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"The Chalk's Ocean Airways seaplane that crashed last month had fatigue cracks on both wings, according to a preliminary report released today by the National Transportation Safety Board.
Investigators almost immediately identified the cracks on the plane's right wing, which broke away when Flight 101 crashed into the ocean near South Beach on Dec. 19. The new report was the first indication of similar damage on the left wing.
"Fatigue, unfortunately, is a pretty insidious thing," said Grant Brophy, a private air-safety inspector and director of flight safety and security at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. "This is an issue which any operator of this aircraft would need to look into, not just commercial operators."
All 20 people were killed when the 58-year-old Grumman G-73T Turbo Mallard crashed shortly after taking off from Watson Island on its way to Bimini. Investigators quickly focused on the metal fatigue, but insisted it was premature to assign blame."
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/13585376.htm