View source for USS Hartford and USS New Orleans collision

{{short description|Accident at sea}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{infobox
|above = USS ''Hartford'' and USS ''New Orleans'' collision
|abovestyle = background-color: #cc9999
|image1 = [[File:USS Hartford damaged.jpg|180px]]
|caption1 = USS ''Hartford'' in Bahrain a day after the collision
|headerstyle = background-color: #cc9999
|label2 = Date:
|data2 = 20 March 2009
|label3 = Place:
|data3 = [[Strait of Hormuz]], between [[Iran]]<br/>and the [[United Arab Emirates]]
|label4 = Cause:
|data4 = [[Ship collision]]
|label5 = Result:
|data5 = Both vessels damaged,<br/>25,000 gallons marine diesel spilled,<br/>15 ''Hartford'' crewmembers injured
}}
{{Wikinews|Two US Navy vessels collide in the Strait of Hormuz; 15 lightly injured}}

The '''USS ''Hartford'' and USS ''New Orleans'' collision''' was a [[ship collision|collision]] between the [[United States Navy]] {{sclass|Los Angeles|submarine}} {{USS|Hartford|SSN-768|6}} and the United States Navy {{sclass|San Antonio|amphibious transport dock}} {{USS|New Orleans|LPD-18|6}} on 20 March 2009. It occurred in the [[Strait of Hormuz]], between [[Iran]], the [[United Arab Emirates]], and [[Musandam Governorate|Musandam]], an [[exclave]] of [[Oman]].<ref name="USN">{{cite web|url=http://www.cusnc.navy.mil/articles/2009/046.html |title=Two U.S. Navy Vessels Collide in the Strait of Hormuz |last=Commander |first=US Fifth Fleet |date=20 March 2009 |access-date=20 March 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090323112325/http://www.cusnc.navy.mil/articles/2009/046.html |archive-date=23 March 2009 }}</ref> Both ships incurred millions of dollars' worth of damage in the collision which required repair in drydock.

A U.S. Navy investigation into the collision found that ''Hartford'' was solely to blame for the accident. According to the Navy, the accident was caused by poor, lax leadership on the submarine and a failure to adequately prepare for and conduct the crossing of the Hormuz Strait by the crew. As a result, the captain and several other officers and sailors were removed or disciplined.

==Collision==
The collision occurred about 1:00 am local time (5:00 pm [[Eastern Time Zone|EST]], 19 March 2009) as ''Hartford'' and ''New Orleans'' transited the Strait of Hormuz. The collision inflicted minor injuries on 15&nbsp;sailors on ''Hartford'' and ruptured a fuel tank on ''New Orleans,'' spilling {{convert|25000|USgal|L|abbr=on}} of diesel fuel. Both vessels continued on under their own power.<ref name="USN"/> ''Hartford'' was submerged and at [[periscope depth]] at the time of the collision.<ref name="Courant">{{cite news|url=http://www.courant.com/news/nationworld/hc-web_hartford_submarine_collisionmar21,0,1514729.story |title=USS Hartford Damaged in Early-morning Collision |last=Mahony |first=Edmund |date=20 March 2009 |work=[[The Hartford Courant]] |access-date=20 March 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090322160534/http://www.courant.com/news/nationworld/hc-web_hartford_submarine_collisionmar21,0,1514729.story |archive-date=22 March 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Slackman|first=Michael|url= https://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/21/world/middleeast/21hormuz.html?partner=rss&emc=rss|title=2 Navy Vessels Collide in Strait of Hormuz|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=21 March 2009|page=6}}</ref> The vessel was southbound en route to [[Jebel Ali]], while ''New Orleans'' was westbound to enter the Persian Gulf as part of the {{USS|Boxer|LHD-4|2}} Amphibious Ready Group.<ref name="militarytimes.com">{{cite web|last=Scutro |first=Andrew |url=http://www.militarytimes.com/news/2009/11/navy_hartford_111509w/ |title=Report: Lax leadership led to Hormuz collision |work=[[Military Times]] |date=15 November 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140809071918/http://www.militarytimes.com/news/2009/11/navy_hartford_111509w/ |archive-date=9 August 2014 }}</ref>

