Highway Accident Brief: Tire deflation and tread separation, cross-median deadly crash that killed 4, seriously injured 2; 30 received minor injuries

 

 

Executive Summary

On Saturday, February 15, 2014, about 11:30 a.m. local time, a 2004 Kia Sorento sport utility vehicle (SUV), occupied by a 37-year-old driver and four passengers, was traveling westbound on US Route 90 (US-90) near Centerville, Louisiana. 

The SUV was traveling in the right lane at a witness-estimated speed of 70 mph (roadway speed limit) when the driver lost control of the vehicle due to a tread separation and rapid air loss in the left rear tire. 

The SUV veered into the left westbound lane, rotating in a counterclockwise direction, and departed the roadway into a 64-foot-wide depressed earthen median. 

It continued through the median, now rotating in a clockwise direction; entered the eastbound traffic lanes of US-90; and collided with a 2005 IC Bus (66-passenger school bus), which was traveling in the right lane. 

The left front of the SUV contacted the right front of the school bus, resulting in the rapid clockwise rotation of the SUV and secondary impacts along the right side of the school bus. The driver of the SUV and three rear passengers were ejected. The fourth passenger remained in the vehicle.

Kia Left Rear Tire and Wheel 

The left rear tire tread separated from the tire carcass prior to the collision sequence.5 The left rear rim and tire carcass were still attached to the Kia postcollision. The Louisiana State Police later removed these components from the vehicle and transferred them to the NTSB materials laboratory. NTSB investigators recovered the separated tread from the scene for further examination. 

The subject tire was a Michelin Cross Terrain manufactured in late October 2003.6 The tire tread was composed of five ribs with zigzag grooves between each rib. Tread depth measurements were taken in all four grooves, every 4 inches along what would have been the circumference of the tire (figure 4).

The average tread depths for grooves 1 through 4 were 4/32, 2/32, 2/32, and 3/32 inch, respectively.7 The tire had minimum tread depth values of zero at some locations (bald spots), where wear had exceeded the depth of the grooves.8 

The state of Louisiana requires vehicle inspections every 2 years. The inspection requires that tires have at least 2/32 inch of tread measured in any two adjacent tread grooves and that there are no knots, bulges, sidewall cracks, or tread exposure. According to the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles, the Kia passed inspection on April 11, 2013. 

The tread separated from the tire carcass near a bald spot located toward the inboard edge of the tire. The separation started as a delamination between the inner and outer steel belts on the inboard side of the tire. It evolved into a thumbnail-shaped pocket that extended along the shoulder of the tire. 

The difference in wear between the delaminated region and the remainder of the tread indicates that the pocket was likely present for several hundreds to thousands of miles. Additional delamination formed along the outboard shoulder and progressed toward the inboard shoulder. The tread separated from the tire when the delaminations merged. The tire carcass subsequently split in the radial direction (from the outboard shoulder to the inboard shoulder), and the tire lost pressure (figure 5).

Three foreign objects had penetrated the tread and the outer steel ply. Figure 6 shows one object found approximately 46 inches clockwise from the tip of the leading edge flap.9 The steel wires in the outer ply were deformed where the objects had penetrated the tread.

Other physical damage to the subject tire included U-shaped compression set marks on the outboard sidewall and cracking along the sidewall, buttress, and shoulder area (figure 7, left).10 The wheel weight clip, used to balance the tire, left multiple impression marks near the bead on the inboard side of the tire (figure 7, right), indicating that the tire had likely been operated in an underinflated condition at some point during its lifetime. No precollision damage was found on any of the rims.

Driver Information

Kia Driver 

At the time of the crash, the driver of the Kia was traveling from her home in Patterson, Louisiana, to the “Krewe of Head Start Recruitment Parade” in Franklin. She held a class E driver’s license.15 According to relatives, her vision, hearing, and general health were good. NTSB investigators examined cell phone provider records and determined that she was not using her cell phone at the time of the crash. Postcrash toxicological testing did not indicate the presence of alcohol or drugs.16 

According to the surviving passenger in the Kia, after the tire failure, the vehicle drifted to the left and the driver responded by braking and steering. According to a truck driver traveling behind the SUV, when the tire “popped,” the vehicle moved to the right, then overcorrected to the left, and crossed the median. 

