exposed a scandal in which aircraft maintenance records were doctored to exaggerate the Osprey's state of readiness.
The former commanding officer of the Marine Osprey training squadron based at New River Air Station was found guilty of conduct unbecoming an officer and dereliction of duty, because he knew of the false maintenance reports. Lt. Col. Odin F. Leberman was reprimanded.
Wednesday
July 9th, 2025
9:54PM
