NTSB/USCG Report on Cosco Busan – Analysis of the Analysis john.denham Total Views: 224 May 8, 2009 Analysis of the Analysis By John G. Denham Recently three ponderous documents have been published  that may eventually affect pilotage, ship management and hopefully bridge resources management (BRM): USCG report on the allision involving the COSCO BUSAN; NTSB report on the same and the public submission by John Meadows and K&L lawyers representing pilot John Cota. In examining the reports I arrived at the conclusion that the author(s) are mostly legal people, and therefore compose legally but not nautically. In my up-bringing, I was exposed to a knowledgeable senior officer named that assigned me to review a collision report. “Normally,” he said, “I seek an officer with some personal experience in these thing, but they don’t seem to be around much, therefore as you seem to be somewhat involved. Look this over. Pick out the B.S.” He felt the best experts on accidents were those with actual experience. In three earlier published articles the conduct of bridge team management was presented, the procedures for handling pilots was discussed and the role of persons in command was explained. I have experienced all that and at times did not do too well. Since I have learned a lot from others’. The NTSB and the USCG have compiled more data than an entire class at any law school could digest in a year; most is relevant, but in the attempt to present all the facts it’s thicker than the fog on 7 November 2007. And by the way, “49 USC section 1154(b) precludes the admission into evidence or use of Board reports related to an incident or accident in a civil action for damages resulting from a matter mentioned in the report .” I am impressed with the volume, but wonder how many trees were dropped to promulgate the pages of analysis, conclusions and findings which took almost  two years and may not be admissible. Having perused (I actually read all three), I noted what