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NTSB: Monorail Pilot Tried To Reverse

Report Indicates No Mechanical Failure In Fatal Disney Monorail Crash

POSTED: Wednesday, July 8, 2009

UPDATED: 10:05 pm EDT July 8, 2009

Austin Wuennenberg, 21.

ORLANDO, Fla. -- The National Transportation and Safety Board released its report in the Disney monorail crash that killed a train pilot, and concluded that there was no mechanical failure in the accident.

Click here for the full report.

"To this point in the investigation, no anomalies or malfunctions have been found with the automatic train stop system or with any mechanical components of the switch or with either of the trains," the report said.

The report also revealed that the pilot of the purple train, Austin Wuennenberg, attempted to put his train in reverse before the collision. Wuennenberg, 21, was killed in the accident.

"There are indications that the operator of the Purple train had brought the train to a stop and had attempted to put the train in reverse prior to the collision," the report said.

The report confirmed initial theories about the crash that assumed that the pink train had backed into the purple train.

"At about 2 a.m. on July 5th, a Walt Disney World monorail train, designated the Pink train, backed into another monorail train, designated the Purple train, near the Ticket and Transportation Center (TTC) monorail station. The operator of the Purple train was fatally injured," the report said.

According to the report, the pink train tried to switch tracks, but, for some reason, that did not occur.

Former NTSB managing director Peter Goelz said this will be the first report of many from the NTSB.

"I think there's two parts to the investigation. I think you're likely to see another factual report or two over the next two weeks. Then the NTSB is going to go into analysis. I think they should have a full report out on this kind of event well within a year. I don't think it will be a particularly complex accident to review, but a sad one. But I sense that they know where this investigation is going," Goelz said.

The NTSB does not have the power to regulate or enforce, but they will provide Disney with information and advice on making the monorail safer.

Previous Stories:

July 8, 2009: NTSB: Monorail Pilot Tried To Reverse
July 8, 2009: Disney Pilot Made Dream Come True
July 8, 2009: NTSB Investigates Fatal Monorail Crash
July 7, 2009: Monorail Pilot's Funeral Scheduled
July 6, 2009: Disney Reopens Monorail After Death
July 6, 2009: Theories Swirl Around Fatal Disney Monorail Crash
July 6, 2009: Deadly Disney Crash Investigated

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