WIND TURBINE ACCIDENT COMPILATION ©2006 Caithness
WIND TURBINE ACCIDENT COMPILATION
Last updated at 01/01/2006 Compiled by David Craig
Accident type Date Site/area State/Country Turbine type Details Info source Web Alternate web reference/link reference/link 1 Fatal 1975 Choteau MT, USA 2kw Tim McCartney, Wind Energy -- http://www.wind- atop tower The Breath of works.org/article removing small Life or the Kiss of s/BreathLife.html turbine. Death: Contemporary Wind Mortality Rates, by Paul Gipe 2 Fatal 1981 Boulevard California, USA 40kw Terry Mehrkam, Wind Energy -- http://www.wind- atop nacelle, The Breath of works.org/article run-away rotor, Life or the Kiss of s/BreathLife.html no lanyard. Death: Contemporary Wind Mortality Rates, by Paul Gipe 3 Fatal 1982 Bushland Texas, USA 40kw Pat Acker, 28, Wind Energy -- http://www.wind- rebar cage for The Breath of works.org/article foundation came Life or the Kiss of s/BreathLife.html in contact with Death: overhead power Contemporary lines Wind Mortality Rates, by Paul Gipe 4 Fatal 1982 Denmark 50kw Jens Erik Wind Energy -- http://www.wind- Madsen, during The Breath of works.org/article servicing of Life or the Kiss of s/BreathLife.html controller Death:
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum Contemporary Wind Mortality Rates, by Paul Gipe 5 Fatal 1983 Palm Springs California, USA 500kw Eric Wright on Wind Energy -- http://www.wind- experimental The Breath of works.org/article VAWT - came Life or the Kiss of s/BreathLife.html down with man Death: basket Contemporary Wind Mortality Rates, by Paul Gipe 6 Fatal 1984 Altamont Pass California, USA 65kw J.A. Doucette, Wind Energy -- http://www.wind- unloading towers The Breath of works.org/article from a truck, Life or the Kiss of s/BreathLife.html towers rolled off Death: truck Contemporary Wind Mortality Rates, by Paul Gipe 7 Fatal 1984 Palm Springs California, USA 80kw Art Gomez, Wind Energy -- http://www.wind- servicing The Breath of works.org/article Dynergy crane Life or the Kiss of s/BreathLife.html Death: Contemporary Wind Mortality Rates, by Paul Gipe 8 Fatal 1984 Indiana Indiana, USA Jacobs 10kw Ugene Stallhut, Wind Energy -- http://www.wind- ground crew, The Breath of works.org/article driving tractor as Life or the Kiss of s/BreathLife.html tow vehicle, Death: tractor flipped Contemporary over crushing Wind Mortality him Rates, by Paul
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum Gipe 9 Fatal 1989 Palm Springs California, USA 65kw John Donnelly, Wind Energy -- http://www.wind- atop nacelle, The Breath of works.org/article servicing Life or the Kiss of s/BreathLife.html Nordtank Death: nacelle, no Contemporary brake, lanyard Wind Mortality caught on main Rates, by Paul shaft protrusion Gipe 10 Fatal 1990 Holland 100kw Dick Hozeman, Wind Energy -- http://www.wind- atop nacelle, The Breath of works.org/article entered Polenko Life or the Kiss of s/BreathLife.html nacelle in storm, Death: no brake, caught Contemporary on spinning shaft Wind Mortality Rates, by Paul Gipe 11 Fatal (2 deaths) 1990 Denmark 400kw Leif Thomsen, & Wind Energy -- http://www.wind- Kaj Vadstrup, The Breath of works.org/article both killed Life or the Kiss of s/BreathLife.html servicing rotor, Death: no locking pin Contemporary on rotor, brake Wind Mortality released Rates, by Paul accidentally, Gipe rotor began moving catching man basket & knocking it to the ground, third man clung to tower until rescued 12 Fatal 1991 Tehachapi California, USA 90kw Thomas Swan, Wind Energy -- http://www.wind- crane operator, The Breath of works.org/article
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum travelling, Life or the Kiss of s/BreathLife.html locking pin Death: failed, boom Contemporary swung downhill Wind Mortality into 66 kV power Rates, by Paul line Gipe
13 Fatal 1992 Palm Springs California, USA 65kw Richard Wind Energy -- http://www.wind- Zawlocki, The Breath of works.org/article descending Life or the Kiss of s/BreathLife.html tower without Death: lanyard, without Contemporary fall restraint Wind Mortality system in place, Rates, by Paul lanyard found Gipe holding nacelle cover open, found at base of tower 14 Blade failure 1992 Delabole Cornwall, UK Vestas 400kw Blades damaged “Accidents”, D http://www.brad by lightning two Krämer, BLS, worthy.com/user weeks after Dec. 2000. /nonIEbrowser/2 opening 00103/local wind farm.html 15 Environmental 1992 FloWind site, United States Darrieus turbines Accelerated, "Erosion Gullies http://www.wind- Tehachapi Pass, human-induced in the Tehachapi works.org/article California erosion caused Pass: An s/TehErosion.htm by rain runoff Example of l from service Improper Wind roads and wind Development" - turbine pads in article by Paul the Tehachapi Gipe with Pass, CA. The photos. site is now Originally written
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum owned by Florida in 1996, the Power & Light article has and the recently (2005) eggbeater or been brought up Darrieus turbines to date, saying have since been that essentially removed and nothing has several erosion changed since control practices then instituted. While these practices have reduced erosion in the gullies shown, new gullies have formed elsewhere along the ridge, hence erosion continues. 16 Fatal 1993 Illinois Illinois, USA 2kw Robert Skarski, Wind Energy -- http://www.wind- erecting small The Breath of works.org/article wind turbine, Life or the Kiss of s/BreathLife.html tower collapsed Death: with Skarski Contemporary strapped to it Wind Mortality Rates, by Paul Gipe 17 Blade failure 09/12/1993 Mynydd-y- Powys, Wales WEG 300kw Several turbines Windpower Cemmaes severely Monthly January damaged during 1994. a storm, including a large blade part which was thrown over 400m. An
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum independent witness estimated the blade piece to weigh 1 tonne and travel almost 500m. 18 Structural failure 15/12/1993 Cold Northcott Cornwall, UK WEG MS-3 Complete blade Windpower 300kw and rotor broke Monthly January away from tower 1994. during December 1993 only one month after opening. Date simply used as mid-point for the month 19 Fatal - ice 1994 Minnesota MN, USA 300kw Mark (Eddie) Wind Energy -- http://www.wind- Ketterling, inside The Breath of works.org/article Kennetech base Life or the Kiss of s/BreathLife.html tower section, Death: winter, large Contemporary chunk of ice fell, Wind Mortality cutting him in Rates, by Paul half Gipe Also Windpower Monthly April 1994 20 Miscellaneous 01/06/1994 Bonus 300kw "Birds nest Windpower caused major Monthly June failure". Date is 1994 of magazine publication 21 Lightning - blade Not known. Kirkby Moor, UK Vestas 400kW One of the MAIWEG web http://www.windf failure 1994 or after Cumbria turbines on Kirby site with photos arm.fsnet.co.uk/ Moor failed in gallery.htm
