Just before midnight on March 20, 2016, the bulk carrier Sparna was transiting outbound on the Columbia River when it departed the navigation channel and struck a rocky shallow area. The pilot ordered starboard 20 degrees. The helmsman acknowledged with “starboard twenty.” However, the rudder, which was still moving from the previous hard-to-port position toward midship, then began moving back to port, ultimately reaching port 20 degrees. Next, at 2335, the pilot requested slow-ahead speed. Immediately thereafter, the helmsman replied, “Rudder starboard twenty, sir.” However, the rudder was still at port 20 degrees. Neither the pilot nor the bridge team noticed the helmsman’s error. Seconds later, the pilot shouted, “Hard to starboard! Hard to starboard!” and ordered full-ahead speed. The helmsman replied, “Rudder coming hard to starboard now, sir.” At 2337, the Sparna VDR recorded a series of bangs, vibration noise, and the water speed decreasing from 8.5 knots to 3.5 knots as the vessel struck a charted shallow rock area just off the wood chip dock.
1 | Accident snapshot
| Local time | 23 : 37 (PDT) |
| Manoeuvre | Starboard turn to follow the Wauna Channel outbound |
| Orders | Pilot: “Mid-ships … Starboard 20.” Helmsman acknowledged but applied port 20° |
| Result | Vessel exited channel, touched a rocky shoal; two forward tanks flooded; repairs ≈ USD 560 k |
2 | HOM cue that addresses the error
| On-screen cue (advisory) | Trigger* | What the bridge team hears / sees |
|---|---|---|
| WRONG HELM banner + a short audible signal | Rudder starts moving opposite to the spoken order | Instant prompt to correct the wheel and align with the pilot’s command |
Cue never locks controls or demands an acknowledgement.
3 | Alternate timeline with HOM active
| Time | Real event | HOM cue | Likely bridge response |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23:35:40 | Pilot orders “Starboard 20” | — | — |
| 23:35:42 | Wheel begins to port 20° (error) | WRONG HELM banner + brief sound | Pilot & master notice immediately; order wheel hard-starboard |
| 23:35:55 | Rudder now swinging correctly to starboard | Banner disappears automatically | Ship remains centred in channel |
| 23:37 | (Grounding in reality) | — | No grounding; no hull damage |
4 | Safety margin gained
- Error highlighted in < 3 s, while the vessel was still ~0.5 NM from the shoal.
- Prompt correction keeps the track inside buoyed limits; avoids contact.
- No repair costs, cargo delay, or tug assistance.
Take-home message
A brief wheel-direction mistake took Sparna out of the channel. Helm Order Monitor’s WRONG HELM banner, reinforced by a short sound signal, would have surfaced that mistake instantly—giving the bridge team the timely cue needed to correct the helm and stay safe.