Field tests have found that drag forces are generated when a rear tire experiences tread separation. These forces pull the vehicle toward the side of the affected tire.17 Noise and vibration were present in each field test before the vehicle began pulling to the side of the affected tire, providing an auditory cue to the driver. In most cases, experienced test drivers were able to keep the vehicle in the travel path with small steering corrections.18 

In other cases, the drag forces were significant and resulted in large vehicle deviations.19 Other tests have reported that a higher vehicle speed and a longer duration of the tread separation are associated with greater lateral deviation from the travel path.20 Tests have also found that drag forces ended once the tread fully separated from the tirewhereas, for a partial tread separation, drag forces continued until the vehicle came to rest. If the affected tire lost air, drag forces also continued until the vehicle came to rest.21 

Although an experienced test driver in a simulated environment who is aware of an impending failure may be able to control a vehicle following a tread separation, it can be difficult for a typical driver to have the same control in some real-world traffic environments. 

A rear tread separation at high speed reduces the lateral forces generated by the rear tires, which can result in excessive rotation and lateral motion for a given steer input. These changes in vehicle response and maneuverability characteristics can make it difficult for a driver to safely steer following a rear tread separation. In addition, drag forces could lead a driver to respond in a manner that further destabilizes the vehicle, resulting in a loss of control.22 

The Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles provides guidelines for new and current class D and E drivers on how to respond to a tire blowout, including staying calm, firmly holding the steering wheel and maintaining the vehicle in the same lane (noting that there may be a strong pull from the right or the left), slowing the vehicle, gently applying the brakes, and pulling off the road to a safe area.

Probable Cause

The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of the Centerville, Louisiana, crash was the Kia SUV driver’s loss of control due to the tread separation and rapid air loss of the left rear tire, which altered vehicle handling characteristics. 

Contributing to the crash was the deteriorated condition of the tire due to inadequate maintenance.

Footnotes/References

5 The portion of the tire designed to contact the road surface (tire tread) separated from the rubber-bonded cord structure of the tire (tire carcass).

6 Michelin Cross Terrain P245/70R16 106H; tire identification number: DOT 0CBU JDWX 4403.

7 The original tread depth for the subject tire, according to manufacturer literature, was 11/32 inch.

8 The minimum tread depth values measured for the left front, right front, and right rear tires were 11/32, 11/32, and 4/32 inch, respectively.  

9 The leading edge flap is the side of the tread that forms a triangular wedge of tread pointing toward the direction of rotation, as shown in figure 4.  

10 Cracking can be associated with overdeflection, foreign materials, ozone deterioration, loss of rubber elasticity over time, and temperature.  

11 At the time of inspection, the driver’s seat belt was buckled and the seat belt webbing showed cloth color transfer, scuffing, and cupping. The front seat passenger seat belt showed heat abrasion to the webbing.

12 If seatback failure occurs, use of the restraint system may not prevent the occupant from being ejected from the vehicle. See TES Limited. 1989. Accidents Involving Seatback Failures, report no. C1322/2, prepared for Transport Canada. Bedford, UK.  

13 Louisiana Rev Stat §32.295.1 (www.legis.la.gov).

14 Louisiana Rev Stat §32.295 (www.legis.la.gov).

15 A class E license is a personal vehicle license and permits the operation of any single motor vehicle under 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight rating.

16 Blood was tested for ethanol, acetone, isopropanol, and methanol. Blood was screened for amphetamines, antidepressants, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, cannabinoids, cocaine/metabolites, lidocaine, methadone, nonopiate narcotic analgesic, opiates, phencyclidine, phenothiazines, propoxyphene, acetaminophen, salicylates, oxycodone, fentanyl, and oxymorphone.

17 C. P. Dickerson, M. W. Arndt, and S. M. Arndt. 1999. “Vehicle Handling With Tire Tread Separation,” paper no. 1999-01-0120. SAE World Congress and Exhibition. Warrendale, Pennsylvania: SAE International.

18 R. F. Fay, R. D. Robinette, J. Smith, T. Flood, and G. Bolden. 1999. “Drag and Steering Effects From Tire Tread Belt Separation and Loss,” paper no. 1999-01-0447. SAE World Congress and Exhibition. Warrendale, Pennsylvania: SAE International.

19 D. F. Tandy, K. T. Tandy, N. J. Durisek, K. J. Granat, R. J. Pascarella, L. Carr, and R. Liebbe. 2007. “An Analysis of Yaw Inducing Drag Forces Imparted During Tire Tread Belt Detachments,” paper no. 2007-01-0836. SAE World Congress and Exhibition. Warrendale, Pennsylvania: SAE International.  

20 S. M. Arndt and M. W. Arndt. 2001. “The Influence of a Rear Tire Tread Separation on a Vehicle’s Stability and Control,” paper no. 258. Proceedings, 17th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV), Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Washington, DC: NHTSA.

21 G. Beauchamp, D. Koch, and D. E. Thornton. 2013. “A Comparison of 25 High Speed Tire Disablements Involving Full and Partial Tread Separations,” paper no. 2013-01-0776. SAE World Congress and Exhibition. Warrendale, Pennsylvania: SAE International.

