Another DUKW Accident

A lawsuit against the operators and owners due to recklessness and financial  reasons. No surprise there. Clueless and stupidity - not to mention greedy on their part and what did they gain out of it? 17 deaths.

Even though an M151 was built to mil spec., I sure wouldn’t drive one as a personal car.

https://start.att.net/news/read/category/news/article/time-family_of_branson_duck_boat_victims_seeks_100_mill-rtime

I agree. Other factors do come in play such as restricted movements, quick flooding of waters, capsizing, etc...

Plenty of people have drowned while wearing a life vest. they can inhibit movement inside a vehicle or vessel and trap an occupant. Especially one full of panicking people. If escape exits are minimal in size or number... there are lots of variables at play here.

Anyways, none of us know most of the facts as to what happened here. Only a few things being reported in the media, which more than likely are more sensationalized than accurate facts. Investigators will examine all the information and evidence that they can obtain and make a determination once they have completed their task.

GMorrison

 

BlackSheepTwoOneFour

 

 

 

Too old and dangerous? Try inexperienced or clueless operators who don’t know what the hell they‘re doing. Let’s not forget about inspections and certifications to operate them.

 

 

 

People died. Are you sure?

 

 

Yes I am aware people died. It all falls on the driver to take utmost responsibilty to ALLOW the passengers to put on life jackets. If you recall, the operator forbided anyone from getting up to get life preservers.

All passengers should have had them on PRIOR before he driver even proceeded with the ride. if they had them on, none of the senseless deaths/drownings never should have happened in the first place.

BlackSheepTwoOneFour

 

 

 

Too old and dangerous? Try inexperienced or clueless operators who don’t know what the hell they‘re doing. Let’s not forget about inspections and certifications to operate them.

PatW

One they are all much too old! Would you go on an old WW2 DUKW that's 70+ years old? Dangerous!

It's reported that the Captain ignored weather warnings and one of the survivors said the captain told them not to put on life jackets, why........ did they not have enough to go round because they were overloaded?

On the news feed people on another one were complaining because their's nearly sunk and they filmed the one that went down!

We have them here running 'Pleasure Cruises' up and down the River Thames in the middle of London!

 

Too old and dangerous? Try inexperienced or clueless operators who don’t know what the hell they‘re doing. Let’s not forget about inspections and certifications to operate them.

Next thing you know you’re saying driving any classic car prior to 1965 is deemed dangerous to drive on the highways because they weren’t equipped with seatbelts. That’s right, seatbelts didnt exist until then to install as a safety feature.

Tojo72

Wow,these things seem to have their problems,in Branson,11 members of one family were lost,ages 1-70 very tragic.Just wondering,are these things all leftover from WWII or are these replicas.

 

They said on the local news out of Springfield it was built in 1944 but I take what they say with a grain of salt because they aren't always accurate.

I was reading an article somewher online ( MSNBC ) That stated the Vehicle was a recently built replica. Built by a company that didn't research their design AT ALL !

The company that bought it , also own's 19 other DUKW's . All built by the same firm that built the one that sank.

Think I'll take my "chance's " in a truck innertube.

Tojo72

In this case,it seems deserved,in conrast to many frivolous lawsuits

I agree. This is an "accident" that should never have happened. 

Wirraway

With so many deceased from one family, I predict a huge lawsuit, given the negligence of the operator. This company will be out of business in short order...

 

In this case,it seems deserved,in conrast to many frivolous lawsuits

Bakster

As I watched the video on it I thought about how I'd be looking for the exit point. I'd be ready to jump ship. They look locked in.  Am I wrong that the only way in and out is from the bow? If yes... they were doomed the second it went down.

It must have been horrific. 

 

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/07/22/branson-duck-boat-operator-was-warned-in-2017-dangers-inspector-says.html

They are being used in Wisconsin Dells as well, and for many years. I have traveled on them five to six times The good thing about theirs is that the lower level windows are completely open, and roof is wide open. If the craft got into trouble, you'd have a good chance to escape. That's all that I ask for... just give the people an out. 