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum spectacular fashion following a lightning strike, the blades disintegrated hurling debris across the moor. Tattered remains of the glassfibre coating are all that remained on the blade tips. The nose cone was also blown off by the lightning strike. Commisioned in 1994, the accident must have happened sometime later 22 Blade failure 18/07/1995 Rüdersdorf Branderburg, 11m long piece Newspaper Germany of rotor blade “Märkische landed adjacent Oder”, to children’s 18/7/1995. Also nursery. Date is “Accidents”, D of newspaper Krämer, BLS, Dec. 2000 23 Blade failure 15/11/1995 Tarifa Spain Kenetech 90 kw Two separate Windpower S-33 occurrences of Monthly, blades broken December 1995. off during November 1995. Date simply used as mid-point for the
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum month 24 Blade failure 01/12/1995 Greece 34 Windmaster Cracks found in Windpower 300kw blades. Date is Monthly of magazine December 1995 publication 25 Fatal 1996 China China, cleaning Wind Energy -- http://www.wind- (unconfirmed) blades, The Breath of works.org/article unconfirmed Life or the Kiss of s/BreathLife.html Death: Contemporary Wind Mortality Rates, by Paul Gipe 26 Fatal 1996 USA US, boat Wind Energy -- http://www.wind- (unconfirmed) operator The Breath of works.org/article decapitated by Life or the Kiss of s/BreathLife.html small machine, Death: unconfirmed Contemporary Wind Mortality Rates, by Paul Gipe 27 Ice throw 1996 Bensersiel East Friesland/ AN Bonus Thrown ice - “Accidents”, D Niedersachsen, Case before Krämer, BLS, Germany Crown Court in Dec. 2000 Oldenburg. Public injury 28 Ice throw 1996 Borgholzhausen Sauerland, 30cm ice lumps “Accidents”, D Germany landing on Krämer, BLS, footpath, and Dec. 2000 damage to trees. 29 Blade failure 22/02/1996 East Friesland Niedersachsen, Parts of rotor East Friesland Germany blade reported daily newspaper, landing in 22/2/1996. Also people’s garden. “Accidents”, D
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum Date is of Krämer, BLS, newspaper Dec. 2000 30 Blade failure 15/09/1996 Eesmond Holland Kenetech Second blade Windpower failure reported Monthly January during 1997 September. Date simply used as mid-point for the month 31 Ice throw 29/10/1996 Krummendeich Niedersachsen, “In winter the Interview Germany rotors sling ice regarding turbine lumps through planning the air – we were permission, East cheated”. Date Friesland is of newspaper newspaper 29/10/96. Also “Accidents”, D Krämer, BLS, Dec. 2000 32 Blade failure 30/10/1996 Satrup-Esmark to Schleswig- Turbine blades Newspaper Havetoft road Flensberg broke and fell. “Schleswiger County, Pieces landed on Nachtichten”, Germany the road and 30/10/1996. damaged an Also “Accidents”, adjacent turbine. D Krämer, BLS, Date is of Dec. 2000 newspaper 33 Ice throw 08/11/1996 Werdum/Buttford Kreis Wittmund/ Kg weight ice Interview with e Niedersachsen, lumps landing in Werdum’s Germany the street. Date Mayor, East is of newspaper Friesland newspaper 8/11/96. Also “Accidents”, D Krämer, BLS,
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum Dec. 2000 34 Fatal 1997 Indiana Indiana, USA 500kw Randy Bruce Wind Energy -- http://www.wind- Crumrine, 36, The Breath of works.org/article crane oiler, Life or the Kiss of s/BreathLife.html tower crane Death: collapsed Contemporary Wind Mortality Rates, by Paul Gipe Also Windpower Monthly August 1997 35 Fatal 1997 Lemvig Denmark 50kw Ivan Sørensen, Wind Energy -- http://www.wind- 'Vestas The Breath of works.org/article windsmith, Life or the Kiss of s/BreathLife.html repowering Death: project, Contemporary removing Wind Mortality turbine, removed Rates, by Paul nacelle fixing Gipe bolts prematurely Also Windpower Monthly December 1997 and February 1998 36 Fatal - driver 1997 Erneuter Westphalia, First of three Kölner http://members. distraction - Tödlicher Germany public fatalities Stadtanzeiger- aol.com/fsweme public fatality Autounfall bei at the same Erftkreis from dien/ZZUnfalldat Erftstadt-Erp location put 8.3.2003 ei.htm down to driver distraction. Accident spot is where turbines become visible to drivers - on
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum circular road 33 (Kreisstraße 33) 37 Ice throw 10/01/1997 Selbitz-Sellanger Kreis Ice documented “Accidents”, D http://members. Hof/Bayern, as thrown up to Krämer, BLS, aol.com/fsweme Germany 85m, weight up Dec. 2000. dien/ZZUnfalldat to 0.5kg, Reporter contact ei_97_99.htm between 8th and details available. 10th January. Also Photographs available 38 Ice throw 21/01/1997 Stein-Neukirch Westerwald/Kreis Ice from “Accidents”, D http://wilfriedhec /Theinland-Pfalz, Lichtenthäler Krämer, BLS, k.tripod.com/2u Germany turbine landed Dec. 2000. nf.htm on road. Ice Letter from pieces “bigger Mayor of Stein- than A4 paper” Neukirch dated missed colleague 22/1/1997 by only 2m, travelled 80m 39 Blade failure 18/02/1997 Island of Kreis North HSW-250 Blade parts flew Newspaper http://members. Nordstrand Friesland/Schlesv over 300m “Nordfriesland aol.com/fsweme ig-Holstein, across a road. Tageblatt” dien/ZZUnfalldat Germany Two of three 20/2/1997. ei_97_99.htm blades came off. Also “Accidents”, D Krämer, BLS, Dec. 2000. Also Windpower Monthly May 1997 40 Blade failure 21/02/1997 Waldaubach Westerwald/Hess Enercon Rotor blade “Accidents”, D http://members. en, Germany blown off. Blade Krämer, BLS, aol.com/fsweme parts found Dec. 2000. dien/ZZUnfalldat 400m to 500m Eyewitness report ei_97_99.htm away. Parts – contact details landed in available.
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum summer house. Date is of newspaper 41 Fatal - blade 04/04/1997 Kaiser-Wilhelm- Schlesvig- HSW 600KW Bernhard Saxen, Wind Energy -- http://www.wind- http://members. failure Koog Holstein, prototype 42, inside The Breath of works.org/article aol.com/fsweme Germany prototype turbine Life or the Kiss of s/BreathLife.html dien/ZZUnfalldat at KWK test field. Death: ei_97_99.htm Blade parts flew Contemporary up to 500m. Part Wind Mortality of turbine Rates, by Paul housing also Gipe blown off, killing Also Windpower Bernhard. Monthly May 1997 and September 1997. Newspaper “Nordwest- Zeitung” 5/4/1997. 42 Blade failure 12/04/1997 Großenwiehe Schleswig- Tacke Large blade part “Accidents”, D http://members. /Wanderup Holstein, (66%) travelled Krämer, BLS, aol.com/fsweme Germany >50m. Road Dec. 2000. dien/ZZUnfalldat only 20m away. Eyewitness report ei_97_99.htm – contact details available. 43 Ice throw 29/11/1997 Willmandinger Kreis Damage to car Newspaper http://members. Alb/Himmelbjerg Reutlingen/Bade on road by report – aol.com/fsweme n-Württemberg, “tennis-ball” “Suuwest dien/ZZUnfalldat Germany sized piece of Presse”, ei_97_99.htm ice. Date is of 29/11/1997, newspaper Reutlingen edition. Also “Accidents”, D Krämer, BLS,
