2005 — Dec 19, Chalk’s Ocean Airways Flight 101 Crash, shipping channel, Miami, FL– 20

— 20  Aircraft Crashes Record Office (Geneva, Switzerland). Florida 2000-2009. Reg. N2969.

— 20  Planecrashinfo.com. “2005. Accident Details. Chalk’s Ocean Air, off Miami, Dec 19.”

— 20  NTSB. In-flight Separation of Right Wing Flying Boat, Inc…Port of Miami…, 5-30-2007.

 

Narrative Information

 

NTSB AAR: “Abstract: This report explains the accident involving Flying Boat, Inc. (doing business as Chalk’s Ocean Airways) Flight 101, a Grumman Turbo Mallard (G-73T) amphibious airplane, which crashed into a shipping channel adjacent to the Port of Miami, Florida, shortly after takeoff from the Miami Seaplane Base. Safety issues discussed in this report focus on air carrier maintenance programs and practices and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) oversight procedures for air carrier maintenance programs. Safety recommendations concerning these issues are addressed to the FAA.” (p. ii)

 

“On December 19, 2005, about 1439 eastern standard time, a Grumman Turbo Mallard (G-73T) amphibious airplane, N2969, operated by Flying Boat, Inc., doing business as Chalk’s Ocean Airways flight 101, crashed into a shipping channel adjacent to the Port of Miami, Florida, shortly after takeoff from the Miami Seaplane Base. Flight 101 was a regularly scheduled passenger flight to Bimini, Bahamas, with 2 flight crewmembers and 18 passengers on board. The airplane’s right wing separated during flight. All 20 people aboard the airplane were killed, and the airplane was destroyed by impact forces. Flight 101 was operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 on a visual flight rules flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident.

 

“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 (FAA) to detect and correct deficiencies in the company’s maintenance program….” (Executive Summary, p. vii.)

 

Planecrashinfo.com: “The seaplane crashed off Miami Beach next to a jetty as it was taking off. There was an explosion and fire and the right wing separated prior to the plane impacting the water. Examination of the wreckage revealed fatigue cracks in the right wing. The failure of Chalk’s Ocean Airways’ maintenance program to identify and properly repair fatigue cracks in the wing, and the failure of the FAA to detect and correct deficiencies in the company’s maintenance program. Although a 16-inch crack in the wing had been patched, a more significant flaw in a nearby support beam hadn’t been repaired. The carrier had no record of patching the crack.”  (Planecrashinfo.com.)

 

Sources

 

Aircraft Crashes Record Office (Geneva, Switzerland). Florida 2000-2009. Accessed 3/4/2009 at: http://www.baaa-acro.com/Pays/Etats-Unis/Floride-2000-2009.htm

 

National Transportation Safety Board. Aircraft Accident Report: In-flight Separation of Right Wing Flying Boat, Inc. (doing business as Chalk’s Ocean Airways) Flight 101, Grumman Turbo Mallard (G-73T), N2969, Port of Miami, Florida, December 19, 2005 Port of Miami. Washington, DC: NTSB (NTSB/AAR-07/04), adopted 5-30-2007. Accessed 9-7-2015 at: http://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/AAR0704.pdf

 

Planecrashinfo.com. “2005. Accident Details. Chalk’s Ocean Air, off Miami, Dec 19, 2005.”  Accessed at: http://www.planecrashinfo.com/2005/2005-51.htm