Classification
- Incident Type: Collision
- Severity: High
- Evidence status: Confirmed by the NTSB marine accident report record and abstract.
Vessel Details
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Vessel Name | Bruce Brown / Fort Dearborn |
| Vessel Type | Tug |
| Flag State | United States [US] |
Named vessels and tow configuration
| Vessel | Role in the casualty |
|---|
| Bruce Brown | Upbound towboat pushing four barges |
| STC 2017 | Lead barge in the Bruce Brown tow |
| Lockport | Barge in the Bruce Brown tow |
| Mobile | Barge in the Bruce Brown tow |
| Arkansas | Barge in the Bruce Brown tow |
| Fort Dearborn | Downbound towboat pushing two barges |
| Hines 360 | Lead barge in the Fort Dearborn tow |
| Hines 370 | Barge in the Fort Dearborn tow |
Incident Details
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Date | 1981-12-09 |
| Time | About 12:00 CST |
| Location | Ohio River mile 677.6 at Wolf Creek Bend, near Alton, Indiana |
| Region | United States |
| Coordinates | 38.8198, -84.2290 |
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Injuries | 0 |
| Missing | |
| Cargo Loss | |
| Direct Damage | Fort Dearborn and its tow declared total losses; lead barge of Bruce Brown's tow heavily damaged. |
| Economic Damage | USD 1.4 million for Fort Dearborn and its tow; USD 300,000 for the lead barge of Bruce Brown's tow |
Key facts
- Bruce Brown was pushing four barges upbound while Fort Dearborn was pushing two barges downbound when their tows collided at about 12:00 Central Standard Time.
- The collision occurred at Ohio River mile 677.6 in Wolf Creek Bend, where the high bank and vegetation prevented the approaching vessels from seeing each other.
- The impact led to an explosion and fire. Fort Dearborn and its tow were declared total losses, while the lead barge of Bruce Brown's tow sustained damage.
- No loss of life or personal injury resulted from the accident, according to the NTSB report record.
- The NTSB identified excessive speed, Bruce Brown's failure to hold below the bend, and an imprecise meeting agreement as the probable cause.
Narrative
At about 12:00 CST on 9 December 1981, the upbound towboat Bruce Brown, pushing four barges, and the downbound towboat Fort Dearborn, pushing two barges, collided in a blind bend at Ohio River mile 677.6. The NTSB report record identifies Wolf Creek Bend as the location of the collision.
The collision caused an ensuing fire. Fort Dearborn and its tow were declared total losses with estimated damage of USD 1.4 million. The lead barge in Bruce Brown's tow sustained damage estimated at USD 300,000. The NTSB report record states that no loss of life or personal injury resulted.
The NTSB determined that the probable cause was Fort Dearborn's excessive speed in the bend, Bruce Brown's failure to hold up or stop below the bend, and the failure of both operators to arrange a precise meeting agreement. Later U.S. Coast Guard material discussed the resulting NTSB recommendation on narrow-channel guidance.
Sequence of events
| Date/time | Event |
|---|
| 1981-12-09, about 12:00 CST | The Bruce Brown and Fort Dearborn tows collided at Wolf Creek Bend, followed by an explosion and fire. |
Contributing factors
| Factor | Evidence status | Description |
|---|
| Excessive speed in the bend | Confirmed finding | The NTSB found that Fort Dearborn entered Wolf Creek Bend at excessive speed, making it impractical to keep the tow on the proper side of the river for the agreed passage. |
| Failure to hold below the bend | Confirmed finding | The NTSB identified Bruce Brown's failure to hold up or stop below Wolf Creek Bend as part of the probable cause. |
| Imprecise meeting agreement | Confirmed finding | The operators did not use clear and precise language to establish where the starboard-to-starboard meeting would occur, leaving them with different expectations. |
Investigation
The National Transportation Safety Board report Collision of the U.S. Towboat M/V Bruce Brown and Tow with the U.S. Towboat M/V Fort Dearborn and Tow, Mile 677.6, Ohio River, December 9, 1981 is identified as NTSB-MAR-82-5 and dated 17 June 1982 in the public report record. The NTSB determined the probable cause and later issued recommendations concerning narrow-channel guidance and related navigation rules. U.S. Coast Guard publications document the subsequent discussion of that recommendation.
References
Similar incidents
