ASN Aircraft accident Grumman G-73T Turbo Mallard N2969 Miami, FL
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Status:Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date:Monday 19 December 2005
Time:14:39
Type:Silhouette image of generic G73T model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
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
Destination airport:Bimini-North SPB (NSB), Bahamas
Flightnumber: 101
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:

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 Chalk’s 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 company’s maintenance program."

Accident investigation:

cover
Investigating agency: NTSB
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 1 year and 5 months
Accident number: NTSB AAR-07-04
Download report: Final report

Classification:

Wing failure
Loss of control

Sources:
» SKYbrary 
» NTSB


Follow-up / safety actions

NTSB issued 4 Safety Recommendations

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Photos

photo of Grumman-G-73T-Turbo-Mallard-N2969
accident date: 19-12-2005
type: Grumman G-73T Turbo Mallard
registration: N2969
photo of Grumman-G-73T-Turbo-Mallard-N2969
accident date: 19-12-2005
type: Grumman G-73T Turbo Mallard
registration: N2969
photo of Grumman-G-73T-Turbo-Mallard-N2969
accident date: 19-12-2005
type: Grumman G-73T Turbo Mallard
registration: N2969
photo of Grumman-G-73T-Turbo-Mallard-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.

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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Grumman G-73T

  • 13 built
  • 3rd loss
  • 2nd fatal accident
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