SS KEYTRADER AND SS BAUNE (NORWEGIAN) COLLISION IN THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER ON 18 JANUARY 1974 WITH LOSS OF LIFE. MARINE CASUALTY REPORT

About 1401 c.d.t., on 18 January 1974, the inbound Norwegian bulk carrier SS BAUNE and the outbound U.S. tankship SS KEYTRADER collided in the lower Mississippi River. The bow of the BAUNE penetrated about 20 feet into the two forward cargo tanks on the starboard side of the KEYTRADER. Gasoline spilled from the ruptured cargo tanks onto the main decks of both vessels and onto the surrounding water and ignited; the flames were not extinguished for 53 hours. The collision and fire damaged both vessels extensively, killed 6 persons, and injured 3 others; 10 persons are missing. The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of this casualty was the failure of the KEYTRADER's pilot to correctly interpret the BAUNE's movements, which led him to make a port turn to position his ship for an improper starboard-to-starboard passing with the BAUNE. Contributing to the accident were the operation of both vessels at speeds that did not allow sufficient time to establish a radar trackline, compounded by the inadequate use of the shipboard radar to evaluate a safe passing maneuver; the failure to establish communications; the inadequacy of sound signals under existing environmental conditions; and the failure of the BAUNE to maintain a lookout. (Author)

• Corporate Authors:

  National Transportation Safety Board

  800 Independence Avenue, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20594

  United States Coast Guard

  2100 Second Street, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20593
• Publication Date: 1977-5-12

Media Info

• Pagination: 59 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Acoustic signal processing; Air pilots; Cargo ships; Crash avoidance systems; Crash investigation; Crashes; Fatalities; Fire fighting; Fires; Fog; Gasoline; Hazards; Human error; Inland waterways; Loss and damage; Navigation radar; Radar displays; Radio telephone; Research; Ships; Surveillance; Tankers; Traffic regulations; Water transportation crashes
• Identifier Terms: United States Coast Guard
• Uncontrolled Terms: Rule of the road
• Geographic Terms: Mississippi River
• Old TRIS Terms: Acoustic signals; Lookouts; Radar plotting; Ship casualties; Ss baune; Ss keytrader; Tanker collisions
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Law; Marine Transportation; Research; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00166475
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: USCG-NTSB-MAR-77-1
• Files: NTIS, TRIS
• Created Date: Oct 29 1978 12:00AM