Sutphen preliminary evaluation PE13017
Aerial Fire Apparatus Cable Failure. NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened this preliminary evaluation about the latches/locks/linkages on 1 model year (2009). Opened May 22, 2013, closed Nov 19, 2013 after 6 months. It led to safety recall 13V565000. became a recall
What NHTSA says
Source: Office of Defects Investigation, as filedOn May 22, 2012 the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened this Preliminary Evaluation (PE) to investigate an alleged failure of an aerial ladder bucket on a subject vehicle while in operation. The failure occurred during a public relations event at a fire station while four civilians and one firefighter were being elevated in the aerial ladder bucket. Once the ladder was fully extended at a 45 degree angle, the ladder component of the vehicle experienced a sudden and catastrophic failure. This resulted in the ladder retracting rapidly into its bedded position. This sudden stoppage caused multiple injuries to all five of the occupants within the aerial ladder bucket. Sutphen concluded that the main cables were worn. The bearings in the sheaves used in the extend/retract the system had seized and prevented the sheaves from rotating. The cables sliding over the non-moving sheaves resulted in excessive wear and reduced load carrying capacity. Failure of the extend/retract system can result in either the aerial becoming inoperable or cause it to unexpectedly retract. This movement could result in damage to the vehicle and/or injuries to personnel on or around the vehicle. Sutphen is conducting a voluntary Safety Recall (13V-565) to address the safety concerns with the aerial ladder. As part of the remedy, Sutphen will inspect each vehicle for worn parts and will provide detailed instructions for vehicle owners on how to inspect and maintain the aerial ladder portion of the fire apparatus.
A Preliminary Evaluation is the first formal stage: NHTSA has decided the complaints and other information it screened are worth a closer look, and asks the manufacturer for its own data on the condition. The summary is the agency’s own text from its investigation file, unedited; the opening and closing resumes with the full reasoning are on NHTSA’s site under this number.
What this means for an owner
Source: and what happens nextAn investigation is not a finding that a defect exists, and it puts no duty on anyone. NHTSA opens a Preliminary Evaluation when complaints and other reports suggest a condition worth asking the manufacturer about; it upgrades to an Engineering Analysis when the answers warrant testing; it closes either when it recommends a recall, when the manufacturer recalls on its own, or when no defect trend is found. The agency’s own goals are about four months for a petition, eight for a Preliminary Evaluation or a Recall Query and eighteen for an Engineering Analysis; many run longer.
This one became a recall. The campaign page carries the manufacturer’s filed defect, risk and remedy, the build window and every model year covered; whether one specific vehicle is included is settled by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Model years it names
Source: as NHTSA filed themAlso named: 2009 Sutphen SPH 100.
A vehicle page’s investigation list carries the same action; a name here is the scope NHTSA opened, not a list of affected VINs.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects InvestigationIs PE13017 a recall?
No — it is the investigation that led to one. Recall 13V565000 is the campaign; its page carries the remedy.
Is PE13017 still open?
No. It closed on Nov 19, 2013 and led to recall 13V565000.
Which vehicles does PE13017 cover?
NHTSA opened it on 1 model year: 2009 Sutphen SPH 100. That is the scope of the inquiry, not a list of affected vehicles; a recall, if one follows, defines its own population by VIN.