4 dead in AFSOC Osprey crash

Staff and wire reports

An Air Force Special Operations Command CV-22 Osprey crashed late April 8 in Afghanistan, killing three service members and a civilian contractor, NATO officials said.

As of April 9, the names of the dead had not been released. The aircraft was assigned to the 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Fla.

The CV-22 went down after dark about seven miles from Qalat, the capital of Zabul province in eastern Afghanistan, NATO said. The cause of the crash was under investigation.

The Osprey takes off and lands much like a helicopter, but its engines roll forward in flight, allowing it to fly at about 250 mph, faster than a helicopter.

The crash is the first fatal mishap involving a CV-22 since the special operations aircraft became operational in 2006, according to the Air Force. By the end of fiscal 2009, CV-22s had logged more than 8,060 flight hours.

The loss is also the first fatal crash of an Air Force plane...