Thresher loss

[Brian Rees <brees@lanl.gov>]

The nuke Navy DID and DOES take the operation of its nuclear plants
seriously.  The loss of Thresher (SSN 593) was due to a non-nuclear
seawater component failure that resulted in flooding that caused a scram.
Without power to drive to the surface, and compounded by the failure of
other non-nuke components, this resulted in the loss of the boat and the
lives of the men aboard.  

Up to this point in time, the "nukes" were thought to be crazy for
insisting on extensive training of their people and almost religious
adherence to quality control.  The loss of Thresher brought about a real
appreciation for quality control and quality assurance.  Because of this
commitment to QA/QC (and its people's training) the nuclear power plants of
the US Navy have achieved an unparalleled safety record.  

 
Brian Rees
Former crew member of USS Permit (SSN 594 - Thresher's sister ship)


At 07:36 AM 11/10/99 -0600, you wrote:
>
>
>"Lavera, Ron" wrote:
>
>>
>>
>>                 The one success story in this business, the Nuclear Navy,
>> got that way by convincing the
>>                 public that they take every photon and every mrem seriously,
>> and that they have zero
>>                 tolerance for error.
>> ************************************************************************
>> The RADSAFE Frequently Asked Questions list, archives and subscription
>> information can be accessed at http://www.ehs.uiuc.edu/~rad/radsafe.html
>
>Is that why the U.S.S. Thresher (SSN-593) is sitting on the bottom of the
>ocean.........
>
>Date of Loss: 10 April, 1963
>
>Returned to Service: No
>
>Sank off New England coast while on sea trials following an overhaul. The
exact
>cause is unknown. A Navy board of
>inquiry determined that the "most likely cause" was a failure in either a
pipe,
>a pipe valve, or a hull weld, causing flooding
>somewhere near the engine room.
>
>The flooding probably short-circuited an electrical system related to the main
>engine, causing the reactor to "scram" or shut
>down. Without power, the Thresher was unable to surface, and the continued
>flooding caused Thresher to drop below her
>crush depth where the pressure of the ocean destroyed her.
>
>129 men lost, no survivors.
>(9 officers, 85 crew, 18 Navy technicians, and 17 civilian contract 
>technicians)
>
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>information can be accessed at http://www.ehs.uiuc.edu/~rad/radsafe.html

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information can be accessed at http://www.ehs.uiuc.edu/~rad/radsafe.html