Narrative:
Chalk's Ocean Airways Flight 110 departed Fort Lauderdale (FLL) at 13:05 and landed at the Miami Seaplane Base about 13:21. The Grumman G-73T Turbo Mallard was then prepared for Flight 101 to Bimini, Bahamas. It took off at 14:38. While climbing past Miami the right wing separated from the fuselage. Escaping fuel ignited as the Mallard came down out of control. It crashed into the mouth of Government Cut channel off the southern tip of Miami Beach and came to rest in 35 feet deep water.
Investigation revealed that the right wing separated from the accident airplane at wing station 34 because of pre-existing fatigue fractures and cracks in the rear Z-stringer, lower skin, and rear spar lower spar cap.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the in-flight failure and separation of the right wing during normal flight, which resulted from (1) the failure of the Chalks Ocean Airways maintenance program to identify and properly repair fatigue cracks in the right wing and (2) the failure of the Federal Aviation Administration to detect and correct deficiencies in the companys maintenance program."
Wing failure
Loss of control
» NTSB
accident date: 19-12-2005
type: Grumman G-73T Turbo Mallard
registration: N2969
accident date: 19-12-2005
type: Grumman G-73T Turbo Mallard
registration: N2969
accident date: 19-12-2005
type: Grumman G-73T Turbo Mallard
registration: N2969
accident date: 19-12-2005
type: Grumman G-73T Turbo Mallard
registration: N2969
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Monday 19 December 2005 |
| Time: | 14:39 |
| Type: |  Grumman G-73T Turbo Mallard |
| Operator: | Chalk's Ocean Airways |
| Registration: | N2969 |
| MSN: | J-27 |
| First flight: | 1947 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 31226 |
| Cycles: | 39743 |
| Engines: | 2 Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-34 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 18 / Occupants: 18 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 20 / Occupants: 20 |
| Aircraft damage: | Damaged beyond repair |
| Location: | Miami, FL ( United States of America)
|
| Phase: | Initial climb (ICL) |
| Nature: | International Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Miami SPB, FL (MPB), United States of America |
| Bimini-North SPB (NSB), Bahamas | |
| Flightnumber: | 101 |
Chalk's Ocean Airways Flight 110 departed Fort Lauderdale (FLL) at 13:05 and landed at the Miami Seaplane Base about 13:21. The Grumman G-73T Turbo Mallard was then prepared for Flight 101 to Bimini, Bahamas. It took off at 14:38. While climbing past Miami the right wing separated from the fuselage. Escaping fuel ignited as the Mallard came down out of control. It crashed into the mouth of Government Cut channel off the southern tip of Miami Beach and came to rest in 35 feet deep water.
Investigation revealed that the right wing separated from the accident airplane at wing station 34 because of pre-existing fatigue fractures and cracks in the rear Z-stringer, lower skin, and rear spar lower spar cap.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the in-flight failure and separation of the right wing during normal flight, which resulted from (1) the failure of the Chalks Ocean Airways maintenance program to identify and properly repair fatigue cracks in the right wing and (2) the failure of the Federal Aviation Administration to detect and correct deficiencies in the companys maintenance program."
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Classification:
Wing failure
Loss of control
Sources:
» SKYbrary » NTSB
Follow-up / safety actions
NTSB issued 4 Safety Recommendations
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Photos
accident date: 19-12-2005
type: Grumman G-73T Turbo Mallard
registration: N2969
accident date: 19-12-2005
type: Grumman G-73T Turbo Mallard
registration: N2969
accident date: 19-12-2005
type: Grumman G-73T Turbo Mallard
registration: N2969
accident date: 19-12-2005
type: Grumman G-73T Turbo Mallard
registration: N2969
Video, social media
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Miami SPB, FL to Bimini-North SPB as the crow flies is 92 km (57 miles).
Accident location: Exact; deduced from official accident report.
Distance from Miami SPB, FL to Bimini-North SPB as the crow flies is 92 km (57 miles).
Accident location: Exact; deduced from official accident report.
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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