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum Dec. 2000 44 Blade failure 15/12/1997 Taff Ely Mid Glamorgan, Blades damaged New Review, http://www.dti.g Wales, UK by lightning Issue 36, May ov.uk/NewRevie during 1998. w/nr36/html/win December 1997. d.html Date simply taken as mid- point for the month. 45 Blade failure 15/12/1997 Four Burrows Cornwall, UK Bonus 300kw Blades damaged New Review, http://www.dti.g by lightning Issue 36, May ov.uk/NewRevie during 1998. w/nr36/html/win December 1997. d.html Date simply taken as mid- point for the month. 46 Miscellaneous 24/12/1997 Mynydd-y- Powys, Wales WEG 300kw Turbine had its Cambrian News http://www.dti.g Cemmaes transformer door 8 Jan 1998 ov.uk/NewRevie blown off which w/nr36/html/win left direct access d.html to 660 volt machinery. Turbine remained operational with the door off for at least 3 days. Date confirmed by independent witnesses 47 Fire 24/12/1997 Mynydd-y- Powys, Wales WEG 300kw Turbine Cambrian News http://www.dti.g Cemmaes overheated then 8 Jan 1998. ov.uk/NewRevie burnt out. Also Windpower w/nr36/html/win Witnesses Monthly d.html
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum reported “balls February 1998 of fire” coming from the turbine. Burning debris was thrown 150 meters, setting the hillside and a public right-of- way on fire. 48 Miscellaneous 25/12/1997 Mynydd-y- Powys, Wales WEG 300kw Serious damage Private account. Cemmaes to most of the Also Cambrian turbines News 8 Jan observed 1998. following the storm and fire the previous day. Wintesses reported only 4- 5 turbines operating out of 24. One witness finally reported the incident to Fire Brigade, Police and HSE on 29th December. None had been informed by the operators. 49 Blade failure 27/12/1997 Dollrottfeld Schleswig- Tacke, 600 KW Blade broken off. Newspaper http://members. Holstein, Road only 20m “Schleswiger aol.com/fsweme Germany away. Nachtichten” dien/ZZUnfalldat Photographs 27/12/1997. ei_97_99.htm available. Date Also “Accidents”, is of newspaper D Krämer, BLS,
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum Dec. 2000. 50 Structural failure 05/03/1998 Simonsberg near Kreis North Enercon E40 Rotor and Newspaper http://members. Husum Friesland/Schles housing fell 42m “Husumer aol.com/fsweme wig-Holstein, off turbine tower. Nachrichten” dien/ZZUnfalldat Germany Date is 5/3/1998. Also ei_97_99.htm newspaper date “Accidents”, D Krämer, BLS, Dec. 2000. Also Windpower Monthly June 1998 51 Structural failure 09/06/1998 Gujarat Between Various: e.g. 129 of 315 Various http://members. Ahmadabad and Bonus , Vestas, turbines newspaper aol.com/fsweme Bombay, India Micon destroyed. articles. This dien/ZZUnfalldat followed a major ei_97_99.htm storm (cyclone). Also “Accidents”, D Krämer, BLS, Dec. 2000. Also Windpower Monthly September 1998 52 Fire 20/09/1998 Saron Kreis Demmin/ Turbine housing Newspaper http://members. Mecklenburg/ completely “Lübecker / aol.com/fsweme Vorpommern, destroyed by fire. Mecklenburger dien/ZZUnfalldat Germany Public damage - Nachtrichen” ei_97_99.htm car also 20/9/1998. destroyed. Also “Accidents”, D Krämer, BLS, Dec. 2000
53 Blade failure 18/10/1998 Goonhilly Helston, Blades hit by “Accidents”, D Cornwall, UK lightning – Krämer, BLS, “considerable Dec. 2000. damage” Photographs
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum available. 54 Structural failure 27/12/1998 Llangwyryfon Dyfed, Wales WEG MS-3 Two blades “Winds blow 300kw ripped from hub. turbine from Tower bent. tower” Blade pieces Windpower travelled 500m. Monthly March 1999. Also “Accidents”, D Krämer, BLS, Dec. 2000. 55 Fatal - driver 1999 Erneuter Westphalia, Second of three Kölner http://members. distraction - Tödlicher Germany public fatalities Stadtanzeiger- aol.com/fsweme public fatality Autounfall bei at the same Erftkreis from dien/ZZUnfalldat Erftstadt-Erp location put 8.3.2003 ei.htm down to driver distraction. Accident spot is where turbines become visible to drivers - on circular road 33 (Kreisstraße 33) 56 Ice throw 05/01/1999 Gebrannten Bromskirchen, Damage to car “Accidents”, D http://members. Rücken Frankenberg by ice. Approx. Krämer, BLS, aol.com/fsweme County, Hessen, 20 pieces of ice Dec. 2000. dien/ZZUnfalldat Germany from a turbine Eyewitness report ei_97_99.htm 100m away. – contact details available. 57 Structural failure 16/01/1999 Rebgeshain Vogelsbergkreis, Enercon E-40 Blade and Windpower http://members. Hessen, turbine fell 63m Monthly March aol.com/fsweme Germany off turbine tower. 1999, May dien/ZZUnfalldat Attributed to 1999 and July ei_97_99.htm failure of 1999. Also securing “Accidents”, D “kingpin” bolt. Krämer, BLS,
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum Same failure as Dec. 2000. 1/3/99 incident Letter to building below inspection authorities in Nordrhein- Westfalen, 12/3/99. Also press release by BLS 25/3/99. Also Newspaper “Ostfreisische Nachrichen”, Aurich, 26/3/99 and report by Enercon to Harlingerland 8/4/99, plus newspaper “Jeversches Wochenblatt” 8/4/99. 58 Blade failure 05/02/1999 Renkenberge, Lower Saxony, Micon 64/1500 Blade parts “Accidents”, D http://members. Kreis Emsland Germany 1.5MW blown off. Parts Krämer, BLS, aol.com/fsweme /Niedersachsen found 100m Dec. 2000. Also dien/ZZUnfalldat away newspaper ei_97_99.htm “Meppener Tagespost” 4/3/1999. Photos 59 Blade failure 05/02/1999 Wilsickow Kreis AN Bonus, 1MW At least 20 “Accidents”, D http://members. Uchermark/ separate blade Krämer, BLS, aol.com/fsweme Brandenburg, parts up to 1m Dec. 2000. dien/ZZUnfalldat Germany recorded – ei_97_99.htm blown to greater than 300m
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum 60 Blade failure 05/02/1999 Hachenburg Westerwald- Fuhrländer, 250 Blade parts flew Newspaper http://members. http://wilfriedhec Kreis/Rheinland- KW almost 40m and “Rhein-Zeitung”, aol.com/fsweme k.tripod.com/2u Pfalz, Germany fell near heavily Westerwälder dien/ZZUnfalldat nf.htm used footpath. Zeitung edition, ei_97_99.htm Possible lightning 6/2/99 – article cause. title “How dangerous are wind turbines?” Also “Accidents”, D Krämer, BLS, Dec. 2000. 61 Blade failure 05/02/1999 Burmönken Kreis Wittmund/ Tacke 600 KW Blade broken off. “Accidents”, D http://members. Niedersachsen, Blade parts flew Krämer, BLS, aol.com/fsweme Germany off Dec. 2000. dien/ZZUnfalldat Photos. ei_97_99.htm 62 Blade failure 05/02/1999 Lathen, Ems Germany NEC Micon64, Frozen rotor Meppeners Daily http://members. County, Lower 1.5kW blade detached Mail of 4/4/99. aol.com/fsweme Saxony from main rotor Also Gerd dien/ZZUnfalldat and Jansen. ei_97_99.htm disintegrated. Parts flew 100m 63 Blade failure 05/02/1999 Wijnaldum Holland Vestas, V Lightning strike WSH- http://home.wxs. http://members. 39/500 destroyed turbine WINDNIEUWS. nl/~windsh/nieu aol.com/fsweme blades Also “Accidents”, ws.html dien/ZZUnfalldat D Krämer, BLS, ei_97_99.htm Dec. 2000. 64 Blade failure 05/02/1999 Lelystad Holland 4 x Windmaster Blade parts of 4 WSH- http://home.wxs. http://members. 43/750 turbines badly WINDNIEUWS. nl/~windsh/nieu aol.com/fsweme damaged by Also “Accidents”, ws.html dien/ZZUnfalldat lightning. D Krämer, BLS, ei_97_99.htm Dec. 2000. 65 Blade failure 05/02/1999 Seglabera in Sweden Vestas Blade part flew Newspaper http://members. Halland almost 150m “Hallandsposten aol.com/fsweme ” 12/3/1999. dien/ZZUnfalldat Also “Accidents”, ei_97_99.htm
