WA ferry master likely fell asleep before Cathlamet crash, report finds

SEATTLE – The master steering the Cathlamet ferry likely fell asleep at the wheel before the vessel crashed in July 2022 near Fauntleroy, according to a new report from the National Transportation Safety Board.

The dramatic crash into a bundle of offshore pilings, known as a “dolphin,” did not leave anyone seriously injured. The impact caused $6.7 million in damage to the vessel, according to Washington State Ferries.

In the limited interviews the master gave to investigators, he said he had been functioning on five to six hours of sleep a night as he dealt with the declining health of a family member, according to the report released Thursday. In both his account and that of the quartermaster in the deck with him, he seemed to have dozed off while operating the boat and was unaware what happened after the crash.

The report did not allege the master had violated policy by sleeping fewer than seven hours but said doing so, especially over several nights, made him more vulnerable to fatigue and drifting off.

The master, who had been with WSF since 1985 and reached his master status in 2007, retired the day after the crash. He stopped giving interviews to the NTSB and WSF.

Other than turning the ship’s rudder, he did not follow normal protocols for docking, including slowing the vessel, radioing the terminal, blowing the whistle or informing passengers. Following the crash, the quartermaster reported him saying, “What happened?”

“These events are all consistent with incapacitation from a microsleep,” the report found, concluding, “the master likely experienced a microsleep due to fatigue.”

NTSB investigators also cited complacency on the part of the crew. At the time of the crash, the quartermaster was reading a company memo when he should have been watching more closely over the shoulder of the master. Without his eyes, the ferry was vulnerable to a single point of failure, which came when the master likely dozed off.

“As the Cathlamet approached the Fauntleroy Ferry Terminal, the quartermaster did not actively monitor the master as the ferry approached the dock, as required by company policy, when he could have quickly taken the helm if the master became incapacitated,” the report found.

The Cathlamet itself, built in 1981 as part of the Issaquah class of boats, did not appear to have any mechanical issues. When a new crew took over after the crash, the propulsion and steering were all in working order. Investigators also concluded that no alcohol or drugs were involved, and the master had not been using a cellphone.

The boat was sailing the so-called triangle route between Fauntleroy, Vashon Island and Southworth. It left Vashon heading toward Fauntleroy around 8 a.m. on July 28, 2022.

The master had been on board since 3:45 a.m., walking around the ship “checking things out” before relieving the chief mate and heading to the deck around 7:30 a.m.

The quartermaster had been at the ferry’s helm until the master took the wheel around 8:10 a.m.

Initially, the approach to West Seattle appeared normal. The master phoned down to the engine room, instructing the engineers to prepare to turn.

After that, however, no other commands came from the deck.

The master told investigators he took over the helm and then, “The next thing I know I hit, I hit the dolphin. That’s all I know.”

Images of the severely crumpled passenger deck suggested the fortunate outcome of no severe injuries may have been mere luck.

One passenger who had been standing on the deck saw the ferry approaching the dolphin, understood it was about to crash and moved away from the front of the boat, according to the report. When the collision occurred, the area where he had been standing collapsed. He held onto a railing to stop himself from falling onto the damaged deck below.

Several cars were damaged.

The NTSB report reached conclusions similar to those in an internal investigation released by WSF this year, although the state’s analysis stopped short of offering a reason for why the master lost awareness. In a statement Thursday, WSF spokesperson Ian Sterling thanked the NTSB and agreed with its findings “which essentially verify the results of our internal investigation which was released in March.”

The state ferry system has been hit with a wave of staff shortages and mechanical issues, causing inconsistent service since 2020.

Nicole McIntosh, WSF’s deputy assistant secretary, told the Legislature this week that WSF has made progress hiring, but the agency remains short. The largest challenge has been bringing on new licensed deck officers.

“We need 200 licensed deck officers to reliably operate service on all routes,” she told lawmakers Monday. “Currently we have about 185 that are able to work in the fleet.”

“The fatigue factor of the shortage of staff contributed to that accident. That’s my opinion,” Dan Twohig, vice president of the International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots, said following the March report’s release.