FAA Otter AD Issued After U.S. Crash

A month after a De Havilland Otter floatplane apparently dove suddenly into Washington State’s Puget Sound, killing all 10 people onboard, the FAA issued an Emergency AD calling for inspection of elevator parts for corrosion. Transport Canada issued a similar AD four years ago but the FAA did not follow suit. The Emergency AD made reference to the TC action and said the Emergency AD was prompted by “recent reports” of elevator spar damage. The AD says “the unsafe condition, if not addressed, could result in elevator flutter leading to elevator failure, with consequent loss of control of the airplane.”
The AD did not reference the Sept. 4 crash which happened in Mutiny Bay off Whidbey Island. The Otter, which was the last one built by De Havilland and rolled off the assembly line in 1967, was on a scheduled flight from Friday Harbor to Renton when witnesses said it suddenly dove into the water. So far the bodies of eight of the 10 onboard have been recovered.