Accident
On December 19, 2005, about 1439 eastern standard time, a Grumman Turbo Mallard (G-73T) amphibious airplane, registration 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. The accident occurred 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.
Aircraft and Operator
The aircraft involved was a Grumman Turbo Mallard (G-73T), a twin-engine amphibious airplane, registered as N2969. The operator was Flying Boat, Inc., which conducted business as Chalk's Ocean Airways. The flight was a scheduled passenger service under Part 121 regulations.
Investigation and Probable Cause
The official investigation determined that the probable cause of the accident was the in-flight failure and separation of the right wing during normal flight. This 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.