''Hartford'' is believed to have rolled about 85[[Degree (angle)|°]] during the collision and sustained extensive damage to its [[Sail (submarine)|sail]], [[periscope]] and [[Port (nautical)|port]] [[diving plane|bow plane]], totalling over $100 million.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.navytimes.com/news/2009/03/navy_hartford_roll_032709w/| archive-url=https://archive.today/20120906094818/http://www.navytimes.com/news/2009/03/navy_hartford_roll_032709w/| url-status=dead| archive-date=6 September 2012|title=Sub rolled 85 degrees after collision|work=[[Navy Times]]|date=27 March 2009}}</ref> There was no damage to the [[Nuclear reactor technology|nuclear reactor]].<ref name="USN"/> An inspection of ''New Orleans'' in [[Manama, Bahrain]] by Navy divers found a {{convert|16|by|18|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} hole in the ship's hull, a ruptured fuel tank, and interior damage to two [[ballast tank]]s.<ref>{{cite news|work=[[San Diego Union-Tribune]]|url=http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/mar/28/1n28world00255-world/?uniontrib|title=Navy Details Damage To S.D.-Based Craft|date=28 March 2009|access-date=1 April 2009|archive-date=5 April 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090405131401/http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/mar/28/1n28world00255-world/?uniontrib|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Aftermath==
The Navy announced 14 April 2009 that ''Hartford''{{'}}s skipper, Commander Ryan Brookhart, was relieved of duty by Rear Admiral [[Michael J. Connor]] because of a loss of confidence in Brookhart's ability to command. The [[Chief of the Boat]], Master Chief Electronics Technician Stefan Prevot, was also relieved. Brookhart was replaced by Commander Chris Harkins, deputy commander of [[SUBRON|Submarine Squadron]] Eight.<ref>{{cite news |last=Clayton |first=Cindy |title=Commander of Sub That Collided With Ship Is Relieved of Duty |newspaper=[[Norfolk Virginian-Pilot]] |date=15 April 2009}}</ref><ref name="Scutro">{{cite web|last=Scutro |first=Andrew |url=http://militarytimes.com/news/2009/10/navy_hartford_lessons_102809w/ |title=Admiral: Complacency caused sub collision |work=[[Military Times]] |date=28 October 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120321044622/http://militarytimes.com/news/2009/10/navy_hartford_lessons_102809w/ |archive-date=21 March 2012 }}</ref> In addition, the navigator, executive officer, weapons officer and 10 other sailors were subjected to [[Nonjudicial punishment|non-judicial punishment]]. Furthermore, administrative action was taken against three direct support element members assigned to [[Naval Information Operations Command]] in Georgia plus a fleet intelligence specialist based near Washington, D.C.<ref name="militarytimes.com"/>

On 19 April, ''Hartford'' began a surface transit back to the U.S. for further repair, arriving two months later.<ref>{{cite web |last=Scutro |first=Andrew |url=http://www.militarytimes.com/news/2009/04/navy_hormuz_repairs_042609w/ |title=Damaged sub crossing ocean, amphib in dry dock |work=[[Military Times]] |date=28 April 2009 |access-date=30 April 2009 |archive-date=1 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111001011710/http://www.militarytimes.com/news/2009/04/navy_hormuz_repairs_042609w/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> After reaching [[home port]], the U.S. Navy made three repair contracts with [[General Dynamics Electric Boat]] for a total of $102.6&nbsp;million. The repairs included the installation of a hull patch and a bridge access trunk, along with a portside retractable bow plane and sail. The final cost was $120 million when ''Hartford'' returned to duty in February, 2011.<ref>{{cite news|first=Jennifer|last=McDermott|title=Electric Boat gets USS Hartford back to sea|url=http://www.theday.com/article/20110717/NWS09/307179942/1018|newspaper= [[The Day (New London)|The Day]]|date=17 July 2011|access-date=28 August 2011}}</ref>

''New Orleans'' was repaired in Bahrain for $2.3 million and returned to duty.<ref>{{cite web|work=[[Military Times]] |url=http://militarytimes.com/news/2009/08/navy_hartford_repair_080609w/ |title=Hartford repair bill reaches $102.6 million |date=6 August 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727003601/http://militarytimes.com/news/2009/08/navy_hartford_repair_080609w/ |archive-date=27 July 2011 }}</ref>

==Investigation findings==
On 28 October 2009 Vice Admiral [[John J. Donnelly]], Commander, Naval Submarine Force, explained that the primary cause of the collision was complacency and poor management on the part of ''Hartford''{{'}}s crew. According to Donnelly, "There was a great deal of complacency involved in the crew. They had been at sea for 63&nbsp;days operating in areas with high contact density. There were a whole host of watchstanders that failed to recognize the sensor data that was presented to them."<ref name="Scutro"/>

The [[Judge Advocate General of the Navy]] investigation into the collision stated that the collision was solely the fault of ''Hartford''. The report found numerous safety, operational, personnel, and command problems in the submarine. The problems included the captain's failure to communicate a plan for crossing the strait, poor contact management, a lax command attitude, and a failure to correct watchstanders who were known to sleep on duty. At the time of the collision, the navigator was listening to an [[iPod]] in the wardroom. Furthermore, the captain was never present in the control room at any time during the crossing of the strait.<ref name="militarytimes.com"/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category-inline|USS Hartford and USS New Orleans collision}}
 
{{2009 shipwrecks}}
{{DISPLAYTITLE:USS ''Hartford'' and USS ''New Orleans'' collision}}

[[Category:United States submarine accidents|Hartford]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 2009|Hartford]]
[[Category:Ships sunk in collisions|Hartford]]
[[Category:Strait of Hormuz]]
[[Category:2009 in military history]]
[[Category:United States Navy in the 21st century]]
[[Category:March 2009 events in Asia]]
[[Category:International maritime incidents]]