Chalk's Ocean Airways Flight 101
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| Summary | |
|---|---|
| Date | December 19, 2005 |
| Type | Structural failure |
| Site | Miami Beach, Florida |
| Fatalities | 20 |
| Injuries | 0 |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | Grumman G-73T |
| Operator | Chalk's Ocean Airways |
| Tail number | N2969 |
| Passengers | 18 |
| Crew | 2 |
| Survivors | 0 |
On December 19, 2005, Chalk's Ocean Airways Flight 101 from Watson Island to Bimini crashed off Miami Beach, Florida. Witnesses saw white smoke billowing from the plane, before an explosion ripped off the right wing and the plane plunged into the ocean. Twenty people — 18 passengers and two crew members — were on board. Three of the passengers were children under the age of 2. Most of the passengers were from Bimini.
The plane crashed in Government Cut channel, a waterway which connects the Port of Miami with the Atlantic Ocean. Government Cut was closed to shipping until 6:30 p.m. on December 20, stranding at least three cruise ships.[1]
The plane was a Grumman G-73T Turbine Mallard manufactured in 1947. It was the first fatal passenger incident for Chalk's Ocean Airways.[2]
One of the 20 people killed was Sergio Danguillecourt, a member of the board of directors of Bacardi Ltd. and a great-great grandson of the company's founder Don Facundo Bacardi Masso. His wife, Jacqueline Kriz Danguillecourt, was also killed.
On 22 December 2005 the NTSB issued a press release[3] which included pictures showing metal fatigue on the wing that broke off. The NTSB later issued a preliminary accident report[4].
[edit] References
- ^ Miami Herald article on the accident
- ^ Associated Press article on the accident
- ^ NTSB Press Release of 22 December 2005
- ^ NTSB preliminary report on accident DCA06MA010
