National Marine Sanctuaries |
Channel Islands National Marine SanctuaryShipwreck
Database
|
|
|
Vessel
|
Jacob Luckenbach |
 
|
|
|
Name
(former)
|
Sea Robin |
Official
Number
|
246389 |
|
Propulsion
|
Turbine |
Nationality
|
US |
|
Masts
|
2 |
Age
|
9 |
|
Decks
|
3 |
Value
|
|
|
Type
|
Cargo / Passenger Freighter |
Call
Sign
|
KRSE |
|
Use
|
Commercial |
Home
Port
|
NY, NY |
|
Tonnage
(gross)
|
7869 |
Built
When
|
1944 |
|
Tonnage
(net)
|
4615 |
Built
Where
|
MS, Pascagoula |
|
Tonnage
|
Built
by
|
Ingalls Shipbuilding Corp | |
|
Displacement
|
Hull
Material
|
Steel | |
|
Length
(ft)
|
468.5 |
Cargo
|
Miscellaneous automotive and tank |
|
Beam
|
69.6 |
Owner
|
Luckenbach Steamship Co, Inc. |
|
Depth
of Hold
|
29.5 | ||
|
|
|||
|
Latitude
|
37°40N
|
Longitude
|
122°47W
|
|
WHERE
|
San
Francisco, from Point Bonito 15.25 miles 219°magnetic
heading
|
STATE
|
CA
|
|
YEAR
|
1953
|
LAST
PORT
|
CA,
San Francisco
|
|
MONTH
|
07
|
DESTINATION
|
Japan,
Korea
|
|
DAY
|
14
|
People
on Board
|
36
|
|
TIME
|
0440
|
FATALITIES
|
0
|
|
CAUSE
|
Collision
|
| NATURE OF CASUALTY | |
|
Collided with the Hawaiian Pilot [sister ship] in foggy conditions and sank within 30 minutes. 0440 July
14th 1953 In this case, both vessels, operating under fog and low visibility conditions, saw each other on their radarscopes while they were miles apart. Both vessels had ample opportunity to plot a series of two or more bearings and ranges to determine the course and speed of the other. Neither vessel did this. Had the Master of the Hawaiian Pilot taken this precaution, he would have known that the object he mistakenly assumed to be the San Francisco Lightship on the radarscope was, in reality, the Jacob Luckenbach; and, collision, no doubt, would have been avoided. |
As it was, he thought the Jacob Luckenbach was the San Francisco Lightship and he ordered course changes which actually resulted in the collision of the two vessels. The failure of the Masters of both vessels to develop a radar plot of each other is considered negligence. Had the Master of the Hawaiian Pilot taken a simple note of the time and the rate of change of ranger, he should have known that the pip he was observing could not be the anchored lightship. U.S. Coast Guard |
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