22 Loss of control can occur for a variety of reasons. For the purpose of this report, “loss of control” refers to a change in vehicle response characteristics beyond which a driver can adapt and steer along the intended path.

23 See web01.dps.louisiana.gov/DPSForms.nsf, accessed June 12, 2015.

24 A class B license is a commercial driver’s license that permits the operation of heavy straight vehicles. A straight vehicle is a vehicle that does not bend or have a moveable joint in its frame between the driver seat and the cargo or passenger compartment. The driver had the school bus and passenger endorsements.  

Probable Cause of the Collision Involving Three BNSF Railway Freight Trains near Amarillo, Texas, September 25, 2013: failure to comply with the requirement to stop and proceed at restricted speed when encountering a dark or improperly displayed signal.

Executive Summary

​ On September 25, 2013, at 4:17 a.m. central daylight time, BNSF Railway (BNSF) eastbound train BLACWSP223A (7891 East) struck the rear end of standing BNSF train SLHTLPC223A (6746 East) on main track no. 2 near Amarillo, Texas. Several cars from 7891 East derailed and fell across the adjacent track, main track no. 1. Approaching BNSF westbound train ZWSPSBD724L (6943 West) struck the derailed cars.

The engineer and the conductor of train 7891 East recalled passing signals warning them of the train ahead. However, the signal at milepost 543.65 was not lit because the bulb had burned out (also known as a dark or improperly displayed signal). 

Had the bulb not been burned out, the signal would have displayed a red aspect, which would have required them to stop the train before proceeding at restricted speed. When they passed this signal, neither crewmember noticed that the signal was dark. A dark signal also required the crew to stop the train before proceeding at restricted speed.

The engineer stated that he thought the dim (low-beam) headlight from the rear end locomotive helper unit of 6746 East was an approaching train on the adjacent track. The conductor thought the headlight had a yellow cast to it and was a wayside signal. Neither crewmember thought the headlight was on the rear of a standing train.

Five of the six involved train crewmembers received injuries and were hospitalized. The weather was clear with 10-mile visibility, and the temperature was 59°F. Estimated damage was $4.4 million.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) determines that the probable cause of the accident was the failure of the 7891 East train crew to comply with the requirement to stop and proceed at restricted speed when encountering a dark or improperly displayed signal. 

Contributing to the accident was the use of a dim headlight to indicate the rear end of the standing train, which the 7891 East engineer misinterpreted as the headlight of an opposing train on the adjacent track and the conductor misinterpreted as an upcoming yellow signal. Also contributing to the accident was the lack of a positive train control system that could have prevented the accident.

Findings

1.   The crew of train 7891 East failed to observe the wayside signal at milepost 543.65 that was dark (improperly displayed) with a burned-out light for the red aspect.

2.   Had the standing train been equipped with a standard, highly visible end-of-train device that clearly identified the rear of the train, and not a white headlight, the crewmembers would have likely been able to determine that there was a standing train in front of them on the same track.

3.   Had the territory been equipped with positive train control, the train would have been stopped at the signal at milepost 543.65, regardless of the light’s being burned out.

4.   Mechanical conditions, weather, drug and alcohol impairment, territory inexperience, cell phone use, and fatigue were not factors in this accident. Further, the actions of the 6756 East crew and the 6943 West crew were not factors in this accident.

Probable Cause

​ The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) determines that the probable cause of the accident was the failure of the 7891 East train crew to comply with the requirement to stop and proceed at restricted speed when encountering a dark or improperly displayed signal. 

 Contributing to the accident was the use of a dim headlight to indicate the rear end of the standing train, which the 7891 East engineer misinterpreted as the headlight of an opposing train on the adjacent track and the conductor misinterpreted as an upcoming yellow signal. 

 Also contributing to the accident was the lack of a positive train control system that could have prevented the accident.

Recommendations

Based on its investigation, the National Transportation Safety Board issues the following new safety recommendations:

To the Federal Railroad Administration:

Prohibit the use of a white light as a marking device on the rear of a train. (R-15-26)

To the BNSF Railway:

Discontinue the use of a white light as a marking device on the rear of a train. (R-15-27)

 

Lawn Mowers Can Cause Injuries and/or Death

 

Lawn mower accident leads to local push for yard work safety

Posted: July 10, 2015

By Hillary Hall, Reporter

 

CHARLESTON, WV - 

 It was just an average summer day spent mowing the lawn for Ronald Cox, until his lawn mower knocked out of gear and started speeding down the hillside.

"It was just going so fast and when I did it started turning over and I jumped off of it. When all was said and done I was underneath the mower." said Ronald of South Charleston, WV.