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum D Krämer, BLS, Dec. 2000. 66 Blade failure 16/02/1999 Sustrum Kreis Emsland/ Micon 64/1500 7m to 8m long “Accidents”, D http://members. Niedersachsen, 1.5MW blade part flew Krämer, BLS, aol.com/fsweme Germany >200m. More Dec. 2000. Also dien/ZZUnfalldat than 10 other newspaper ei_97_99.htm pieces up to 1m “Meppener long were Tagespost” recovered. 32 4/3/1999. similar turbines at two sites shut down by manufacturer due to safety reasons 67 Blade failure 01/03/1999 Allstedt/Niensted Kreis GET 41 Two blade parts Newspapers http://members. t (Galgenberg) Sangerhausen/ >20m long “Mitteldeutsche aol.com/fsweme Sachsen-Anhalt, blown off and Zeitung” dien/ZZUnfalldat Germany travelled 2/3/1999 and ei_97_99.htm >150m. Photos. “Volksstimme“ 3/3/1999. Also “Accidents”, D Krämer, BLS, Dec. 2000 68 Structural failure 01/03/1999 Helpershain Vogelsbergkreis, Enercon E-40 Blade and Windpower http://members. Hessen, turbine fell off Monthly March aol.com/fsweme Germany turbine tower. 1999, May dien/ZZUnfalldat 63m drop. 1999 and July ei_97_99.htm Attributed to 1999. Also failure of “Accidents”, D securing Krämer, BLS, “kingpin” bolt. Dec. 2000. Same failure as Letter to building 16/1/99 incident inspection above. 17 authorities in
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum identical turbines Nordrhein- shut down. Westfalen, 12/3/99. Also press release by BLS 25/3/99. Also Newspaper “Ostfreisische Nachrichen”, Aurich, 26/3/99 and report by Enercon to Harlingerland 8/4/99, plus newspaper “Jeversches Wochenblatt” 8/4/99. 69 Fire 01/03/1999 Eemmerdijk Holland “Turbine fire at Windpower Eemmerdijk” Monthly March Date is for 1999 magazine publication 70 Blade failure 12/04/1999 Blankenheim Kreis Tacke TW 600 Blade fell to Newspaper http://members. Sangerhausen/ ground. “Mitteldeutsche aol.com/fsweme Sachsen-Anhalt, Zeitung” dien/ZZUnfalldat Germany 13/4/1999. Also ei_97_99.htm “Accidents”, D Krämer, BLS, Dec. 2000. 71 Ice throw 27/04/1999 Grebenhain Lauterbach, Pieces of ice Newspaper Germany thrown 70 to report 80m from “Lauterbacher turbine during Anzeiger” the week prior to 27/4/1999. Also 27 April. “Accidents”, D
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum Krämer, BLS, Dec. 2000 72 Ice throw 27/04/1999 Engelrod Hessen, Ice thrown 80m Source: forest http://members. Helpersheim with Germany between officer Jeurgen aol.com/fsweme Grebenhain/Vog Engelrod and Fornof. dien/ZZUnfalldat elsbergkreis Helperscheim. Grebenhain ei_97_99.htm Large ice plates 73 Blade failure 01/05/1999 Germany NEG Micon Lightning Windpower 1.5MW damaged wood Monthly May epoxy blades. 1999. Also Date is for “Accidents”, D magazine Krämer, BLS, publication Dec. 2000 74 Fire 20/9/1999 Zielenser Weg, Lower Saxony, GET 600kW Turbine Newspaper http://members. Grafschaft Kreis Germany completely burnt “Jeversches aol.com/fsweme Friesland / out. Fire crew Wochenblatt” dien/ZZUnfalldat Niedersachsen could do nothing 21/2/99. Also ei_97_99.htm due to height of “Accidents”, D fire and danger Krämer, BLS, from falling Dec. 2000 debris. Turbine 4 years 4 months old 75 Miscellaneous 07/10/1999 Spieka-Neufeld Gemeinde Weather ring Newspaper http://members. Nordholz, 1.3m diameter “Nordsee- aol.com/fsweme Landkreis fell 53m off the Zeitung”, local dien/ZZUnfalldat Cuxhaven, turbine. Poor Landkreis edition ei_97_99.htm Germany maintenance 13/10/99. Also blamed. Photos. “Accidents”, D Krämer, BLS, Dec. 2000 76 Human injury / 23/10/1999 Lake Isabella, California, US STS was Cause not Newspaper http://www.wind- Structural failure Bakersfield installing a determined. “Bakersfield works.org/article Bergey Excel on Turbine toppled Californian” s/Aagaard.html an 80-foot (24- while being 23/10/1999.
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum meter) guyed erected - on to Also Aagaard lattice tower near operator. web page. Web Lake Isabella for Operator article quotes 19 Buckeye Farms suffered spinal deaths from injuries and is working on wind wheelchair turbines over 25 bound. Another years fell 15 feet and suffered minor injuries. 77 Blade failure 07/11/1999 Heath/ Germany Brake system Reuters 7.11.99 http://members. Schleswig- failure. 25m aol.com/fsweme Holsein blades turning 4x dien/ZZUnfalldat normal speed. ei_97_99.htm 60 residents within 500m evacuated between 6th and 7th November 78 Blade failure 03/12/1999 Sievern-Langden, Germany AN Bonus Blade blown off. Newspaper http://members. Kreis Cuxhaven 1MW/54 Parts travelled “Nordsee- aol.com/fsweme 200m. Zeitung” dien/ZZUnfalldat 6/12/1999. Also ei_97_99.htm “Accidents”, D Krämer, BLS, Dec. 2000. 79 Structural failure 03/12/1999 Bocholt-Hemden Bocholt- The 15kg turbine “Accidents”, D http://members. Hemden, tip flew off and Krämer, BLS, aol.com/fsweme Germany travelled more Dec. 2000. dien/ZZUnfalldat than 50m. Flew Eyewitness ei_97_99.htm over road. account – contact details available. Photos.
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum 80 Structural failure 03/12/1999 Jutland Denmark Various, Storm destroyed On line report http://home.wxs. including 8 turbines. from Dutch nl/~hzwarber/wi Windmatic, Commonest website. Reporter nd/welkom.html Wincon, Bonus, accident - brake details also Vestas, Nordtank failure, rapid available. Also & Kuriant rotation followed “Accidents”, D by fire Krämer, BLS, Dec. 2000 81 Blade failure 03/12/1999 Zennhusen Germany Two turbines Newspaper http://members. damaged by “Dithmarscher aol.com/fsweme lightning – one Landeszeitung” dien/ZZUnfalldat lost a blade and 4/12/99. Also ei_97_99.htm two others were “Accidents”, D shattered. Krämer, BLS, Dec. 2000 82 Blade failure 04/12/1999 Westermarsch II, Lower Saxony, Enercon E33 Rotor blade Newspaper http://members. Norddeich Germany destroyed by “Emder Zeitung”, aol.com/fsweme lightning strike. Aurich, dien/ZZUnfalldat Photos. 8/12/1999. Also ei_97_99.htm “Accidents”, D Krämer, BLS, Dec. 2000 83 Structural failure 09/12/1999 Eemshaven Holland Kenetech (US) Two rotor blades On line report http://home.wxs. fell off in a from Dutch nl/~hzwarber/wi period of weeks. website. Reporter nd/welkom.html 94 turbines shut details also down. available. Also “Accidents”, D Krämer, BLS, Dec. 2000. Also newspaper “Ostfriesen- Zeitung” 11/12/1999. Photos.
