WASHINGTON (NEWSnet/AP) — Osprey, an aircraft vital to U.S. military missions, has been approved to return to flight after failure of a part led to the death of eight service members in a crash in Japan in November.

Naval Air Systems Command made the announcement Friday.

The crash was the second fatal incident in months and the fourth in two years. It led to a rare fleet-wide grounding of hundreds of Ospreys across the Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy.

Osprey can fly like an airplane, then convert to a helicopter.

Before clearing Osprey, officials placed increased attention on its proprotor gearbox, instituted limits on how it can be flown and added maintenance inspection requirements.

The entire fleet was grounded Dec. 6, a week after eight Air Force Special Operations Command service members were killed when a CV-22B Osprey crashed near Yakushima island.

Before lifting flight restriction, the military also briefed officials in Japan, where public opinion on the Osprey is mixed, on the crash findings and new safety measures.

Japan’s defense minister Minoru Kihara said his nation likewise will return its 14 Ospreys to flight status following an "adequate” analysis of the cause of the crash, detailed information about the incident and steps to mitigate problems.

Kihara said Japan and United States will coordinate a timeline for resuming flights in Japan, to give the government time to “thoroughly” explain the issue to its citizens.

Okinaa Gov. Denny Tamaki does not support the return to flight. 

“It would be best if they stay on the ground, as we have all along requested scrapping of the Osprey deployment,” Tamaki said.

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