Marine Accident Report: Collision of the Spanish Freighter M/V POLA DE LENA with Two Mississippi River Ferry Boats and Gretna Ferry Landing, New Orleans, Louisiana, February 3, 1979

摘要

At about 0400 c.s.t., on February 3, 1979, the outbound Spanish freighter M/V POLA DE LENA sustained a steering gear failure and collided with the Gretna Ferry terminal and the ferry vessel M/V CITY OF GRETNA which was moored at the terminal, at New Orleans, Louisiana. The impact of the collision caused the ferry vessel M/V SEN. ALVIN T. STUMPF to break loose from its terminal moorings and to drift downstream. There were no deaths or injuries, but property damage was estimated at $1,310,000. The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of the accident was a steering gear failure on the POLA DE LENA which was caused by a loose electrical connection within the steering console on the bridge which interrupted electrical control of the starboard steering pump and the failure of the crew to energize the port steering pump immediately while continuing to use the nonfollowup, pushbutton mode. Contributing to the accident was the absence of written instructions prescribing the proper procedures to be followed in the event of a steering failure.