Tow Collision: Fatigued Pilot Distracted by Phone

A tow pilot’s distraction caused by personal cellphone use resulted in a collision last year with moored barges on the lower Mississippi River, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.

The towing vessel William B Klunk was pushing 22 loaded hopper barges on April 17, 2024, when the tow collided with moored barges at a fleeting area near Baton Rouge. Thirteen barges broke away from the William B Klunk tow and three barges broke away from the fleeting area, resulting in damage to the barges, a fleet crew boat and two mooring dolphins. The collision resulted in one minor injury and estimated damages of $810,000.

The pilot reported using his personal cell phone during the transit. In the almost six minutes leading up to the collision, the pilot did not make any rudder or throttle adjustments as the tow moved toward the fleeting area. The onboard image recorder system footage showed the pilot using his personal cell phone and not monitoring the tow’s position 40 seconds before the collision.

While navigating the tow for about 1.5 hours before the collision, the pilot engaged in non-operational, secondary tasks, including taking an administrative phone call from the company’s safety officer, making a