ON JULY 31, 2010, two operators RENTED PWCS FROM THE MCAS AT NEW RIVER MARINA.  THEY WERE OPERATING THESE PWCS ON THE SOUTH WEST CREEK IN FRONT OF THE MARINA.  THEY WERE RUNNING STRAIGHT, OPERATOR1 NOT FAR IN FRONT OF OPERATOR2.  WHILE DOING SO, OPERATOR1 WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 10-15 MPH WHEN HE MADE A HARD TURN TO THE PORT SIDE.  THIS 180 DEGREE TURN WAS ABRUPT.  NOW THE TWO PWCS WERE HEADING DIRECTLY TOWARDS EACH OTHER.  BOTH OPERATORS TURNED IN THE SAME DIRECTION TRYING TO AVOID ONE ANOTHER.  OPERATOR1 THEN TURNED HARD TO PORT.  IN DOING SO, HE STRUCK THE STARBOARD SIDE OF OPERATOR2' PWC.  THE IMPACT WAS JUST BELOW THE WATER LINE ON THE STARBOARD SIDE OF OPERATOR2' PWC.  THE PWC THAT OPERATOR1 WAS OPERATING SUSTAINED A LARGE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE.  THE ENGINE CAME LOOSE INSIDE THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND IT WAS TAKING ON WATER AFTER THE ACCIDENT.  THERE WAS A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF FIBERGLASS DAMAGE TO THE BOW OF THE PWC AS WELL.  THE PWC THAT OPERATOR2 WAS OPERATING HAS A LARGE CRACK IN THE FIBERGLASS JUST BELOW THE WATERLINE ON THE STARBOARD SIDE.  THIS CRACK GOES THROUGH THE HULL.

Operator1 STATED THAT THEY WERE BOTH INEXPDERIENCED IN OPERATING A PWC.  HE ALSO STATED THAT THEY BOTH WERE PROBABLY CARELESS AND RECKLESS AND WERE OPERATING TOO CLOSE TOGETHER.  Operator2 STATED THAT THEY WERE OPERATING IN A CARELESS AND RECKLESS MANNER.

THERE WAS NEITHER ALCOHOL NOR DRUGS INVOLVED IN THIS ACCIDENT.  Operator1 WAS CITED REGARDING THIS ACCIDENT.  HE WAS CHARGED WITH OPERATING A PWC AT GREATER THAN NO WAKE SPEED WITHIN 100 FEET OF ANOTHER PWC, NCGS 75A 13.3 (A1).  THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR FATALITIES.

JACKSONVILLE                  