Chalk's Ocean Airways Grumman Turbo Mallard crash

[TeekiesPlace]

After a little investigation, I found that a stringer (the Z-stringer) was cracked in the right wing, and that the skin of the Mallard was absorbing the stresses of flight. Therefore, it cracked repeatedly (and was subjected to a number of ineffective patch jobs). A further clue was leaking fuel. The sealant they used to patch the fuel leak concealed the crack in the Z-stringer. Bottom line...there was a whole SERIES of warnings that something was wrong with this plane's wing.

[FlightCaptRJ]

@TeekiesPlace Yeah, note how the mechanics are never blamed for being lazy. Wing spar is crucial, DUH.

[TeekiesPlace]

I don't know the backstory here...but I'm assuming that maintenance was being "short cornered" to save money. Is that true? The video is blurry, but it looks like part of the wing has ripped off. Why would that happen?

[craigdragon17]

I don't need to tell you how disturbing this is. Not a pretty way to die.

[SCARHARDT3]

deltanu91, seen this on "mayday", so sorry for your loss(es)

[zymuur]

@deltanu91 the chick that acted for her on mayday was hot.

[1997diamondz]

:( R.I.P To All The People On That Plane. I Watched Air Crashed Investigation And I Was Angry At The Fact That The FAA Inspectors and Bosses Knew There Were Problems Most Of Which Would Cause Catastrophies And They Were Overlooked Because Of Financial Reasons And Bla Bla It Saddens Me That All This Modern World Cares about Is Money And So Peoples Lives Aren't Taken Into Consideration Much. :(

[pawelbarte]

22 people die very sad

[Coaljet]

What is happening to society today? In the name of efficiency and competition, business policies and practices are more than willing, it seems, to sacrifice lives. That is nothing more than GREED on the part of those who allow corner cutting. What good is a "competitive economy" when it ends up causing people's lives to be lost? It is a complete loss of reason, and it goes far beyond the airline industry.

[pinwizz69]

Iwas a Flt.Mech. on Grumman HU16e,s in the USCG and after worked for Dean Franklin Aviation who bought the rights to manf.,inspect and repair all Grumman seaplanes parts and that was in the mid 80s Even then Dean was pissed about the corners he and his test pilot Bob knew about the"corners" they were cutting. Being an AC mech. is a demanding job that calls for the utmost attention to details and inspections. Many people have died from cheating on inspection logs.

[misconfiguration]

I witnessed this crash firsthand; very unfortunate incident; I was on a Royal Caribbean boat just on the other side of the rocks.

[Wombat1965]

Just saw "Air Crash Investigations" about this accident. Terrible. The FAA had a few "loopholes" that Chalks was able to slip through. They excluded the oldest planes (which would seem to be sensible to test the most, one would think). Pilots weren't happy about incidents at the airline, but unfortunately no one listened. Condolences on your god mother. No pilot on Earth could have saved that one.

[TurnItOff97]

:'( i just watched the air crash investigation and i don't like the man that let the plane fly :'(

[ryanneary1234]

after the crash chalk airways went down with it because they went bankrupt and a member of the faa was sued for letting that plane fly

[bruno84]

Metal fatigue is simply and purely scary as no matter how good you are, as a pilot, you just aren´t able to see beyond the aircraft´s skin.

[deltanu91]

My god mother michelle marks was the pilot on this plane. She was a great pilot, she even took me flying a couple of times. I miss her so much, even to this day. looking at this footage is still shocking. I just want everyone to know whos watching this video just for fun, or for whatever reason that this pilot on this plane was an amazing woman and my hero!

[LaPistolerina]

@deltanu91 That really puts this in perspective. You look at footage like this and you feel bad, but then when you realise it's someones mother, father or even god-mother and you begin to understand how many people it affects.

[porquesera29]

@deltanu91 Your mother Michelle Marks and her copilot will be a heros forever, she´s with GOD now. I´m pilot too and I know that GOD can take our lifes for him.

[gionnidigei]

@deltanu91 Just sorry for this.

[sparkzulzzz]

@deltanu91 condolences to u and her family.. and to the families of all the others who died..

[busaf95]

@deltanu91 I am sorry for your loss. 

[sam9524]

@deltanu91 oh , i never knew her , :S

[SkeeboDa1]

@deltanu91 it's a shame, one of my friend's family members were on that flight. So sorry for your loss..

[CaptainFaisal]

wish such a tragedy never happens again!

[Bassingal]

There's a very BIG story in Texas right now about how foregin mechanics have been brought in to take the place of "layed off" American mechanics. The FAA is now in a full-blown investigation of Tobias Aerospace Services, an airplane mechanic testing facility. Tobias "certified" mechanics that worked for Chalk's Ocean Airways. English is the universal airline mechanics language, and hundreds of mechanics have been discovered that can't speak or read English! God help us!

[Bassingal]

Records show mechanics traveled to Tobias Aerospace from all over the United States, Asia, Latin America and South America to undergo examinations. Tobias certified 150 to 250 mechanics each year; one year about 300 were certified.

With their FAA certification, they are qualified to sign off on the aircraft work at repair stations throughout the world without any supervision.

Records show Tobias is no longer an examiner. The FAA shut down Tobias Aerospace.

[matatan69]

@Bassingal , I am a latino with a high standard of safety working in the aviation industry and even I am shocked by the neglihence of the FAA in certifying these repair stations where no english is spoken.

[Bassingal]

The FAA recently revealed that one mechanic who worked at Chalk's Ocean Airways was certified at St. George Aviation. Three days after the crash, the FAA gave the mechanic a certification exam. He failed. He was given the test again and failed a second time.

After reviewing the crash, the National Transportation Safety Board determined that the FAA failed to "detect and correct deficiencies in the company's maintenance program."

[AccessAir]

This was a tragic event that should have not taken place...Pappy Chalk's probably turned over in his grave seeing what the people at the healm of his age old airline let happen.... Simply a Very sad and senseless thing to happen to these 20 people.

[44122madagain]

It hard to believe 3years has already went by this was a very sad and tragic day, may the souls of flight 101 rest in peace. Yes your gone but definitely not forgotten. There were excellent pilots aboard that aircraft and knowing them I know that they did their best. Missing U and Loving still

[seanzoz]

How is it that you knew them? I only ask because I worked for chalks in fll as a baggage handler and knew most of the crew and counter agents as well

[lil0thing]

Sum of u fools only cre tht the plane got damage and wreck but tht were 20 people on board tht planw whose families lives will never be the same.

R.I.P those hu died on this chalks flight

[600SELV12]

farewell N2969

[aleeshajk726]

What a horrible loss of a Grumman Mallard:(

[8loreno8]

the hell with the plane the people lives

[farr01]

You almost forgot about witnessing a fiery plane crash? You must lead some exciting life.

[flyromeo3]

wow,...I almost forgot about this. I was fishing off the rocks when I saw this happen.

[bcbp14]

awful

[flymia69]

I remeber this day very well. What a horrible day for aviation fans in Miami. Chalks was a great Airline. They still fly B1900 and might be getting cleared to fly the Mallards again. I flew them many times. Hope to see them in the Miami Waters again.