# NTSB DCA06MA010: Grumman G-73T, N2969, Miami, FL, December 19, 2005 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Class 1 · Major · Final report - Date: December 19, 2005, 14:39 local (19:39 UTC) - Place: Miami, FL - Coordinates: 25.780862, -80.199676 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=25.7809&lon=-80.1997&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 20 fatal - Status: Completed, report August 30, 2007 - Report: Board-adopted at Board Meeting - Investigation class: Class 1 - NTSB office: Major Investigations Division - Parties: AAI-100 - Safety recommendations: Yes - NTSB case key (mKey): 62962 - NTSB case page: https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/DCA06MA010.aspx - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/62962/pdf - Board report AAR0704 (PDF): https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/AAR0704.pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=62962 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA06MA010 ## Probable cause 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. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, climb - to cruise - wing - failure,total (cause) - maintenance - inadequate, company maintenance personnel (cause) - procedure inadequate, company/operator management (cause) - inadequate surveillance of operation, faa(organization) (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis The Safety Board's full report is available at http://www.ntsb.gov/publictn/publictn.htm. The Aircraft Accident Report number is NTSB/AAR-07/04. 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. 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. ## Factual narrative The Safety Board's full report is available at http://www.ntsb.gov/publictn/publictn.htm. The Aircraft Accident Report number is NTSB/AAR-07/04. 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 (X44). 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. 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. On the day of the accident, the accident flight crew flew the airplane from Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport (FLL) in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to X44 as Chalk's Ocean Airways flight 110. According to the flight log, the airplane departed FLL about 1305 and landed at X44 about 1321. The airplane departed X44 on the accident flight about 1438 and crashed into the water about 1 minute later. Of about 15 witnesses interviewed, most reported that the airplane's right wing separated from the rest of the airplane in flight, that smoke or fire came from the wing or a fireball in the sky, and that the airplane subsequently descended into the water. About one-half of these witnesses reported that they heard an explosion associated with the wing separation. Most of the wreckage was located in about 30 feet of water. Lifeguards who patrolled Miami Beach on foot and on jet skis were the first to respond to the accident scene. Miami emergency dispatch notified the Miami Coast Guard and the Miami Beach Police Department by telephone about the accident. The Miami Coast Guard log showed that the Miami Coast Guard launched an HH-65 helicopter to the accident scene about 7 minutes after receiving notification of the accident and began recovery efforts about 6 minutes afterward. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2969](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2969-2011-01-10), registration cancelled 2011-01-10, S/N J-27, built 1947 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Grumman G-73T - Registry model: [Grumman G-73](https://openairdocs.org/model/grumman-g-73) (registry code 3951802) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney W-S1H&S3H](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-w-s1h-s3h) (registry code 52012, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: J27 - Airframe hours: 31226.3 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 550 horsepower turbo prop; Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 550 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Destroyed - Fire: In-Flight - Flight: Part 121 - Operator: Flying Boat Inc, doing business as Chalks Ocean Airways - Registered owner: Seaplane Adventures LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport; Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, November 1, 2005, 11 hours before - Departed: X44, Miami, FL - Destination: Bimini - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: X44, Miami Seaplane Base ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 37; injuries: fatal; airline transport, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, multi-engine sea, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1; last flight review August 1, 2005; seat: left; flight hours: 2,830 total, 1,630 in this make and model, 1,330 as pilot in command, 203 in the last 90 days, 85 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours - Co-pilot; age 34; injuries: fatal; airline transport; medical: class 1; last flight review November 1, 2005; seat: right; flight hours: 1,420 total, 71 in this make and model, 1,200 as pilot in command, 71 in the last 90 days, 58 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC) - Visibility: 7 statute miles - Temperature: 72 °F - Observed at: mia ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20051219032779A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20051219032779A), Dec 19, 2005: Gulstm G73, Miami, FL, Destroyed, 20 fatal. (-23) Inflight separation of right wing after takeoff from water. ## Other investigations on N2969 (3) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB MIA87WA225](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA87WA225), Aug 14, 1987: Grumman G-73-T (N2969), Bimini, Bahamas, incident, no damage - [NTSB MIA84IA147](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA84IA147), Apr 17, 1984: Grumman G-73T (N2969), Ft. Lauderdale, FL, incident, minor damage - [NTSB MIA84IA077](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA84IA077), Feb 10, 1984: Grumman G-73 (N2969), West Palm Beach, FL, incident, no damage ## Docket (44 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 22, 2006, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=62962. - Operations 2 - Factual Report of Group Chairman (item 1, .PDF, 32 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40259674&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Operations%202%20-%20Factual%20Report%20of%20Group%20Chairman-Master.PDF - Operations 2 - Attachment 1 - Interview Summaries (item 2, .PDF, 39 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40259673&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Operations%202%20-%20Attachment%201%20-%20Interview%20Summaries-Master.PDF - Operations 2 - Addendum 1 (item 3, .PDF, 284 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40265152&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Operations%202%20-%20Addendum%201-Master.PDF - Operations 2 - Addendum 2 (item 4, .PDF, 15 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40271791&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Operations%202%20-%20Addendum%202-Master.PDF - Operations 2 - Addendum 3 Flight Logs (item 5, .PDF, 9.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40279085&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Operations%202%20-%20Addendum%203%20Flight%20Logs-Redacted.PDF - Survival Factors 6 - Factual Report of Group Chairman (item 6, .PDF, 141 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40262558&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Survival%20Factors%206%20-%20Factual%20Report%20of%20Group%20Chairman-Master.PDF - Survival Factors 6 - Attachment 1 (item 7, .PDF, 292 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40262559&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Survival%20Factors%206%20-%20Attachment%201-Master.PDF - Survival Factors 6 - Attachment 2, Photos (item 8, .PDF, 13 photos, 4.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40262560&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Survival%20Factors%206%20-%20Attachment%202,%20Photos-Master.PDF - Survival Factors 6 - Attachment 3, Injury Chart (item 9, .PDF, 35 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40262561&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Survival%20Factors%206%20-%20Attachment%203,%20Injury%20Chart-Master.PDF - Survival Factors 6 - Attachment 4, CG Log (item 10, .PDF, 483 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40262562&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Survival%20Factors%206%20-%20Attachment%204,%20CG%20Log-Master.PDF - Structures 7 - Attachment A, Photographs (item 11, .PDF, 4.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40261529&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Structures%207%20-%20Attachment%20A,%20Photographs-Master.PDF - Structures 7 - Attachment B, Aircraft Information (item 12, .PDF, 359 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40261530&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Structures%207%20-%20Attachment%20B,%20Aircraft%20Information-Master.PDF - Structures 7 - Attachment C, FAA Forms 337 and 8110 Repair Analysis and Drawings for N14PA and N2969 (item 13, .PDF, 831 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40417502&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Structures%207%20-%20Attachment%20C,%20FAA%20Forms%20337%20and%208110%20Repair%20Analysis%20and%20Drawings%20for%20N14PA%20and%20N2969-Redacted.PDF - Powerplants 8 - Factual Report of Group Chairman (item 14, .PDF, 4 photos, 387 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40260995&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Powerplants%208%20-%20Factual%20Report%20of%20Group%20Chairman-Master.PDF - Systems 9 - Factual Report of Group Chairman (item 15, .PDF, 8 photos, 7.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40262380&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Systems%209%20-%20Factual%20Report%20of%20Group%20Chairman-Master.PDF - Maintenance Records 11 - Factual Addendum REVISION A (item 16, .PDF, 67 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40269884&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Maintenance%20Records%2011%20-%20Factual%20Addendum%20REVISION%20A-Master.PDF - Maintenance Records 11 - Attachment 1 - Operator Certificates (item 17, .PDF, 172 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40262709&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Maintenance%20Records%2011%20-%20Attachment%201%20-%20Operator%20Certificates-Master.PDF - Maintenance Records 11 - Attachment 2 - STC (item 18, .PDF, 1.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40262710&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Maintenance%20Records%2011%20-%20Attachment%202%20-%20STC-Master.PDF - Maintenance Records 11 - Attachment 3 - Airplane Flight Logs (item 19, .PDF, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40417503&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Maintenance%20Records%2011%20-%20Attachment%203%20-%20Airplane%20Flight%20Logs-Redacted.PDF - Maintenance Records 11 - Attachment 4 - Weight and Balance (item 20, .PDF, 492 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40417504&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Maintenance%20Records%2011%20-%20Attachment%204%20-%20Weight%20and%20Balance-Redacted.PDF - Maintenance Records 11 - Attachment 5 - Major Repair and Alterations (item 21, .PDF, 1.