NTSB DETERMINES PILOT'S MANEUVERING ERROR CAUSED 2006 NEW DELHI EXPRESS ACCIDENT IN NEW YORK HARBOR

[NTSB Press Releases <NTSBPressReleases@xxxxxxxx>]

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                      NTSB PRESS RELEASE
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National Transportation Safety Board
Washington, DC 20594

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 30, 2007

SB-07-29

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NTSB DETERMINES PILOT'S MANEUVERING ERROR CAUSED 2006 NEW 
DELHI EXPRESS ACCIDENT IN NEW YORK HARBOR 

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Washington, DC -- The National Transportation Safety Board 
today determined that the probable cause of the grounding of 
the New Delhi Express was the error of the docking pilot in 
not using all available resources to determine the vessel's 
position as he navigated the Kill Van Kull waterway.  

Contributing to the cause of the grounding was the failure 
of both pilots to practice good bridge resource management. 
 
"This accident could have been prevented if previously 
issued safety recommendations regarding bridge resource 
management had been implemented," said NTSB Chairman Mark V. 
Rosenker.  "Since 1974, the Safety Board has investigated 
numerous accidents where the officers on the bridge and 
pilots failed to function as a team and we have issued 
numerous recommendations to prevent these types of 
accidents."  
  
On April 15, 2006, the container ship New Delhi Express 
arrived at the entrance of New York Harbor after a 
transatlantic voyage.  Aboard the vessel were a master, 21 
crewmembers, three passengers, and a Sandy Hook pilot.  A 
docking pilot boarded the vessel near Kill Van Kull and 
assumed the navigational control.  The ship was traveling 
westbound in zero visibility fog when it struck a submerged 
ledge, took on water through a hull breach caused by the 
impact and ran aground in the waterway.  At the time of the 
accident, the docking pilot was navigating the vessel.  Two 
of the three tugs assisting the ship were also damaged.  
There were no fatalities or injuries.        

As a result of this accident, the safety Board made the 
following recommendations:

        To the U.S. Coast Guard:
1. Use the circumstances of this accident 
related to the improper redeployment of 
buoy 14 in Kill Van Kull waterway as a 
"lesson learned" and disseminate the 
information to appropriate personnel, 
emphasizing the need to verify all buoy 
positioning data during routine position 
checks and during buoy redeployments.  

To State Commissions whose harbor pilots work with 
docking pilots:
2. Require your harbor and docking pilots 
to take part in recurrent joint training 
exercises that emphasize the concept and 
procedures of bridge resource management.	
         	
A synopsis of the Board's report, including the probable 
cause and recommendations, is available on the Board's 
website, www.ntsb.gov, under "Board Meetings." The Board's 
full report will be available on the website in several 
weeks.
-30-
NTSB Public Affairs: Terry N. Williams 
(202) 314-6100
williat@xxxxxxxxx


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