Airline Voluntarily Grounds Remaining Aircraft For
Inspections
ANN REALTIME UPDATE
12.21.05 1700 EST: Chalk's Ocean Airways has told the FAA
the airline is voluntarily grounding its fleet in order to allow
inspections of its four remaining Grumman Mallards following the
NTSB's discovery of cracks in the main wing spar of the G73
seaplane that went down Monday in Government Cut, FL.
"This was a voluntary move on the part of Chalk's," said FAA
spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen to the Miami Herald. "The FAA has not
taken any action."
"We want to make sure these planes that my wife and daughter
and everybody else's family go on, that they don't have anything
going on," added Chalk's owner Jim Confalone.
NTSB investigators found evidence of cracks in the accident
aircraft's right wing's spar. That wing separated from the fuselage
inboard of the right engine shortly after takeoff Monday
afternoon.
NTSB investigators on the scene of Monday's tragic crash of a
Chalk's Ocean Airways seaplane off the coast of Miami said
Wednesday the Grumman Mallard had cracks in its main wing spar
that had likely gone unnoticed for some time -- but stopped just
short of saying that was the only reason the aircraft's right wing
separated from the airplane just after takeoff.
On Tuesday, crews
recovered the separated wing -- with engine and propeller still
attached -- from where it had washed ashore. Investigators examined
the wing and found evidence of spar cracking.
The discovery of the cracks has once again raised the issue
of structure fatigue similar to the 1988 incident involving a
19-year-old Aloha Airlines 737, where fatigue cracking caused the
roof of the aircraft to separate from the fuselage over Maui.
Acting NTSB chairman Mark Rosenker stated the Grumman spar
cracks should have been found and repaired, although he
acknowledged they would not have been discovered by anything short
of "a very serious" inspection. He also refused to speculate
publicly on what may have led to the cracks on the 56-year-old
aircraft.
Had Chalk's Airline known of the cracking, "they would have
repaired it and we wouldn't be here today," said Rosenker. "I don't
think they knew it."
Chalks did comment Wednesday on the NTSB's report.
Using balloons to float the fuselage to the surface, crews were
scheduled to raise the aircraft Wednesday from the 35-foot-deep
waters of the Government Cut shipping channel. Once the fuselage is
recovered, investigators will focus closely on the spar, searching
for additional evidence of cracks. They are also reviewing the
aircraft's maintenance records.
The ongoing salvage operation has closed the channel,
restricting access to the Port of Miami -- one of the largest
cruise and cargo terminals in the country. "We know the impact this
is having on the ports and the economy," said Coast Guard spokesman
Dana Warr to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
As was reported in Aero-News,
the Grumman G73 Turbo Mallard went down in the channel Monday, in a
fiery accident that killed all 19 onboard.