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum 84 Structural failure 12/12/1999 Lichtenau-Asseln Paderborn, Sudwind S 60m high turbine Newspaper http://members. Nordrhein- 46/600 kw tower broke 10m “Westfalenblatt”, aol.com/fsweme Westfalen, above the Paterborn, dien/ZZUnfalldat Germany ground. Rotor 13/12/1999. ei_97_99.htm parts and parts Photos. Also of the 46m Newspaper blades travelled “Westfalenblatt”, up to 200m. Paterborn, 18/12/1999. Also Weekly paper “Landwirtschaftlic he Wochenblatt” No. 52/99, p29- 30. Also FOCUS 18/12/1999, p13 “Low pressure in first half of December converted many wind turbines into dangerous metal centrifuges“. Also “Accidents”, D Krämer, BLS, Dec. 2000. 85 Blade failure 19/12/1999 Stöffin Neuruppin, Südwind Blade bend, hit Newspaper http://members. http://home.wxs. Germany tower and “Berliner aol.com/fsweme nl/~windsh/nieu shattered. Pieces Morgenpost” dien/ZZUnfalldat ws.html over a circle of 22/12/1999. ei_97_99.htm about 50m Also Newspaper diameter “Gransrr- Zeitung”
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum 4/1/2000. Also “Accidents”, D Krämer, BLS, Dec. 2000. 86 Blade failure 22/12/1999 Leewarden Holland NEDWIND NW Serious damage Newspaper http://home.wxs. http://members. 46/3/500 to rotor blades “Leewarden nl/~windsh/nieu aol.com/fsweme after lightning Courant” ws.html dien/ZZUnfalldat strike 23/12/1999. ei_97_99.htm Also “Accidents”, D Krämer, BLS, Dec. 2000 87 Structural failure 2000 Port la Nouvelle, France Turbine mast "Rapport sur la Aude broke during a sécurité des storm. No installations further details. éoliennes", There are 5 Conseil général turbines on the des Mines, N° site - 4 x 500kW 04-5. Ministere constructed in de l’economie September des finances et 1993, and 1 x de l’industrie, 200kW Republique constructed in Francaise, July 1991. No 2004. details of which type was destroyed. The first of several such French incidents which led to a formal investigation of wind turbine safety
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum 88 Fire 04/01/2000 Dörpen Papenburg, Tacke TW 600a Turbine fire – Newspaper http://members. Lower Saxony, cordoned off by “Ems-Zeitung”, aol.com/fsweme Germany police. Blades Papenburg, dien/ZZUnfalldat could not be shut 6/1/2000. ei_00_02.htm down and Photos. Also continued to “Accidents”, D turn. Turbine Krämer, BLS, head totally Dec. 2000 destroyed. 21m 3.8Te blades rotated uncontrollably at speed and on fire for many hours 89 Public injury - ice 10/01/2000 St Hülfe / Heede Niedersachsen, Local vet Dr. Newspaper http://members. http://wilfriedhec throw Germany Victoria Roloff “Diepholzer aol.com/fsweme k.tripod.com/2u injured on Kreisblatt”, dien/ZZUnfalldat nf.htm shoulder by Niedersachsen, ei_00_02.htm thrown ice, 50m 12/1/2000. from turbine. Eyewitness Public injury. account and Also reports of contact details damaged cars - available. holes in roof Photo. Also “Accidents”, D Krämer, BLS, Dec. 2000 90 Fire followed by 20/01/2000 Lichtenau Kreis Westphalia, Sudwind S Lightning strike, Developer's http://members. http://www.jben structural failure Paderborn Germany 46/600 kw followed by fire. website: aol.com/fsweme dfeld.de/crash.ht Mast then split http://erneuerba dien/ZZUnfalldat m approx 10m reenergien.de/0 ei_00_02.htm above base. 200/blitzschlag. Total loss. html
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum 91 Blade failure 21/01/2000 Samso, Aalborg, Denmark 55 kW Nordtank Complete rotor On line report at http://home.wxs. http://www.wind- Jutland and housing with Dutch website. nl/~hzwarber/wi works.org/article blades broken. Also Paul Gipe nd/welkom.html s/BreathLife.html One of the blade "Wind Energy -- pieces went The Breath of through a Life or the Kiss of window and Death: landed in a Contemporary swimming pool Wind Mortality at 200 metres Rates". Also distance; another Stichting piece was thrown Windhoek 600 metres. 21/1/00 92 Structural failure 29/01/2000 Jutland Denmark Various Storm destroyed On line report http://home.wxs. three turbines. from Dutch nl/~hzwarber/wi Commonest website. Reporter nd/welkom.html accident - brake details also failure, rapid available. Also rotation followed “Accidents”, D by fire Krämer, BLS, Dec. 2000 93 Structural failure 10/02/2000 Wittmund Harlingerland, Enercon E32 Sudden and total Press statement http://members. Germany collapse of by Joachim aol.com/fsweme turbine. Schmidt, dien/ZZUnfalldat Spokesman Enercon, via ei_00_02.htm quoted “concrete Reports for damage”. Harlingerland, Reported to be 20/4/2000. the "fourth Also “Accidents”, turbine break D Krämer, BLS, within 8 weeks". Dec. 2000 44 similar turbines shut down
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum 94 Structural failure 15/02/2000 Wehe den Hoorn Holland Lagerwey Tower collapsed Groninger http://members. bei Groningen during storm. Dagblad aol.com/fsweme Total loss. All 8.4.2002 dien/ZZUnfalldat 44 Lagerwey ei_00_02.htm turbines in Holland stopped from 15 February and were still stopped at 8 April 2000. 95 Structural failure 11/03/2000 Wieringerwaard/ Holland Newinco in Between 10 and Dagblad voor http://members. Kolhorn in West- Rhenen, 30m 11 March, West-Friesland aol.com/fsweme Friesland tower turbine destroyed 13.3.2002 dien/ZZUnfalldat by storm. Tower ei_00_02.htm collapse. Total loss. 96 Electrical failure 13/03/2000 Groetpolder, Holland Micon 600kW 19 turbines shut Dagblad voor http://home.wxs. Niedorp down due to West-Friesland nl/~hzwarber/wi short-circuit. 13.3.2002 nd/welkom.html Melting insulation on wiring reported. Date is of newspaper article 97 Human injury 01/04/2000 Palm Springs, USA Seawest Operator From US Safety http://www.osha. CA Windpower Inc suffered severe (OSHA) gov/pls/imis/acci burns from database. dentsearch.accid electrical fault in ent_detail?id=1 fuse holder. 19947315 Hospitalised for 10 days with second and third degree burns.
