The AD is temporary in nature (data gathering) and only a start. As the data becomes available expect more updates.

A little bit like the B747 pylon issue. We asked the same questions then. Why stop at the B747? With time the answer became clearer as more than a few folks offered up data beyond the B747 giving us back a warm feeling.

My initial impression is that the hole was drilled by a dunce, and is a one-off misstep in someone's poorly-controlled shop. But it could be intentional (sabotage), in which case one would have no reason to suspect only Turbo Mallards.

Perhaps the sleuths can give some estimate of the age of the hole, and that could focus the investigation further. One might surmise that's what's happening now.

Re: Seaplane down off Miami Beach
 

The Emergency AD applies to all models of the Mallard. It looks like a bitch because in addition to the spar inspections, all of the skin in the wet bay between the engine and fuselage has to be inspected. This means all the tank sealant has to be stripped, not a nice job.

Re: Seaplane down off Miami Beach
 

It does ? Are you talking about the FAA's AD or has Canada issued a different one ?No piston Mallards that I can see.

Re: Seaplane down off Miami Beach
 

The G-73 is a piston Mallard. The turbine one is a G-73T. I believe that Frakes now owns the type certificate for all versions of the Mallard. In any case as far as Transport Canada is concerned it applies to all Mallard.

Re: Seaplane down off Miami Beach
 

The pictures posted on the NTSB website depict the worst butchering of a spar angle I have seen to date. The rivet where the angle failed had a converging binnocular hole at an angle, the fastner outboard of that had a tail not bucked properly. It, also was at an angle. This is the worst mess I have seen on "anything" much less on a flying aircraft. Just shamefull.

The first lawsuit was filed today for $50 million, someone is in it for this. I pray they can find the rest of the handywork by this chap before another tragedy impacts the flying public.



Terrible shame this...

Re: Seaplane down off Miami Beach
 

I find this MOST ambiguous, confusing, and absurd. Under this rule of nomenclature, a Dakota would be identified today as a Boeing DC-3.

:yuk:

Re: Seaplane down off Miami Beach
 

Actually I believe that it would be called "Boeing MD DC-3".

Re: Seaplane down off Miami Beach
 

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel newspaper says that the NTSB issued a report today that says there were also fatigue cracks in the left wing of the Mallard that crashed.
http://tinyurl.com/aa67z

Editied to add:
Sorry for posting an old report that the journo seemed to think was just off the press.
Further edited:
...and it was. See AntiCrash.

Re: Seaplane down off Miami Beach
 

Not really new news, the preliminary NTSB Report dated December 19th states
Does anyone know, from which material the lower spar flanges are made on a Mallard ? I suppose it is some corrosion resistant type from the 5000 or 6000 series of aluminum alloys. These are not really good with respect to fatigue, while most of the alloys with good fatigue properties are prone to corrosion.

Re: Seaplane down off Miami Beach
 

Having read and evaluated the AD(its My job)I can tell You that this AD will apply to ANY Mallard worldwide as the aircraft was built in the US and the AD was issued by the FAA this means that the AD MUST be complied with as it is issued by the state of manufacture.

Re: Seaplane down off Miami Beach
 

NTSB Preliminary report issued today (10-01-2006) indicates that the aircraft had cracks in both wings.

Very Relevant in Parts
 

http://www.casa.gov.au/airworth/pape...oCommander.pdf

The Story Behind 24 Aero Commander airborne wing-sheddings (by 1995) with a total of a further 35 a/c found, on the ground, to have cracked main-spars.


"Despite their robust appearance, at last count 24 Aero Commanders had lost wings in flight, 35 spars had been found cracked on the ground, and hundreds of other spars had defects caused by:
fatigue
corrosion
stress corrosion
static overload