Latest news with #NationalTransportationBoard
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Urgent warning for 9 NYC-area bridges in Baltimore collapse report
The Brief A new NTSB report highlights nine NYC-area bridges, including the Brooklyn Bridge, as potentially at risk of collapse from vessel collisions due to unknown vulnerability levels. The report lists 68 bridges across 19 states that have not undergone vulnerability assessments, leaving their risk levels unknown. NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy urges bridge owners to complete assessments to ensure public safety, following the deadly collapse of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge. NEW YORK - Nine NYC-area bridges, including the world-famous Brooklyn Bridge, could be at significant risk of collapse from a ship strike like the one that led to the deadly demise of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge, according to a new report. Federal investigators with the National Transportation Board found that Maryland Transportation Authority failed to complete a recommended vulnerability assessment, which would have shown the Francis Scott Key was almost 30 times worse than the acceptable risk threshold. In the report released Thursday, the board also issued urgent recommendations and a report that lists 30 owners of 68 bridges across 19 states. Local perspective These New York and New Jersey bridges "have an unknown level of risk of collapse from a vessel collision," according to the NTSB. Commodore Barry Bridge - Chester, Pennsylvania / Bridgeport, New Jersey Vincent R. Casciano (Newark Bay) Bridge - Newark Bay, New Jersey Verrazano Narrows Bridge - Staten Island / Brooklyn, New York Brooklyn Bridge - New York City, New York Manhattan Bridge - New York City, New York Williamsburg Bridge - New York City, New York Newburgh-Beacon Bridge - Newburgh / Beacon, New York Rip Van Winkle Bridge - Catskill / Hudson, New York Ogdensburg-Prescott International Bridge - Ogdensburg, New York / Prescott, Ontario, Canada George Washington Bridge - New York City, New York / Fort Lee, New Jersey Outerbridge Crossing Bridge - Perth Amboy, New Jersey / Staten Island, New York Seaway International Bridge - Massena, New York / Cornwall, Ontario, Canada Thousand Islands Bridge - Alexandria Bay, New York / Ontario, Canada Dig deeper In 1991, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials published guidance on how to calculate bridge vulnerability assessments. All bridges designed afterward were required to be evaluated, and in 2009, the group reiterated its recommendation to also conduct assessments for older bridges. The 68 bridges listed in the NTSB report are "frequented by ocean-going vessels," were constructed before the AASHTO guidance was issued and have not undergone an assessment. Therefore, the level of risk is unknown and bridge owners are "likely unaware of their bridges' risk of catastrophic collapse from a vessel collision and the potential need to implement countermeasures to reduce the bridges' vulnerability." What they're saying At a media briefing Thursday, NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy urged these bridge owners to complete their assessment as her board has "been sounding the alarm on this since the tragedy occurred." "There's no excuse," she said. "We need action. Public safety depends on it," she added. The backstory Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed after a massive cargo ship, the Dali, lost power and veered off course, striking one of its support piers. Six construction workers were killed. The board update comes almost a year after the bridge collapse, which temporarily halted ship traffic through the Port of Baltimore and snarled traffic across the region. Plans to rebuild the bridge are underway and officials have said the new design will be much better protected. What's next There is no set timeline for these inspections. If and when they happen, traffic should not be impacted. The Source This article uses information from the NTBS report referenced and the Associated Press.
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
NTSB report finds plane that crashed in Alaska, killing 10, was overweight
March 19 (UPI) -- A small passenger plane that crashed last month in Alaska, killing all 10 onboard, was nearly 1,000 pounds too heavy for the weather conditions, according to a preliminary report on the incident released Wednesday by the National Transportation Board. The Cessna 208B aircraft, operated by Bering Air, departed Unalakleet for Nome the afternoon of Feb. 6, with one pilot and nine passengers. The plane crashed as it was preparing to land. There were no survivors and the aircraft was destroyed. According to the report, at the time of takeoff, including fuel, baggage and cargo, the plane had a gross weight of about 9,865 pounds -- about 1,058 pounds over the maximum takeoff gross weight for flight into icing conditions. The gross takeoff weight was also about 803 pounds over the maximum gross takeoff weight for any flight with its system. "A senior NTSB aerospace engineer will conduct a detailed review of the airplane's performance as part of the investigation, including an evaluation of the airplane's center of gravity location," it said. According to the report, the estimated weight of the aircraft was based on a postaccident examination that found baggage and cargo weight about 798 pounds. An estimated 1,350 pounds of fuel was also onboard the plane at takeoff, it said. The airplane was expected to land in Nome at about 3:35 p.m. local time Feb. 6, but when it did not, a search-and-rescue crew was dispatched after authorities were notified of an overdue aircraft. The plane was located about 34 miles southeast of Nome, which is about 55 miles from the Russian border. It was found upright, its propeller, having separated from the engine, was located near the wreckage and its engine cowling dislocated and fragmented, the report said. "The fuselage exhibited upward crushing damage along the entire length. Both wings were damaged, with the left wing being partially separated from the fuselage," it said.