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum 98 Structural failure 15/04/2000 Cold Northcott Cornwall, UK WEG MS-3 Entire wind “Accidents”, D 300kw power station Krämer, BLS, (22 turbines) Dec. 2000. Also closed during “Review of MS3 April due to Turbines at metal fatigue. Cemmaes, Cold Date simply used Northcott and as mid-point for Llangwyryfon, the month Part 3: Structural/mecha nical audit”, WS Atkins report L4104.003/R03 99 Structural failure 15/04/2000 Mynydd-y- Powys, Wales WEG MS-3 Entire wind “Accidents”, D Cemmaes 300kw power station Krämer, BLS, closed during Dec. 2000. Also April due to “Review of MS3 metal fatigue. Turbines at Date simply used Cemmaes, Cold as mid-point for Northcott and the month Llangwyryfon, Part 3: Structural/mecha nical audit”, WS Atkins report L4104.003/R03 100 Structural failure 15/04/2000 Llangwyryfon Dyfed, Wales WEG MS-3 Entire wind “Accidents”, D 300kw power station Krämer, BLS, closed during Dec. 2000. Also April due to “Review of MS3 metal fatigue. Turbines at Date simply used Cemmaes, Cold as mid-point for Northcott and the month Llangwyryfon, Part 3: Structural/mecha
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum nical audit”, WS Atkins report L4104.003/R03 101 Fire 02/05/2000 Zurndorf bei Austria Fire destroyed Austrian report http://members. Eisenstadt/Burge turbine - cause on internet aol.com/fsweme nland unknown, dien/ZZUnfalldat suspected ei_00_02.htm lightning strike or mechanical source. 2 blazing rotors blades fell to ground. Over 100 firemen watched over night - could do nothing else due to fire height. Total loss. 102 Fatal 27/05/2000 Lenkenfeld, Schleswig- Enercon 500kw 23 year-old Wind Energy -- http://www.wind- http://members. Fehmarn Holstein, parachutist on The Breath of works.org/article aol.com/fsweme Germany first solo jump Life or the Kiss of s/BreathLife.html dien/ZZUnfalldat drifts into Death: ei_00_02.htm turbine. Public Contemporary fatality. She Wind Mortality jumped at Rates, by Paul 1200m and the Gipe parachute Also Windpower opened normally Monthly July at 1100m. 2000. Turbine was 4km Also Schweriner from the newspaper intended landing 31.5.200 site
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum 103 Blade failure 28/05/2000 Insel Norderney Lower Saxony, Enercon E15 Storm tore the Anzeiger für http://members. http://wilfriedhec / Niedersachsen Germany rotor nacelle and Harlingerland, aol.com/fsweme k.tripod.com/2u cover off. One 29.5.2000 dien/ZZUnfalldat nf.htm blade travelled ei_00_02.htm between 100m and 150m, landing on a factory and private house (family Zilles). It pierced a 24cm thick stone wall, timber floor and roof of the house. Luckily, the factory was closed due to holidays, and the family were absent on vacation. Turbine was constructed in 1986. The turbines were subsequently shut down on 30 August 2000 following a court ruling on safety grounds and that they were too close to housing. 104 Component 10/07/2000 Limburg-Offheim Germany DeWind Problems with Nassauische http://members. failure im Kreis transformer at Neue Presse aol.com/fsweme Limburg- the wind park from 11.7.2000 dien/ZZUnfalldat
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum Weilburg/Hessen causes major ei_00_02.htm power fluctuations in the nearby towns. Reports of computers, TVs and fridges damaged. Eventual mains failure which was restored some time later. 105 Driver distraction 29/07/2000 Hamm-Sieg Germany Road "L290 to "Rhein-Zeitung", http://wilfriedhec be defused" Lokalteil k.tripod.com/2u article in local Westerwald-Sieg, nf.htm newspaper. On 29 July 2000 a 4km stretch of the L290 road where wind turbines are clearly visible, 73 accidents reported over 4 years. Four accidents very serious but none fatal. Components and ice reported thrown over 400m, onto and over the road. Date is of newspaper article
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum 106 Blade failure 30/10/2000 Utgast in Lower Saxony, Tacke 600 KW 21m long blade Anzeiger für http://members. http://wilfriedhec Ostfriesland / Germany section weighing Harlingerland, aol.com/fsweme k.tripod.com/2u Niedersachsen 2 tonnes flew 31.11.2000 dien/ZZUnfalldat nf.htm approx 100m. ei_00_02.htm Turbine had passed an inspection only 4 weeks before. Constructed in 1996 107 Component 06/11/2000 Barlth bei Heide, Germany Failed hydraulic Dithmarschener http://members. failure Kreis value - turbine Landeszeitung / aol.com/fsweme Dithmarschen / running at Brunsbütteler dien/ZZUnfalldat Schleswig- 100rpm - over Zeitung ei_00_02.htm Holstein twice normal speed. Could not be shut down in the wind. 20 houses evacuated overnight until turbine was shut down. 108 Component 01/12/2000 Nordtank 600kw Gearbox failure Windpower failure warning – 270 Monthly turbines December 2000 guaranteed to fail within 5 years Date is of magazine publication 109 Structural failure 09/12/2000 Burgos, Spain GamesaEólica Tower fractured Windpower http://ventduboc Merindales G-47 660kw after being struck Monthly age.net/accident by blade on 9 February 2001. 4.htm December 2000. Also online
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum According to the photos (see right) online article, blade parts travelled almost 1000m 110 Transport (fatal) 19/12/2000 Erwitte - Germany 20-year old car Lippstädter http://members. http://wilfriedhec Westfalen driver killed in Zeitung - Der aol.com/fsweme k.tripod.com/2u accident with Patriot vom dien/ZZUnfalldat nf.htm loaded turbine 20.12.2000 ei_00_02.htm transporter. The transporter was turning and blocking the entire road. No warnings were given and the 20-year old driver could not stop in time. Operators considered the use of police escort unnecessary. Public fatality. 111 Component 05/01/2001 Windpark Saxony, Sudwind N3127 Failed pin Operators own http://members. http://www.windf failure Opitzhöhe bei Germany between gearbox website aol.com/fsweme ang-sachsen.de Groß-Opitz bei and turbine. dien/ZZUnfalldat Dresden / Turbine dates ei_00_02.htm Sachsen from 1995. 112 Structural failure 15/01/2001 Castile Spain GamesaEólica Nacelle rotor Windpower G-47 660kw toppled from Monthly tower during February 2001 January. Date simply used as
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum mid-point for the month 113 Structural failure 15/01/2001 León Spain GamesaEólica Tower damaged Windpower G-47 660kw during January. Monthly Date simply used February 2001 as mid-point for the month 114 Environmental 08/03/2001 Martinshöhe bei Germany Leak of hydraulic Die Rheinpfalz http://members. damage Kaiserslautern / oil into the 10.3.01 aol.com/fsweme Rheinland-Pfalz surrounding dien/ZZUnfalldat ground. Had to ei_00_02.htm be cleaned up by a specialist firm. 115 Blade failure 15/03/2001 Oederquart bei Lower Saxony, Vestas V66 33m blade piece Stader Tageblatt http://members. http://www.tage Stade / Germany broke off and aol.com/fsweme blatt.de/db/main Niedersachsen travelled 100m. dien/ZZUnfalldat .cfm?DID=3753 Cause - pin ei_00_02.htm 2 breaking. Turbine only 2 years old. Investigation by Vestas into 200 other V66 turbines in Germany found similar defects at Emden. 116 Fire 19/03/2001 Goldenstedt im Lower Saxony, GET 600 Technical defect Oldenburger http://members. Kreis Vechta / Germany quoted as source Volkszeitung aol.com/fsweme Niedersachsen of fire. Fire (Vechta) from dien/ZZUnfalldat brigade could 20.3.2001 ei_00_02.htm not fight the fire at 75m height so it was left to burn out. Total loss.
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum Turbine constructed in 1997. Also it could have been worse (near miss) - a natural gas plant is only 200m from the turbine. For this reason, the turbine has never been replaced. Charred remains still stood in October 2002 117 Blade failure 22/11/2001 Wybelsum, Stadt Lower Saxony, Enercon E66 33m long blade Bild am Sonntag http://members. Emden / Germany part weighing 4 16.12.2001 aol.com/fsweme Niedersachsen Tonnes broke off dien/ZZUnfalldat and fell to the ei_00_02.htm ground. Turbine only 2 years old. 118 Blade failure 06/12/2001 Dirlammen bei Germany AT Bonus Large blade part Landratsamt http://members. Lauterbach/Voge 1.3MW/62 4m x 1m broke Lauterbach + aol.com/fsweme lsbergkreis / off and travelled Lauterbacher dien/ZZUnfalldat Hessen 150m. Landed Anzeiger from ei_00_02.htm only 50m from a 7.12.2001 road 119 Blade failure 21/12/2001 Bad Doberan / Germany Preliminary Ingrid Lange, http://members. Mecklenburg- details only. Rostock and aol.com/fsweme Vorpommern Turbine blade internet dien/ZZUnfalldat (unter Vorbehalt) broke off. ei_00_02.htm Nearby motorway A20 closed off.
