The towing vessel Island Lookout was attempting to pass through the Centerville Turnpike Bridge, the tow of the vessel and the barge struck the swing span of the bridge while it was opening, reports NTSB.
Incident
On November 14, 2020, The towing vessel Island Lookout was transiting eastbound with a crew of four on the Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal near Chesapeake, Virginia, pushing ahead barge BH 2903, which was loaded with scrap steel. As the tow was attempting to pass through the Centerville Turnpike Bridge, the barge struck the swing span of the bridge while it was opening.
Damage
No pollution or injuries were reported. Estimated damages amounted to $2.86 million for the bridge and $34,000 for the barge.
Investigation
Visibility was not restricted, so the Centerville Turnpike Bridge’s red and green range lights would have been visible to the mate, and the roadway over the bridge was well lit. The mate stated that he could clearly see the bridge at night. Furthermore, he stated that he had trained his spotlights on the bridge fenders, further illuminating the structure.
Thus, visibility was not a factor in the accident. The accounts of the Island Lookout mate and the bridge operator differed regarding the use of the bridge horn as a signal acknowledging the request for opening.
However, the regulations allow for requests and acknowledgments to be conducted by sound signal, visual signal, or VHF communications; both the mate and bridge operator reported that a verbal exchange was conducted. The use or unuse of the bridge’s horn was therefore not a factor in this accident.
Cause
The probable cause of the contact of the Island Lookout tow with the Centerville Turnpike Bridge was the mate’s misjudgment of the tow’s speed of approach relative to the status of the swing bridge opening, which resulted in insufficient time to slow the tow and avoid striking the bridge before it was fully open and safe to navigate.
Did you subscribe to our daily Newsletter?
It’s Free! Click here to Subscribe
Source: NTSB
