RedactedNarrative: On 11/4/17 at approximately 16:15, operator and his two passengers were returning from tournament fishing and traveling west in the straits near harkers island towards the earl c david memorial bridge.  Operator was operating the vessel and the conditions were clear and calm with little vessel traffic in the area.
  
  As they approached the earl c davis memorial bridge, operator slowed his vessel to approximately 20-25 mph and continued to travel in the channel while approaching the bridge.  His course of travel required slightly steering to the right in order to pass under the bridge in the channel and between the bridge's pylons which are protected by wood beams.  While thus approaching the bridge, operator's vessel's steering became locked.  Using two hands, he attempted to steer to the right but the steering remained locked and the vessel's portside at about midship struck the wood beams protecting the bridge pylon which was in the center of the waterway's channel.
  
  The force of the impact ejected operator out of the vessel.  Passenger1 who was standing behind the vessel's leaning post was thrown inside the boat as was passenger 2, who was standing beside operator.  The vessel began to travel in a small circular pattern just west of the bridge until passenger1 turned the engines off by using the kill switch.  Passenger1 then located operator who was swimming in the water, turned the vessel on, and maneuvered it near to operator who then reboarded the vessel.  Passenger1 stated the engines would turn left but not right when he attempted this maneuver.  Towboat us was contacted, arrived on scene and towed the vessel back to the town creek boat ramp where operator had originally launched.
  
  Operator received a minor abrasion to his chin and did not require medical attention.  His passengers were transported to carteret general hospital.  passenger1 had a broken vertebrae in his back.  Passenger2 had a broken shoulder, a laceration to his forehead, and a tooth knocked out.
  
  Operator stated his vessel had lost power steering while fishing in the ocean a few weeks prior to this incident.  He brought the vessel for repair to mark's marine in greenville, nc, which is where he had purchased his engines.  The issue was traced to a damaged plastic bushing between the electric motor and hydraulic pump in the steering system.  This bushing was replaced with an aluminum bushing.  During operator's next few fishing trips, he did not have any continued steering issues.  On the day of the incident, the steering system worked fine until the moment of the incident.  Operator stated he was steering the vessel using one hand on the steering wheel knob when the steering locked.  
  
  He stated he tried to use two hands but the steering remained locked.  Both passengers stated they remember seeing operator attempting to turn the engine using two hands prior to collision.  Both passengers stated the steering wheel appeared locked as it was not moving despite operator's attempts to steer.  When trying to reboard operator after the collision, passenger1 stated the steering was locked to right hand movement and the resistance to steering was greater than when they lost power steering in the ocean the first time.  He stated he could get the engines to turn slightly left, although only with great effort.
  
  When i examined the vessel at the towboat us facility, i attempted to move the steering wheel.  I could barely make the engines turn left a few inches and could not make them turn right.
  The vessel sustained enough damage as to appear to be totaled.
  It seems this incident was caused by a failure in the steering system.
  
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