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum 120 Component 24/12/2001 Windpark Saxony, Sudwind N3127 Failed pin Operators own http://members. http://www.windf failure Opitzhöhe bei Germany between gearbox website aol.com/fsweme ang-sachsen.de Groß-Opitz bei and turbine. dien/ZZUnfalldat Dresden / Second ei_00_02.htm Sachsen occurrence. Turbine dates from 1995. 121 Lightning 1999 - 2001 Lincoln United States Vestas V-47 Reports of Excerpts from the http://www.glebe Township, WI 660kW turbine blade Final Report of mountaingroup. failure and also the Township of org/Articles/Linc damage to Lincoln Wind oln120403.doc nearby homes Turbine and property Moratorium Committee
122 Blade failure 22/01/2002 Blyth Northumberland, Vestas, operated Broken blade on “Wind farm http://news.bbc. UK by Amec first UK offshore closed after co.uk/1/hi/engla turbine. Broke in blade snaps”, nd/1777268.stm 70mph wind. BBC news on- Photos line. Also Windpower Monthly February 2002 123 Component 25/01/2002 Windpark Saxony, Sudwind N3127 Failed pin Operators own http://members. http://www.windf failure Opitzhöhe bei Germany between gearbox website aol.com/fsweme ang-sachsen.de Groß-Opitz bei and turbine. dien/ZZUnfalldat Dresden / Third ei_00_02.htm Sachsen occurrence. Turbine dates from 1995. 124 Fire 27/01/2002 Westernieland, Holland Fire at night - Groninger http://members. Groningen cause unknown. Dagblad aol.com/fsweme Total loss. 28.1.2002 dien/ZZUnfalldat ei_00_02.htm
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum 125 Structural failure 28/01/2002 Husum / Germany Windrad HSW Turbine Husumer http://members. http://www.wiesb Schleswig- 250 completely Nachrichten, aol.com/fsweme aden- Holstein destroyed during 30.1.02. Also dien/ZZUnfalldat online.de/on/02 storm. 28m Weisbaden news ei_00_02.htm /01/29/topnews tower, 25 online /sturm2.html Tonnes. 29/1/2002. Photos 126 Blade failure 28/01/2002 Remlingen bei Lower Saxony, Enercon Blade shattered Wolfenbütteler http://members. Wolfenbüttel / Germany with an audible Zeitung 29.1.02 aol.com/fsweme Niedersachsen "crack". Pieces + Bürgermeister dien/ZZUnfalldat scattered across Siegbert Pfeifer ei_00_02.htm the surrounding (eyewitness) fields 127 Blade failure 01/02/2002 Wormhout France 400kW A blade was torn "Rapport sur la http://ventduboc http://www.suivi- (Nord) off during a sécurité des age.net/accident eolien.com/franc storm. Date installations .htm ais/SUIVI/SVD/st uncertain - éoliennes", atistiques.htm quoted as Conseil général February 2002. des Mines, N° Only one turbine 04-5. Ministere detailed for the de l’economie site - 400kW - des finances et constructed in de l’industrie, October 1997. Republique Francaise, July 2004. 128 Component 09/02/2002 Windpark Saxony, Sudwind N3127 Failed pin Operators own http://members. http://www.windf failure Opitzhöhe bei Germany between gearbox website aol.com/fsweme ang-sachsen.de Groß-Opitz bei and turbine. dien/ZZUnfalldat Dresden / Fourth ei_00_02.htm Sachsen occurrence. Turbine dates from 1995. 129 Structural failure 19/02/2002 Javenloch bei Lower Saxony, Lagerwey Blades and Nordwest- http://members. http://wilfriedhec Carolinensiel / Germany 250kW turbine blown off Zeitung, Jever. aol.com/fsweme k.tripod.com/jav
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum Niedersachsen tower. Blades Photos available dien/ZZUnfalldat enlh.htm were 27m long - online ei_00_02.htm large parts travelled 235m. Photos show this. The turbine housing fell onto a transformer and also destroyed it. 130 Blade failure 22/02/2002 Huppelbroich, Westphalia, Turbine blade Ingenbroich- http://members. Gem. Simmerath Germany torn off during Nachrichten, aol.com/fsweme bei Aachen snow storm. 26.2.2002 dien/ZZUnfalldat 7.5m blade part ei_00_02.htm reported to travel 40m. Turbine 10 years old. 131 Fire 23/02/2002 Großhabersdorf- Bavaria, Lightning strike Nürnberger http://members. http://mitglied.ly Vincenzenbronn Germany set turbine blade Nachrichten, aol.com/fsweme cos.de/radiosack bei Fürth / ablaze. Fire Sackaktuell dien/ZZUnfalldat /Sacktuell/sacktu Bayern brigade could do Vogstreichenbac ei_00_02.htm ell.html nothing due to h and CSU the 70m height. Ammendorf. Left to burn out. Spectacular Burning blade photos of blazing parts reported turbine at night travelling several hundred meters. Confirmed the following morning. Burning parts not extinguished by driving sleet.
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum 132 Fire 23/02/2002 Oostburg South-west NedWind Lightning strike BN/De Stem 25 http://members. Holland 500kW suspected as febr 2002, aol.com/fsweme source. Dagblad voor dien/ZZUnfalldat Complete loss. Zuidwest - ei_00_02.htm Turbine 9 years Nederland. Also old. Burning Windpower debris also monthly, April destroyed a 2002 nearby transformer. Nearby towns without power. 133 Ice throw 26/02/2002 Sefferweich bei Germany Ice thrown Trierischer http://members. Bitburg / during a meeting Volksfreund - aol.com/fsweme Rheinland-Pfalz of CDU state online dien/ZZUnfalldat parliament ei_00_02.htm delegates with the site operator. No-one hurt. No further details 134 Fire 09/03/2002 Heiden in Kreis Westphalia, Fire in Fire brigade http://members. http://www.feuer Borken Germany connecting report 9/3/2002 aol.com/fsweme wehr- substation at foot dien/ZZUnfalldat heiden.de/wehr/ of turbine. ei_00_02.htm einsaetze/2002/ Extinguished einsaetze.htm successfully. 135 Blade failure 13/03/2002 Dörenhagen bei Westphalia, NEG Micon Loss of blade at Neue http://members. http://members. Paderborn Germany 750kW night during Westfälische, aol.com/fsweme aol.com/hierony storm. One Ausgabe OWL, dien/ZZUnfalldat musbosch2/rotor blade section and www.nw- ei_00_02.htm blattschaden_30 30m long news.de cmbreit.jpg weighing 5.5 Te 13/3/2002. fell off. Smaller Photos blade parts
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum covered an area 400m from the turbine. Turbine only 2.5 years old 136 Public injury 13/03/2000 Rio Vista, CA United States Pilot was flying in AERIAL http://www.goag an area cluttered GUNNING ro.org/crash.htm with wind CRASH REPORT, turbines and USDA/APHIS/WI powerlines. He LDLIFE hit a line and SERVICES, plunged 120 Wendy Keefover- feet. Lucky to be Ring Sinapu, alive but should 1989-2005, not have been Accident and flying in the area Injury Summary in the first place. 137 Fire 15/03/2002 Yttre Stengrund Sweden NEG Micon Fire burnt out Windpower turbine in March Monthly, May 2002. Replaced 2002 in May 2002. Offshore. Date simply used as mid-point for the month
138 Fire 19/03/2002 Strocken im Saxony, Vestas V66 Fire started 5pm Döbelner http://members. http://members. Landkreis Germany and could not be Anzeiger, aol.com/fsweme aol.com/fsweme Döbeln / fought by the fire 20.3.2002 dien/ZZUnfalldat dien/doebeln.jpg Sachsen brigade due to ei_00_02.htm the height. Left to burn out. Total loss. One of 5 x V66 fires in Germany
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum during 2002 139 Blade failure / 20/03/2002 Nettetal-Oirlich Westphalia, DeWind 46 Lightning strike Westdeutsche http://members. lightning im Kreis Viersen Germany removed 1m of Zeitung, aol.com/fsweme blade. 17.5.2002 dien/ZZUnfalldat Constructed in ei_00_02.htm 1999 140 Blade failure 08/04/2002 Großröhrsdorf Saxony, "Technical Sächsische http://members. http://mitglied.ly im Landkreis Germany defect" led to Zeitung aol.com/fsweme cos.de/WilfriedH Kamenz / blade damage. 9/4/2002 and dien/ZZUnfalldat eck/defekt.htm Sachsen Turbine shut SP-online ei_00_02.htm down and blade 9/4/2002 had to be replaced 141 Fire 20/04/2002 Bad Westphalia, Vestas 1.5MW Turbine fire "Lots of coverage http://members. Wünnenberg- Germany 108m overall 300m from A44 - www.nw- aol.com/fsweme Haaren height (V80?) motorway. No news.de Neue dien/ZZUnfalldat (Helmern) bei wind that day so Westfälische, ei_00_02.htm Paderborn luckily no debris Ausgabe OWL / scattered over WDR Studio wide area. Fire Bielefeld - brigade could Fernsehen and not fight the fire Radio. Photos at 78m height - available. was left to burn " out. Burning debris around perifery of turbine. Motorway closed for over 12 hours. Turbine constructed in 2000. Total loss 142 Blade failure 29/04/2002 Lohe bei Westphalia, Enercon Blade broke off Lippstadter http://members. http://members. Lippstadt im Germany during storm newspaper - Der aol.com/fsweme aol.com/hierony
