Classification
- Incident Type: Structural Failure
- Severity: High
- Evidence status: The U.S. Coast Guard rescue account is official. The technical findings are attributed to the Coast Guard Marine Board of Investigation in the cited historical account and report.
Vessel Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Vessel name | Pendleton |
| Vessel type | T2 tanker |
| Flag state | United States |
| IMO number | |
| Official number | 245142 |
| Call letters | KWAA |
| Gross tonnage | 10,448 |
| Length overall | 153.3 m |
| Year built | 1944 |
| Crew size | 41 |
Incident Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Date | 1952-02-18 |
| Time | About 05:50 |
| Location | Atlantic Ocean off Cape Cod, Massachusetts |
| Coordinates | 41.6808, -69.9533 |
| Region | Atlantic Ocean |
| Fatalities | 9 |
| Injuries | |
| Missing | 0 |
| Direct damage | Catastrophic structural failure; vessel broke in two and was lost. |
| Estimated economic damage | |
| Environmental damage |
Key facts
- Pendleton was a 10,448-gross-ton T2 tanker built in 1944, with a crew of 41.
- At about 05:50, after explosive cracking noises, the vessel took a heavy lurch and broke in two.
- Thirty-three crew members were on the stern section. CG-36500 recovered 32, while one man was lost during the rescue.
- The bow section carried the master and seven other crew members, all of whom died.
- The reported Board findings identify low-temperature brittle fracture, a sagging loading and ballasting condition, and heavy seas as contributing factors.
Narrative
Pendleton was built in 1944 and departed Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on 12 February 1952 with a full cargo of kerosene and heating oil. The vessel carried 41 people. Late on 17 February it reached the waters off Boston, where poor visibility and worsening weather led the master to stand off into the prevailing seas. During the night the conditions developed into a severe northeasterly gale.
At about 05:50 on 18 February, after a series of explosive cracking noises, Pendleton took a heavy lurch and broke in two. The bow section lost power. The stern retained machinery and lighting and drifted with 33 crew members aboard. The master and seven other crew members were in the bow section and died.
The Coast Guard had detected the separated sections and sent CG-36500 from Chatham. The official Coast Guard account describes very rough seas, 40 to 50 mile-per-hour northwest winds, darkness, snow squalls, and poor visibility. CG-36500 made repeated approaches to the tilted stern and recovered 32 men. One man was lost during the rescue. The lifeboat returned safely with the survivors, and the stern section capsized shortly after the last man had been taken aboard.
The Coast Guard Board of Investigation findings are reproduced in the cited historical account. They attributed the hull fracture to material failure under stress in low temperatures, with the loading and ballasting condition creating a sagging effect that was aggravated by extremely heavy seas.
Sequence of events
| Date/time | Event |
|---|---|
| 1952-02-12 | Pendleton departed Baton Rouge with a cargo of kerosene and heating oil. |
| Late 1952-02-17 | The tanker reached waters off Boston as visibility and weather deteriorated. |
| About 1952-02-18 05:50 | After explosive cracking noises, Pendleton took a heavy lurch and broke in two. |
| 1952-02-18 | CG-36500 recovered 32 survivors from the stern section; one man was lost during the rescue. |
| Shortly after the rescue | The stern section capsized after the last survivor had been taken aboard. |
Contributing factors
| Factor | Evidence status | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Low-temperature brittle fracture | Reported | The historical account attributes the Board's finding to increased notch sensitivity of the steel in low temperatures. |
| Loading and ballasting condition | Reported | The account says excessive buoyancy in the bow and stern, with heavier weight amidships, created a sagging effect. |
| Extremely heavy seas | Reported | The Board's reported conclusion says the rough sea aggravated the stress condition. |
Investigation
The casualty was investigated by a United States Coast Guard Marine Board of Investigation. The report is listed as a Marine Board report on the Texas A&M National Chemical Safety Program's index of U.S. Coast Guard investigation reports. The technical findings summarized on this page are labeled as reported because the web-accessible historical account reproduces the Board's conclusion, while the full report itself was not independently reviewed in this batch.
References
- U.S. Coast Guard Marine Board of Investigation report
- U.S. Coast Guard Gold Lifesaving Medal history
- Orleans Historical Society rescue account
- Texas A&M National Chemical Safety Program index of Coast Guard reports