No probable cause was identified in the preliminary report on the September bus rollover crash that killed four passengers and injured the other 27 occupants on a state highway in Utah.
According to the National Transportation Safety Board, 11 of the passengers were ejected and two were partially ejected. All rear seating positions in the 36-passenger bus were equipped with seat belts, but investigators had not yet determined “the extent of belt use.”
The bus was traveling on Utah State Route 12 near Bryce Canyon City on Sept. 20, carrying 30 Chinese tourists on a seven-day excursion. The vehicle, operated by American Shengjia Inc. of Ontario, California, consisted of a Freightliner chassis carrying an Embassy bus body, the NTSB preliminary report stated.
Fifteen passengers suffered serious injuries while the other 11 passengers and the driver received minor injuries.
The 60-year-old driver was familiar with the area, which has a posted speed limit of 65 mph, according to the report:
“For unknown reasons, the bus went off the right side of the roadway. When the driver steered left to return the vehicle to the roadway, the bus began to cross into the westbound lane. The driver then steered sharply back to the right. The bus began to roll left. As it rolled over, the bus’s roof struck the guardrail next to the westbound lane, significantly crushing the roof. The bus rolled one complete revolution before coming to rest on its wheels.
“The Utah Highway Patrol and the National Transportation Safety Board examined the bus and uncovered no defects that could account for the driver’s loss of control. All aspects of the crash remain under investigation as the NTSB determines the probable cause, with the intent of issuing safety recommendations to prevent similar crashes. The NTSB is working in conjunction with the Utah Highway Patrol to compile a complete and accurate account of the crash.”
