On Saturday, May 8, 2010, at 0918 eastern daylight time, the passenger ferry Andrew J. Barberi allided with the terminal structure at slip No. 5 at the St. George terminal, Staten Island, New York, after a loss of propulsion control. Eighteen crewmembers, 2 New York City police officers, 2 concessionaires, and 244 passengers were on board. As a result of the allision, 3 passengers sustained serious injuries; 47 passengers, crew, and others reported minor injuries. The damage to the vessel and the terminal structure totaled $182,238.

The ​​probable cause of the accident was a solenoid failure, which caused a loss of propulsion control of one of the vessel’s two cycloidal propellers. Contributing to the accident was the propulsion system’s lack of a propeller pitch deviation alarm, which was not required by regulation, but which would have alerted the pilothouse crew to the loss of propulsion control and permitted prompt action.​

​​​As a result of the Andrew J. Barberi investigation, three new recommendations are issued, two existing recommendations are reiterated, and one existing recommendation is reclassified in this report.​