Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1269387.015 - Town Of Fryeburg

Inspection Information - Office: Maine Department Of Labor, Bureau Of Labor Standards, Workplace Safety & Health Division

Investigation Summary

At 4:45 p.m. on May 27, 2017, two police officers were training on the Saco River for the upcoming summer river patrol. Training consisted of explaining the duties of river patrol, how to read the river for rocks, trees and other items that could be submerged in the river, how the current moves in the river and where to find the deepest water. On the day of training the river was 6-7 feet above normal and was moving with a swift current. This was the officers first trip of the season on the river. After an on-shore briefing, the officers launched the boat down the river. As they traveled down river they could hear objects striking the boat but nothing concerning throughout the day. While responding to a report of a capsized canoe, the boat hit a tree growing out from the riverbank at an angle out towards the river. The boat hit the tree on the portside of the centerline of the bow. The impact threw on officer from the boat on the starboard side landing in the water. The other officer was ejected from his seat landing inside the boat, was found unresponsive and in a fetal position on the floor of the boat between the front bench and the raised bow platform. The officer sustained severe facial and head injuries and died died from the injuries sustained in the boat accident. The other officer sustained a closed fractured nose, closed head injury with concussion, a cerebral concussion and a laceration to his left knee. The Maine Warden Service accident investigation and accident reconstruction report looked at several factors that may have caused the boat accident by failing to negotiate the right hand sweeping turn in the river. Information gathered from the Evinrude Engine Control Unit (ECU) indicated the motor was running for 1 minute 59 seconds at 81%-82% throttle position and quickly placed into neutral position in 1 second. When the throttle is placed in neutral with a jet type motor the boat loses all steering capability. With the throttle positioned at 81%-82% the velocity equates to 27 and 33 miles per hour or between 39.6 feet per second and 48.4 feet per second. As the boat entered the sweeping right hand turn, the officer had 7 to 9 seconds with the tree in view prior to impact if the boat was on the right side of the river. If the boat followed the deepest part of the river bringing him towards the left side of the river, a tree was found 160.9 feet up river from the crash site that was submerged below the rivers surface with what appeared to be fresh damage. When the Warden Service arrived at the crash site they found the Police boat anchored down river from the crash site, they believe the anchor was deployed upon impact. Also noted were at least two v-shaped sticks wedged between the motor and the transom of the boat which could have affected the steering capability of the boat and could account for no evasive action prior to impact.

Keywords: Boat, Emergency Response