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Passenger load was too much for boat, NTSB says
Associated Press
Published October 6, 2005
LAKE GEORGE, N.Y. - A tour boat nearly identical to the one that capsized here, killing 20 elderly tourists, became unstable after weight equivalent to just 10 people was placed at the edge of the vessel, the National Transportation Safety Board said Wednesday evening.
Wednesday's stability test found the Ethan Allen unsuited to handle the weight of the 48 adults who were aboard, said Mark Rosenker, acting chairman of the NTSB. He would not say how many passengers the boat could have safely held.
Rosenker also said the Ethan Allen was not appropriately certified for the number of people it carried. He did not elaborate.
During the test of the similar vessel, the de Champlain, investigators placed three 55-gallon barrels at the boat's edge, then filled them with water, at which point the boat became unstable. The combined weight of the barrels was about 1,400 pounds, or the equivalent of 10 adults as defined by Coast Guard weight standards.
"We terminated the test because it was unsafe at that point," Rosenker said.
Wednesday's test was the first step toward re-creating conditions on this Adirondack lake that might have caused the Ethan Allen to capsize Sunday.
NTSB officials believe the weight and distribution of the 47 passengers in the boat may have contributed to the accident.
Both the Ethan Allen and the de Champlain are owned by Shoreline Cruises.
The NTSB will continue tests on the open water with the de Champlain and hopes to put the Ethan Allen back in the water today or Friday for similar tests.
[Last modified October 6, 2005, 01:15:08]
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