NTSB To Present Metro-North Valhalla Crash Findings Tuesday

VALHALLA, NY — The National Transportation Safety Board will meet Tuesday, July 25 to determine the probable cause of a Feb. 3, 2015, accident involving an SUV at an at-grade crossing and a Metro-North commuter train. The accident fatally injured five train passengers and the driver of the SUV.

The board will also consider an NTSB safety study on reducing speed-related crashes by examining proven and emerging countermeasures.

Both sessions will be held Tuesday, July 25, with the Valhalla crash investigation report at 9:30 a.m. and the speed-related study beginning at 1:30 p.m. [Get Patch’s Daily Newsletter and Real Time News Alerts here.]

Besides the six deaths, 13 people were injured when, around 6:30 p.m. Feb. 3, the packed northbound commuter train smashed into a 2011 Mercedes Benz ML350 SUV that had driven into its path.

The train pushed the SUV about 500 feet down the track, as a broken segment of the third rail slice through the first train car, which burst into flames.

In December 2015, the NTSB released a 1,100-document docket detailing the fatal crash.

An estimated 386 feet of third rail was damaged. The train was occupied by two crew members and about 650 passengers at the time of the accident.

Photo credit: NTSB.