Cracks Ground 14 Air NZ Beech 1900Ds

All but four of Air New Zealand’s 18 Beechcraft 1900D turboprops remain grounded as the carrier seeks advice from the manufacturer about hairline cracks in the tail sections of the aircraft. The cracks were first discovered near the top of the vertical stabilizer in one 1900D during routine maintenance on Aug. 7. The remainder of the fleet was grounded for inspection. The hairline cracking was found “to varying degrees” in 14 aircraft, an airline spokeswoman tells Aviation Week ...