Marine Accident Report: Heeling Accident on M/V Crown Princess, Atlantic Ocean Off Port Canaveral, Florida, July 18, 2006

This report discusses the July 18, 2006, accident on the cruise ship Crown Princess in which the vessel heeled at a maximum angle of about 24°, resulting in injuries to 298 passengers and crewmembers. The vessel’s second officer, the senior watch officer on the bridge, had disengaged the automatic steering mode of the vessel’s integrated navigation system and taken manual control of the steering in an effort to counteract a perceived high rate of turn to port. He turned the wheel first to port and then between port and starboard several times, causing the vessel to suddenly heel and people to be thrown about or struck by unsecured objects. The Crown Princess incurred no structural damage, although unsecured interior items were damaged. The Safety Board’s investigation of the accident identified the following safety issues: actions of the captain, staff captain, and second officer; training in the use of integrated navigation systems; reporting of heeling incidents and accidents; and emergency response following severe incidents. On the basis of its findings, the Safety Board made recommendations to the U.S. Coast Guard, to the Cruise Lines International Association, and to SAM Electronics and Sperry Marine (manufacturers of integrated navigation systems).

• Record URL:
  http://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/MAR0801.pdf
• 
• Summary URL:
  http://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Pages/MAR0801.aspx
• Corporate Authors:

  National Transportation Safety Board

  490 L'Enfant Plaza, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20594
• Publication Date: 2008-1-30

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Features: Appendices; Figures; Maps; Tables;
• Pagination: 104p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automatic steering control; Crash causes; Crash investigation; Cruise ships; Heeling; Injuries; Manual control; Navigation systems; Training; Water transportation crashes
• Uncontrolled Terms: Emergency response; Reporting
• Subject Areas: Education and Training; Marine Transportation; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01099605
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: NTSB/MAR-08/01, Notation 7963B
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 21 2008 7:09AM