Citation

Accid. Reconstr. J. 2001; 12(5): 29-30.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2001, Accident Reconstruction Journal)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This article reports on a National Transportation and Safety Board (NTSB) investigation into a motorcoach accident in which a for-hire passenger carrier lost control on a downhill grade of a mountainous roadway and overturned. Two passengers were fatally injured and 35 others were injured. A mechanical inspection of the bus after the accident found that the steering axle brakes were out of adjustment and the brake drums had dark spots, typically seen on overheated drums. The drive axle brakes were also out of adjustment and the tag axle brakes were not operational. Both tag axle drums were worn beyond the manufacturer's accepted limits. The NTSB has determined that the accident was probably caused by the poor condition of the motorcoach brakes due to the lack of an effective vehicle maintenance and inspection program. Lack of state oversight of the motor carriers' intrastate operations was determined to be a contributing factor to the accident.