Marine Accident Brief: Grounding of the Alaska Marine Highway System Ferry LeConte Near Sitka, Alaska, May 10, 2004

The Alaska Marine Highway System ferry LeConte was en route from Angoon to Sitka, Alaska, when it ran aground on Cozian Reef, a well-marked navigation hazard about 30 miles north of Sitka, Alaska. The navigation watch was attempting to navigate an alternative route that was more scenic. The weather was good and visibility was clear. One passenger was injured, and the LeConte experienced extensive hull damage. The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of the grounding of the LeConte was the failure of the master and the chief mate, who was conning the vessel, to recognize that the course selected by the chief mate would cause the vessel to pass on the wrong side of the navigation daymark for Cozian Reef and to pass over the reef. Contributing to the loss of awareness of the navigation situation was the fatigue of the conning officer, the chief mate, who had a significant sleep deficit because of work accomplished off watch in addition to standing a 6-hour watch routine.

• Record URL:
  • http://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/MAB0502.pdf
• 
• Corporate Authors:

  National Transportation Safety Board

  490 L'Enfant Plaza, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20594
• Publication Date: 2005-7-28

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Features: Figures;
• Pagination: 3p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Crash causes; Ferries; Hazards; Hulls; Injuries; Loss and damage; Marine safety; Navigation; Physiological fatigue; Route choice; Ship groundings; Sleep deprivation
• Geographic Terms: Alaska
• Subject Areas: Marine Transportation; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01014941
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: NTSB/MAB-05/02
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jan 3 2006 8:19AM