NTSB Releases Photos of Chalks Mallard Wing Crack
Crash Investigation of Chalk's Ocean Airways Grumman G-73T Turbine Mallard Seaplane
December 22, 2005, Miami, Florida - The National Transportation Safety Board has released photos depicting fatigue cracks found on the separated wing of the Chalk's Ocean Airways plane that crashed into the water near Miami Beach on Monday.
On Tuesday afternoon, the right wing of the aircraft was recovered. The wing had separated at the inboard section, at the wing/fuselage juncture. Safety Board engineers and metallurgists agree that the signatures are consistent with fatigue fractures. Portions of the wing are at the NTSB metallurgy laboratory in Washington, DC.
As part of the investigation of this accident, which claimed 20 lives, the Safety Board will extensively examine the wing and other structures in the coming days. The probable cause of this accident has not been determined.
Photos of the fatigue fractures are included in increasing detail below.
Chalk's Ocean Airways has grounded their entire sea plane fleet.
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