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NTSB Releases School Bus Crash Preliminary Report

Posted at 3:10 PM, Jan 17, 2017
and last updated 2017-01-17 16:13:56-05

The National Transportation Safety Board released its preliminary report and findings on the school bus crash in Chattanooga that killed six children.

The crash happened on Nov. 21 around 3:20 p.m. on Talley Road in Chattanooga.

According the the report, the bus left the roadway, collided with a utility pole, overturned, and then came to rest when it collided with a tree.

As a result of the crash, six student passengers died and 31 were injured. The bus driver received minor injuries. 

When the bus flipped and hit the tree, the impact caused its roof to collapse.

The posted speed limit for Talley Road is 30 mph. and prior to that stretch of road is a curve with a limit of 25 mph. The first curve has an advisory speed of 25 mph, and the second curve is preceded by a 30-mph speed limit sign. The driver lost control of the bus and departed the roadway to the left as he passed the second curve.

Officials found that the driver had deviated from his normal bus route.

NTSB investigators continued to collect and analyze data from the recording devices on the bus.

The driver's preliminary toxicology test results were negative for alcohol and illicit drugs. Since August 2016, the beginning of the current school year, the driver had had one reportable and one non-reportable crash - both while operating school buses.