Arlington Marine killed in Osprey crash laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery
ARLINGTON, Va. - The U.S. Marine from Virginia who was killed in a tiltrotor aircraft crash during a training exercise in Australia is being laid to rest Monday at Arlington National Cemetery.
Cpl. Spencer R. Collart, 21, from Arlington died August 27 when the Marine V-22B Osprey he was on crashed in a tropical forest on Melville Island while taking part in Exercise Predators Run, a drill that includes the militaries of Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines and East Timor.
The crash also killed Osprey pilot Capt. Eleanor V. LeBeau, 29, originally of Belleville, Illinois, and Maj. Tobin J. Lewis, 37, from Jefferson, Colorado. All three were based in Darwin.
The three killed were Osprey pilot Capt. Eleanor V. Beau, 29, originally of Belleville, Illinois; Cpl. Spencer R. Collart, 21, from Arlington, Virginia, and Maj. Tobin J. Lewis, 37, from Jefferson, Colorado. (l to r) All were based in Darwin. (U.S. M
Officials say 20 Marines were injured in the crash.
"Jill and I send our deepest condolences to the families of the Marines who lost their lives in this deadly crash," President Joe Biden tweeted after the crash. "We are praying for those who also suffered injuries."
The Osprey is a hybrid aircraft that takes off and lands like a helicopter but during flight can tilt its propellers forward and cruise much faster like an airplane. Before Sunday, there had been five fatal crashes of Marine Ospreys since 2012, causing a total of 16 deaths.
In an obituary posted online, Collart’s family said he had recently qualified as an instructor and was mentoring other Osprey crew chiefs. He was also the recipient of numerous military awards.
He was a student-athlete and joined the Marines after graduating high school. He graduated basic training from Parris Island in 2021.
"Spencer’s sweet personality and charm illuminated all who were around him. Spencer loved life, loved to have fun, and especially loved those who could make him laugh," his obituary said. He is survived by his parents, sister, and numerous extended family members.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Virginia mourns US Marine killed in Australian aircraft crash
The three U.S. Marines killed in a tiltrotor aircraft crash during a training exercise in Australia were from Illinois, Virginia and Colorado and another Marine was in critical condition, the Marine Corps said Tuesday.