He says he felt completely helpless as the roar of the motor muffled his screams. Thankfully, Ronald's 16 year old neighbor, Will Redmon, was able to hear him yelling and ran down the hill to help him.

"By the time I got there he said he was about out of breath and couldn't scream anymore. I got there and I was able to pick it up high enough for him to move a little bit to get to where he could breathe." said Will. 

Will and Ronald's wife Diane were able to lift the 700 plus pound mower from his body, and he made it out with some deep cuts and an injured collar bone. Now, Ronald's yard is a reminder of how close he came to losing his life and safety is more important than ever.

According the the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, always mow hillsides from side to side when using a push mower and up and down when using a riding mower. It's also important to have your lawn mower serviced at the beginning of every grass cutting season to make sure it's in proper working order.

Ronald's close call is something Will says totally changes his perspective on yard work safety.

"It does make me think different and it makes me a little bit more cautious. Just in a split second like that it can change and that thing will hurt you." said Will.
Ronald says God had a bigger plan for him when he saw Will arrive in his moment of need, and now he and his wife look at the little boy next door in an entirely different light. 

"We've known him all along and thought of him as a kid, but that day and from now on we know that Will is a man." said Diane Cox.

Driver ‘serious’ after Middletown truck-train crash.Woman, 24, admitted she was intoxicated, patrol sergeant says.

The woman who was driving this truck suffered serious injuries when she was ejected in the collision Wednesday night, July 8, 2015. (Jim Noelker/Staff)


The state patrol is handling the train-truck crash in Middletown.

Breaking News Staff

MIDDLETOWN, OHIO—


UPDATE @ 6:50 p.m. (July 10): Jessica D. Barnes, 24, of Middletown, remained under intensive care this evening at Atrium Medical Center in Middletown.

Barnes was involved in a crash with her pickup and a Norfolk Southern train Wednesday evening.

UPDATE @ 7:17 a.m. (July 9):

A 24-year-old woman charged with OVI following a train-truck accident Wednesday evening is Jessica D. Barnes, 24, of Middletown, according to the Ohio Highway Patrol. She was listed in serious condition at Atrium Medical Center in Middletown.

The crash remains under investigation.

UPDATE @ 11:30 p.m. (July 8):

The 24-year-old woman who suffered serious injuries in the train-truck accident admitted she was intoxicated and will be charged with OVI and failure to maintain control of a motor vehicle for striking the utility pole, said Sgt. Dexter Howard, with the OHP Hamilton post.

She was headed west on Manchester Avenue when she veered right and hit the pole, Howard said. She was in the driver’s seat when the Norfolk Southern train hit the pickup and ejected her. She landed in gravel about 30 feet away, the sergeant said.

She suffered a head injury and possibly a broken arm.

There are flashing lights on the west side of the crossing, flashing lights and bars on the east side, Howard said. The conductor told patrol investigators he sounded the train’s horn and hit the air brakes but couldn’t stop in time. The conductor said the train was moving at 23 mph at the time (train speed is limited to 25 mph in the city, Howard said the conductor told investigators).

According to the conductor, the train hauling automobiles was headed to Bellevue, Ohio, near Sandusky, from Kentucky.

Howard said the conductor told investigators “she was in the driver’s seat. He looked right at her and she just sat in the driver’s seat.”

UPDATE @ 10:50 p.m. (July 8):

A woman driver suffered serious injuries in a train-truck accident that occurred when her pickup became stuck on the tracks and was hit, a trooper with the Ohio Highway Patrol said.

She was ejected when the Norfolk Southern train hit her truck at tracks that cut through Manchester Avenue near North University Boulevard, the trooper said. She has been taken to Atrium Medical Center. Her name and age were not immediately available.

The trooper said that according to the preliminary investigation, the woman was alone and may have been intoxicated. She apparently drove into a utility pole as she was making her way across the tracks, then the truck became stuck. She tried to get out but couldn’t do it before the train hit the truck.

The accident occurred about 10 p.m.

There are lights at the crossing but no arms.

The train is hauling automobiles. No one on the train is believed to have been injured. A Duke Energy crew is said to have been dispatched to check the pole.

Manchester Avenue remains closed until further notice.

FIRST REPORT (July 8)

Law enforcement officers and a fire/rescue crew are on the scene of a train-truck accident in the area of North University Boulevard and Manchester Avenue.

The Ohio Highway Patrol post in Lebanon is handling the investigation and a dispatcher tells us the accident is not believed to be a fatal one.

No other details are available at this point.

The accident reportedly occurred about 10 p.m.

We have a crew on the way. We will update this report as we get information. - See more at: http://www.whio.com