The National Transportation Safety Board, also known as the NTSB, released their investigation into the 2021 Andrews bus crash that occurred in Big Spring along eastbound I-20 near mile marker 179.
On Nov. 19, 2021, three Andrews ISD Charter buses carrying band students were traveling on eastbound I- 20 to Sweetwater for an Andrews playoff football game.
At approximately 4:02 PM, a Ford F-350 service truck traveling in the wrong direction on eastbound I-20 for unknown reasons, collided with the first Andrews bus causing extensive damage. This resulted in a secondary crash with the second Andrews bus causing minimal damage. The F-350 quickly caught fire upon impact from the second Andrews bus.
The crash resulted in 3 deaths: the driver of the F-350 identified as Nathan Paul Haile, 59, of Midland; the driver of the bus, Marc Elbert Boswell, 69, of Andrews; and a bus passenger, Darin Kimbrogh Johns, 53, of Andrews, TX. Johns was the Andrews High School band director. According to the NTSB, 50 passengers sustained minor-to-serious injuries.
The probable cause of the crash was that Haile was traveling the wrong way along I-20 for unknown reasons. The NTSB investigation revealed that Haile was familiar with the Big Spring area as he had worked in the area several times. He had been traveling east on the frontage road and made stops at Don’s Tire Service, Eagle’s Den Suites, and Hull’s Meat Market. He then traveled south on Birdwell Ln to 3rd street where he made a wrong turn into the one-way road. He then entered the off ramp at the 179 exit traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes of I-20. According to the NTSB, he passed 7 wrong-way signs between 3rd street and his collision with the buses.
The investigation also later found that Haile had not been on the phone, was not under the influence of illicit substances or alcohol , he had no medical issues that would have been a factor in the crash, and had obtained sufficient sleep the night before.
As a result of the November 19, 2021, wrong-way crash, TxDOT reviewed crashes in the vicinity of 3rd and 4th Streets in Big Spring since 2012, and found that 10 were attributable to wrong-way drivers. These crashes led the TxDOT Abilene District to undertake an initiative to evaluate and improve traffic operations and signage at all ramp connections and at-grade crossovers on four-lane divided highways.
In addition to the required signage, all ramps will have a wrong-way arrow installed that includes raised, retroreflective pavement markers displaying a reflected red light to wrong-way drivers. This is expected to be completed by the end of 2023.
Read the full report here: https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/HIR2306.pdf
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