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40417505&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Maintenance%20Records%2011%20-%20Attachment%205%20-%20Major%20Repair%20and%20Alterations-Redacted.PDF - Maintenance Records 11 - Attachment 6 - Method of Record Keeping (item 22, .PDF, 107 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40262713&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Maintenance%20Records%2011%20-%20Attachment%206%20-%20Method%20of%20Record%20Keeping-Master.PDF - Maintenance Records 11 - Attachment 7 - Procedural Issues (item 23, .PDF, 287 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40417506&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Maintenance%20Records%2011%20-%20Attachment%207%20-%20Procedural%20Issues-Redacted.PDF - Maintenance Records 11 - Attachment 8 - AC 43.13-1B (item 24, .PDF, 130 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40262715&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Maintenance%20Records%2011%20-%20Attachment%208%20-%20AC%20%2043.13-1B-Master.PDF - Maintenance Records 11 - Attachment 9 - Aging Airplane Safety Inspection (item 25, .PDF, 410 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40262716&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Maintenance%20Records%2011%20-%20Attachment%209%20-%20Aging%20Airplane%20Safety%20Inspection-Master.PDF - Maintenance Records 11 - Principal Maintenance Inspector Interview (item 26, .PDF, 24 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40267442&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Maintenance%20Records%2011%20-%20Principal%20Maintenance%20Inspector%20Interview-Master.PDF - Maintenance Records 11 - Maintenance Supervisor Interview (item 27, .PDF, 25 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40267478&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Maintenance%20Records%2011%20-%20Maintenance%20Supervisor%20Interview-Master.PDF - Cockpit Voice Recorder 12 - Specialist's Factual Report (item 28, .PDF, 15 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40262568&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Cockpit%20Voice%20Recorder%2012%20-%20Specialist%27s%20Factual%20Report-Master.PDF - Cockpit Voice Recorder 12 - Addendum 1 (item 29, .PDF, 45 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40417507&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Cockpit%20Voice%20Recorder%2012%20-%20Addendum%201-Redacted.PDF - Human Performance 14 - Factual Report of Group Chairman (item 30, .PDF, 93 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40261672&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Human%20Performance%2014%20-%20Factual%20Report%20of%20Group%20Chairman-Master.PDF - Human Performance 14 - Attachment 1 (item 31, .PDF, 22 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40265374&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Human%20Performance%2014%20-%20Attachment%201-Master.PDF - Human Performance 14 - Attachment 2 (item 32, .PDF, 40 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40266576&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Human%20Performance%2014%20-%20Attachment%202-Redacted.PDF - Materials Laboratory 15 - Factual Report 06-010 (item 33, .PDF, 56 photos, 22.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40259694&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Materials%20Laboratory%2015%20-%20Factual%20Report%2006-010-Master.PDF - Materials Laboratory 15 - Factual Addendum 06-010B (item 34, .PDF, 12 photos, 3.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40261646&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Materials%20Laboratory%2015%20-%20Factual%20Addendum%2006-010B-Master.PDF - Materials Laboratory 15 - Factual Report 06-042, Z-Stringer from N632SS (item 35, .PDF, 6 photos, 3.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40260740&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Materials%20Laboratory%2015%20-%20Factual%20Report%2006-042,%20Z-Stringer%20from%20N632SS-Master.PDF - Video/Image Factual Report (item 36, .PDF, 17 photos, 1.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40265559&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Video%2FImage%20Factual%20Report-Master.PDF - Reports from Parties to the Investigation - Chalk's Ocean Airways (item 37, .PDF): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40417508&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Reports%20from%20Parties%20to%20the%20Investigation%20-%20Chalk%27s%20Ocean%20Airways-Redacted.PDF - Reports from Parties to the Investigation - Frakes Aviation and Grumman Mallard Owners Association combined submission (item 38, .PDF, 3.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40270203&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Reports%20from%20Parties%20to%20the%20Investigation%20-%20Frakes%20Aviation%20and%20Grumman%20Mallard%20Owners%20Association%20combined%20submission-Master.PDF - Miscellaneous - CASS and Non-routine Documents (item 39, .PDF, 315 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40417515&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Miscellaneous%20-%20CASS%20and%20Non-routine%20Documents-Redacted.PDF - Grumman Mallard Customer Bulletins (item 40, .PDF, 114 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40270240&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Grumman%20Mallard%20Customer%20Bulletins-Master.PDF - Miscellaneous - Documents Discussed at Board Meeting (item 41, .PDF, 1.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40417510&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Miscellaneous%20-%20Documents%20Discussed%20at%20Board%20Meeting-Redacted.PDF - Correspondence - MC#2070234 (item 42, .PDF, 194 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40279080&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Correspondence%20-%20MC%232070234-Redacted.PDF - Correspondence - MC#2070266 (item 43, .PDF, 174 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40279081&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Correspondence%20-%20MC%232070266-Redacted.PDF - Research Report - FAA Oversight of Financially Distressed Carriers (item 44, .PDF, 723 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40292006&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Research%20Report%20-%20FAA%20Oversight%20of%20Financially%20Distressed%20Carriers-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.