The main problem is with the operators, not the vehicles. The basic DUKW is a sound design. They were designed for operations of ship to shore in ocean conditions, which get far rougher than most lakes, even on a clear day. Now throw in the additional cabin structure over the cargo bay, questionable seamanship in stormy weather, and a few other bad decisions such as not to don life vests, were the recipe for this tragedy.

this excerpt is from the 1953 Marine Corps Surf Manual for Amphibious Planners

H. SPECIAL USES OF DUKW Bf SURF ZONE 

The principal use of the DUKW is in the surf zone. In University 
of California experiments with landing craft, it was the only craft which 
could go repeatedly in and out through high surf from beach to deep water 
taking measurements while so doing. It is this characteristic of DUKW 
that permits surveys to be made and work to be performed of a type that 
was impossible prior to the development of DUKW. DUKW have been used by 
wave project personnel to traverse the surf zone of most of the important 
beaches of the Pacific Coast of the United States. These uses have been 
(1) to take soundings and make hydrographic profiles of surf zones during 
varied surf conditions, (2) to take instruments out through the surf, and 
(3) to lay submarine cable in the surf zone. 

That gives a pretty good critique of the vehicle compared to other contemporary landing craft. Having spent countless hours in the surf myself as a youngster, I know how rough and dangerous the surf zone can be. It will kill the unwary and overconfident.

One more thing, DUKWs were in the lead assault waves in one case at Normandy. A few were attached to the Ranger Force that landed at Pt Du Hoc with the three companies that landed there.

I went on one of these things in Halifax last fall without giving it a second thought.

In hindsight, maybe not too smart. GM might be right.

We have them in Philly too. Lost one several years back; run over by a Barge while crossing the Delaware.

 Cute idea but something with a bit more speed and freeboard would be a better choice.

   Nino

One they are all much too old! Would you go on an old WW2 DUKW that's 70+ years old? Dangerous!

It's reported that the Captain ignored weather warnings and one of the survivors said the captain told them not to put on life jackets, why........ did they not have enough to go round because they were overloaded?

On the news feed people on another one were complaining because their's nearly sunk and they filmed the one that went down!

We have them here running 'Pleasure Cruises' up and down the River Thames in the middle of London!

Prayers going out for the victims and their families.

From what I've seen, the life jackets wouldn't have done them any good as the only way in or out was through the small opening in the front and she went down by the bow. 

Jim 

These suckers briefly operated in San Francisco. Now they are down by the Ballpark. I hated them on the surface streets, very scary to be around.

Apparently the life jackets were in the overhead. The survivor I saw interviewed said that they were told to remain in their seats and not get up to grab the jackets.

Thoughts and prayers to the victims, and these rides need to be discontinued.

As I watched the video on it I thought about how I'd be looking for the exit point. I'd be ready to jump ship. They look locked in.  Am I wrong that the only way in and out is from the bow? If yes... they were doomed the second it went down.

It must have been horrific. 

DUKWs participated in the follow on assault waves at Omaha, being slated to land roughly 2 hrs after the first wave. Those DUKWs carried Artillery pieces.  And yes, the surf conditions at Omaha were quite choppy. The storm that had delayed the landings for 24 hours had just pased thru and tail end winds and clouds still were in the area. Especially during the first 12 hours of the invasion for the airborne and seaborne assault landings. 

The presence of the canopy is definately an issue.  As designed they did not have a permenent hard canopy,  rather provisions for a canvas tarp over a series of bows.    DUKWs also didn't have fixed seating for passengers,  just an open cargo well.

DUKWs did not participate in the assault waves,  rather they operated in the logistic build up after the beaches were secure.

The reasons for the accident will be long coming after investigation by the USCG and NTSB.    While the canopy may be a design fault it may be found to be operator error was a major contributor.   Videos show the waves coming from the port forward quarter.   The boat was essentially in the trough.  If the driver had turned to drive directly into the wind & waves they would have broken over the bow and been spread by the wave breaker panel.  The trouble here was that this would have lead away from the perceived safety of the shore toward deeper water in the middle of the lake.

I saw the film of it trying to get through the water.  Was Normandy that rough?

I heard that they are required to carry life vests on board but that many times they are stored in the rear.

With the tanks, I think I saw on some documentry that part of their problem the holes in the canvas walls that were made by the German machinegun defenses.

just t hings I've heard, these vehicles aren't normally my subject area.

ikar01

 I don't think they were intended for rough water. 

They were designed to work in at least moderate surf. They did operate well enough  on D-Day in the same surf conditions that swamped and sank many of the DD tanks at Omaha.

ikar01

I don't think they were intended for rough water.

Possibly made worse by building a superstructure on top to make a makeshift cabin for the passengers. Lifejackets should have been mandatory too.

I'm pretty sure they're original vehicles.  They should all be throughly checked out A,s,A,P, and be required to have regular inspedtions.  If they are originals, they are pushing 70 years old now.

But beside that, didn't anybody see the storm comming towards that area?  Maybe they need a warning system that will alert all water traffic in the area to head for shore, I don't think they were intended for rough water.