Marine Corps Osprey catches fire after hard landing in North Carolina forest

A US Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey aircraft made a hard landing and burst into flames during a training exercise in North Carolina on Thursday morning, injuring at least one service member and sparking a forest fire.

The twin-rotor aircraft, which operates out of Marine Corps Air Station New River, came down in a wooded area of the Bladen Lakes State Forest near Sweet Home Church Road. The site is routinely used by military pilots to practice takeoffs and landings.

Four Marines were on board the Osprey when the incident occurred. A statement from the Marine Corps said all four personnel were taken for medical evaluation. However, local emergency services reported more specific injuries. White Lake Fire Chief Dale Brennan confirmed that one of the Marines suffered significant burns and had to be flown by helicopter to the UNC Jaycee Burn Center in Chapel Hill. The other three crew members were not injured and remained at the scene initially, Chief Brennan said.

Fire crews secure fuel-heavy crash site

The impact and subsequent fire triggered a large emergency response in Bladen County. Bladen County Sheriff Jim McVicker confirmed that the Osprey caught fire immediately after the hard landing.

The situation was complicated by the sheer volume of highly flammable fuel on board. Chief Brennan told local reporters that the aircraft was carrying approximately 6,000 pounds of jet fuel when it came down, feeding an intense blaze that sent smoke rising above the state forest.

About six or seven local fire departments rushed to the scene alongside officers from the North Carolina State Highway Patrol. Local crews quickly established a safety perimeter around the wreckage but refrained from immediately attempting to put out the aircraft fire. Instead, they secured the surrounding forest area while awaiting the arrival of military specialists from Camp Lejeune. Local officials said they needed military commanders to determine the safest way to proceed with the firefighting operation, including whether specialist foam was required to suppress the burning jet fuel.

Investigation underway

It is not yet clear what caused the aircraft to make a hard landing. The Marine Corps has launched an investigation into the incident, and military officials have not released further details about the condition of the injured Marine.

The crash occurred during scheduled military training exercises in the region. Earlier in the week, commanders at nearby Camp Lejeune had warned local residents to expect increased military traffic, heightened security measures, and visible emergency response activity due to the planned drills.