'Microsleep' blamed for 2022 ferry crash at West Seattle dock

"Microsleep" is the reason a Washington state ferry crashed into a West Seattle dock in 2022.

That's the conclusion of a National Transportation Safety Board investigation that came after the MV Cathlamet crashed into the Fauntleroy dock's dolphins (pilings) shortly before 8 a.m. on July 22, 2022. The ferry serves the Fauntleroy/Vashon Island/Southworth route.

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The NTSB notes that the master of the ferry didn't take any action to correct the speed or course of the ferry as it approached the terminal. He also didn't recall what exactly happened before the crash. According to a statement: "Investigators found these events were all consistent with incapacitation from a microsleep, a brief period of sleep lasting a few seconds, due to fatigue."

The NTSB said that "fatigue and complacency" were core factors behind the crash.

“Fatigue affects all aspects of human performance, including decision-making, alertness, and reaction time,” the NTSB's report on the crash states. “Mariners should understand the performance effects of sleep loss and recognize the dangers of fatigue, such as microsleeps. When affected by fatigue, mariners should arrange for a qualified watchstander to serve in their place and avoid being on duty when unable to safely carry out their responsibilities.”

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The agency adds that complacency among the ferry crew led to lax safeguards. The quartermaster did not keep an eye on the master as the ferry approached Fauntleroy. If they had, the quartermaster could have likely stepped in.

A little over a month after the ferry crash, the captain of the Cathlamet resigned.