Page:NTSB Rar-94-01.pdf/7

INVESTIGATION

The Accident

The bridge collision sequence--About 12.55 a m on September 22, 1993, the towboat MAUVILLA, pushing six barges in a two-row, three-column combination (see p 6), departed the National Marine Fleet (mile 5) on the Mobile River.^[1] The crew comprised a captain,^[2] a pilot, and two deckhands The pilot, who had assumed the watch from the captain at 11 30 p m on September 21, 1993, said that before departing northbound, he had allowed a faster tow, the THOMAS B. McCABE, to pass. (See figure 1 for a synopsis of times relevant to this accident.)

SEQUENCE OF EVENTS

			Sunset Limited				MAUVILLA
9/21/93
9	30	p m	Crew on duty, New Orleans
				11	30	p m	Pilot on watch
1	34	p.m	Train 2 Departed New Orleans
9/22/93
				12	55	a m	Departed National Marine Fleet, mile 5, Mobile River
				2	15	am	Radioed THOMAS B MCCABE
2	30	a m	Arrived Mobile
2	33	a m	Departed Mobile
				2	45	a m	Hit bridge
2	53	a m	Derailment
2	56	a m	Assistant conductor radioed "MAY DAY"
2	57	a m	CSX dispatcher notified
3	00	a m	CSX called 911
				3	05	a m	Radioed "MAY DAY" -lost tow need help
				3	07	a m	Reported fire via radio
				3	08	a m	Coast Guard advised captain of accident

Figure 1.--Times relevant to accident

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1. On US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) river charts, river miles along the Black Warrior/Tombigbee/Mobile River system are measured northbound in miles beginning at the Bankhead Tunnel (mile 0), Mobile, Alabama.
2. In accordance with standard marine terminology for river towboats, the terms "captain" and "pilot" are used to differentiate between the MAUVILLA's two operators The captain is the senior licensed operator and is in charge of the vessel, he stands the 0600-1200 and 1800-2400 watches The pilot stands the 0000-0600 and 1200-1800 watches Each is required to have a Coast Guard license as operator of uninspected towing vessels (OUTV) (see Licensing Requirements, pp 32-34)

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