1900D wing weakness

[1279shp]

Slipped by - no metion on TV/radio media. Usually they leap on it!

#

NZPA

Air New Zealand says checks on their Beechcraft 1900 aircrafts have cleared their planes of any safety problems after reports that their American counterparts were grounded with structural weakness in the wings.

The safety move followed the release of an air safety directive from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) after it received three reports of cracks in the wings of Beechcraft 1900 aircraft.

A wing spar is a structural component in an airplane wing that runs from tip to tip to strengthen the wing structure.

Air New Zealand spokesman David Jamieson told NZPA all their Beechcraft planes were inspected on Friday by the Air New Zealand company Eagle Air, and all passed safety checks.

"The Beeches that Eagle Air fly are in the majority 4-years-old, there's one that is five-years-old, and they are regarded as structurally a very sound aircraft," Mr Jamieson said.

Australia's air safety regulator also grounded their six Beechcraft 1900 aircraft so inspections can be carried out on the wings.

If any damage is found, it must be repaired according to a method approved by the manufacturer, the US aerospace company Raytheon. Damage found must also be reported to Civil Aviation Safety Authority within 72 hours.

[sir.pratt]

http://xtramsn.co.nz/news/0,,11964-6248922,00.html

[NOtimTAMs]

....then somebody better tell these guys. :eek: :eek:

WARNING: big video download of Beech 1900 flying v v low and abrupt steep manoeuvring (?to test spar strength, African style!), complete with roll.

Right click link to save as *.wmv.

http://www.alexisparkinn.com/photogallery/Videos/2006-7-10_Beech1900_goes_low.wmv

[dijon moutard]

When the B1900 first arrived on the scene there was a tragic incident/accident off the coast of florida usa when a training incident went terribly wrong.
their were two people on-board the B1900 and the guy doing the endorsement was known as a very very professional and thorough pilot.

anyway the aircraft disappeared off the radar off the coast of florida and the aircraft crashed into the sea.

there was a huge push and representations through ALPA and the NSTB to investigate further and clear the pilots name (because of the supposed "pilot error" theory) ;because someone remembered a similar type episode/s with the then lockeed electra when it first arrived on the scene in the usa.

the ntsb re-opened the investigation after first posing pilot error as the major cause of the accident (posing the theory that the VNO had been severely exceeded and that caused the catastrophic failure of the aircraft stucture).

when the aircraft was raised from the ocean there were basically three major pieces ; an engine attached to it's mount ;a wing and the fuselage with the other half of the wing and engine still attached.

this immeadiately sounded alarm bells (because a similar incident/s had happened in the past with the lockeed electra when it was "brand-spanking new") ; PROPELLER FLUTTER had caused the total destruction of the aircraft .

do a google search on PROPELLER FLUTTER and you will be absolutely amazed at what oscilallations of an engine with inadequate engine mounts and inadequate structural integrity of a wing spar will do to an aircraft.

cheers
dijon moutard:ok:

[KRUSTY 34]

Hi dijon moutard.

I remember reading about the accident you mentioned, but I think it may have been a beech 99, not a 1900?

Evidently the CVR revealed that the boys were attempting barrel rolls in the beast, over the water, at night, and with no visible horizon. The rest is history!!!

Could be another story. Happy to stand corrected.

[dijon moutard]

They were just doing a normal endorsement and nothing untoward at all with regard to flight maneouvers ;Beechcraft and the FAA issued an AD on the aircraft and all engine mounts had to be strenghtned .

it was an exact replica of the problem with the lockheed electra's :propeller flutter !!!!!!!!

cheers
dijon moutard:ok: