In November 2025, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released shocking new findings about the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse—a tragedy that killed six highway workers and halted maritime traffic through one of the East Coast’s busiest ports.
According to investigators, the catastrophic collision of the 984-foot container ship M/V DALI was triggered by something almost unimaginably small: a single loose wire.
The newly released NTSB report lays out how this electrical flaw set off a series of failures that left the massive vessel powerless as it veered into the bridge.
What Caused the M/V DALI Blackout?
The heart of the NTSB report is almost too simple: one wire had not been fully attached in its terminal block. Labeling banding wrapped around the wire prevented it from locking into place, eventually causing an electrical breaker to open unexpectedly.
That tiny connection gap triggered two electrical blackouts, a total loss of propulsion, loss of steering control, and a slow, catastrophic drift toward the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
In a vessel nearly 300 meters high, with thousands of electrical components, locating the flaw was a monumental task. NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy compared it to “finding a loose rivet on the Eiffel Tower.”
What Happened Next: Seconds That Changed Baltimore Forever
Once the power failed, the M/V DALI began turning starboard toward Pier 17. Although the pilots and bridge crew acted quickly, a powerless ship that size cannot be steered, especially so close to a fixed structure.
Moments later, the 2.37-mile Key Bridge collapsed. Steel spans plunged into the Patapsco River and onto the ship’s bow and cargo bays. Eight road workers were on the bridge at the time; six were killed.
The NTSB emphasized that rapid action by the M/V DALI’s pilots and Maryland Transportation Authority, who stopped traffic within moments, prevented a much higher death toll.
The Key Bridge Was Not Built for Ships This Large
Beyond the electrical failure, the NTSB highlighted a broader and deeply concerning issue: the bridge’s lack of protective countermeasures.
The Key Bridge opened in 1977—long before today’s mega-container ships existed. For comparison:
- In 1980, the 390-foot Blue Nagoya hit the same bridge with only minor damage.
- The M/V DALI, at 984 feet, is over ten times larger in overall mass.
The NTSB found that Maryland—and many other bridge owners nationwide—had never fully assessed the risks posed by modern cargo vessels, despite decades of engineering guidance urging them to do so.
This gap in infrastructure safety became a critical contributing factor in the collapse.
Wider Implications: Are America’s Bridges at Risk?
In an earlier nationwide review, the NTSB warned that many bridges spanning navigable waterways are potentially vulnerable to large-vessel strikes. The agency sent letters to 30 bridge owners, urging immediate evaluation and risk-mitigation planning. All have responded, but the agency stresses that actual improvements are needed—not just “assessments”.
Following the M/V DALI investigation, the NTSB released a new set of safety recommendations directed to the U.S. Coast Guard, the Federal Highway Administration, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), the M/V DALI’s owner, the electrical component manufacturer WAGO, as well as bridge owners nationwide.
A Preventable Disaster With Lasting Lessons
The NTSB’s finding is unambiguous: the Key Bridge disaster was preventable. A loose wire, an outdated bridge design, and a vessel too large for existing protections combined to create the perfect storm.
The full NTSB investigation report will be released in the coming weeks, but the key takeaway is clear: modern maritime safety demands modern infrastructure, and the consequences of ignoring this are far too great.
We at the Herd Law Firm are proud to fight for seamen, maritime workers and passengers in all types of personal injury and death claims. As maritime personal injury attorneys (and sailors ourselves!) located in northwest Houston, we never waver in our commitment to help these maritime workers, passengers, and their families when they are injured or mistreated.
11/26/2025
