Maintenance Error Led to $3.8 Million Ferry Casualty in Washington -NTSB

[Sherman A1]

An improperly tightened fastener led to a diesel engine failure on the passenger and car ferry Wenatchee near Bainbridge Island, Wash., resulting in nearly $3.8 million in damages, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Tuesday.

On April 22, 2021, the catastrophic failure of the no. 3 main engine aboard the Wenatchee during a sea trial in Puget Sound led to the ejection of components from the engine and resulted in a fire in the no. 2 engine room. No injuries or pollution were reported.

In November 2020, the Wenatchee, operated by Washington State Ferries (WSF), was taken out of service for maintenance. During the maintenance period, two of the four main diesel engines, numbers 2 and 3, were overhauled by factory-trained technicians. In February 2021, following the completion of engine overhauls, the vessel crew conducted engine tests. Alarms activated for the no. 3 main engine. Crew members found pieces of a cigarette lighter in the lube oil system. Technicians returned to inspect the engine and recover the pieces; they advised WSF it was acceptable to run the engine.

On April 22, while the vessel was conducting a post-maintenance sea trial in Puget Sound, the no. 3 main engine experienced a connecting rod assembly failure and ejected components that breached the crankcase, resulting in the ignition of hot pressurized gases that were released in the engine room. The crew of the Wenatchee effectively contained the spread of the fire by stopping all fuel supply and ventilation to the engine room and isolating the space.

https://www.marinelink.com/news/maintenance-error-led-million-ferry-495052

[Turbineguy]

1. That will be expensive for the contractor.

On a ship I was on, when the contractors were finished overhauling an engine, I had the crew open up the engine crankcase for inspection before start up. Everybody complained until they saw the rag floating in the oil.