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum Kreis Soest Patriot, dien/ZZUnfalldat musbosch2/lohe 30.4.2002. ei_00_02.htm rotorbruch.jpg Photos 143 Structural failure 15/05/2002 Colorado USA WTC Crack from first Info from http://www.windt accident led to developers own urbinecompany.c blade striking website om/milestones/ tower in second accident. First accident in May 2002. An electronic device failure and a control system software glitch caused a blade to strike the tower. Date simply used as mid-point for the month 144 Fire 12/06/2002 Holzheim bei Germany Fire spread from Nassauische http://members. Diez im Rhein- blazing car to Neue Presse, aol.com/fsweme Lahn-Kreis (Bad neighbouring 14.6.2002 dien/ZZUnfalldat Ems) / wind turbine and ei_00_02.htm Rheinland-Pfalz destroyed parts and cables in the lower part of the tower. Further spread stopped by fast action of the Fire Brigade. 145 Human injury 01/07/2002 Sigean, Aude France 660kW Mechanic "Rapport sur la electrocuted after sécurité des metal tool installations contacted a live éoliennes",
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum transformer Conseil général connection. The des Mines, N° survived but was 04-5. Ministere badly burned de l’economie and shocked. des finances et He facility was de l’industrie, closed for 4 Republique months during Francaise, July accident 2004. investigation. Turbines operational from May 2000 146 Fatal 10/07/2002 Eemmeerdijk, Holland 1MW Two men Wind Energy -- http://www.trau Zeewolds, reported to fall The Breath of mahelikopter.nl/l Flevoland 10m within the Life or the Kiss of oad.htm?Kranten turbine tower. Death: /2002/juli.htm The one above Contemporary fell on his fellow Wind Mortality worker and was Rates, by Paul killed on the Gipe. Updated spot. The May 2005. Also survivor had newspapers serious head and Trouw 11 July neck injuries. 2002, Veluwsch No names or Dagblad 10 July ages given. 2002, and Veluws Dagblad, 11 July 2002 "Man dies after fall from windmill". 147 Fire 04/08/2002 Katzenberg bei Saxony, Vestas V66 SZ-online reports SZ-online http://members. http://www.igwin Meißen / Germany fire on a brand- 5/8/2002 and aol.com/fsweme dkraft.at/aktuell/ Sachsen new turbine still local dien/ZZUnfalldat a_archiv2.htm undergoing information. ei_00_02.htm
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum commissioning. Also "Spectacular Total loss. No damage with thunder or MW plants" lightning Developer's recorded. The website developers website records a light thunderstorm. Turbine had zero operational hours. Vestas investigated but no report was made public. One of 5 x V66 fires in Germany during 2002 148 Human injury 05/08/2002 Heidenheim, Bavaria, 53 year old Nürnberger http://members. Kreis Germany member of Nachrichten, aol.com/fsweme Weißenburg- public severely 6/8/2002 dien/ZZUnfalldat Gunzenhausen injured during ei_00_02.htm accompanied visit to 100m tower. Failed safety device. He fell 10m then ended up hanging by his legs with his ear torn off. Emergency surgery required to get the man removed from the tower. Public
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum injury. 149 Lightning 06/08/2002 Limburg-Offheim Hessen, DeWind 600kW Lighning strike hit Eye witness http://members. im Kreis Germany turbine. No report aol.com/fsweme Limburg- obvious outward dien/ZZUnfalldat Weilburg/ damage. Shut ei_00_02.htm down until sometime between 22 August and 19 October when repair was completed. Constructed July 2000 150 Lightning 07/08/2002 Windpark Westphalia, Jacobs MD-77 Lightning strike Developers web http://members. http://www.wind Extertal im Germany led to complete site aol.com/fsweme 7.de Landkreis Lippe loss of plant. dien/ZZUnfalldat Constructed ei_00_02.htm December 2001. No further details 151 Fire 08/08/2002 Brokstedt, Germany Vesta V66 Lightning struck “Lightning burns http://members. http://www.igwin Schleswig- the tower and out nacelle” - aol.com/fsweme dkraft.at/aktuell/ Holstein caused a fire. Windpower dien/ZZUnfalldat a_archiv2.htm Fire brigade Monthly October ei_00_02.htm unable to do 2002. Also anything due to Nordfriesland the height - had news sheet dated to let it burn out. Friday 9 Aug Debris from 2002. Also burning blades local radio. dropping over local environment. Turbines
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum operational since December 1999. One of 5 x V66 fires in Germany during 2002 152 Fire 15/08/2002 Schleswig- Germany Vesta V66 Heavy "Spectacular http://www.igwin Holstein thunderstorm damage with dkraft.at/aktuell/ and substantial MW plants" a_archiv2.htm lighning Developer's reported. Total website loss. August 2002 (mid-point date assumed). One of 5 x V66 fires in Germany during 2002 153 Fire 01/09/2002 Denmark Elsam 2MW “Elsam 2MW Windpower fire” Date is for Monthly magazine September 2002 publication 154 Structural failure 09/09/2002 Ulrichstein Germany NEG Micon Rotor broke off Windpower http://members. Helpershain M1500 completely at the Monthly October aol.com/fsweme hub. Weighing 2002. Local TV dien/ZZUnfalldat several tonnes coverage (video ei_00_02.htm and with a and photos diameter of available) and 44m, it fell from various press 50m height on releases to a local track. Six identical turbines shut down for safety checks. Turbine in place since 1996.
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum 155 Fire 24/09/2002 Elm bei Hessen, ENRON (ex Transformer at Kinzigtal http://members. Schlüchtern im Germany Tacke) the foot of the message of aol.com/fsweme Main-Kinzig- turbine went on 25/9/2002 dien/ZZUnfalldat Kreis fire due to ei_00_02.htm "technical defect" 156 Fire 01/10/2002 Holland Vestas “Fire in Vestas Windpower turbine prompts Monthly October wind farm 2002 retrofit”. Date is for magazine publication 157 Fire 03/10/2002 Sillenstede- Lower Saxony, GET 600kW Fire brigade Jever weekly http://members. http://members. Grafschaft bei Germany could not fight newspaper aol.com/fsweme aol.com/hierony Jever im Kreis fire due to 11/10/2002. dien/ZZUnfalldat musbosch2/grafs Friesland height, so left to Photos available ei_00_02.htm chaft1.jpg burn out. online Flaming debris ignited nearby hay. Constructed 1995/96 158 Fire 22/10/2002 "Kell am See bei Germany Grogmann Police alerted by Local radio http://members. Hermeskeil im passing driver. broadcast aol.com/fsweme Kreis Trier- Fire brigade 23/10/2002. dien/ZZUnfalldat Saarburg / could not fight Also Trieri ei_00_02.htm Rheinland-Pfalz fire due to newspaper " height. Left to 24/10/2002 burn out, but in the strong wind flying sparks and broken rotor parts were reaching the main road (distance
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum unknown). Main road closed for 11 hours. Constructed 1988
159 Blade failure 26/10/2002 Erkelenz- Westphalia, NEG Micon Rotor blade bent Aachener http://members. Holzweiler im Germany and fell to messenger aol.com/fsweme Kreis Heinsberg ground. Nearby newspaper dien/ZZUnfalldat farm evacuated. 27/10/2002 ei_00_02.htm Constructed in 2000. 160 Blade failure 27/10/2002 Kaiserslautern Germany Storm damage Rheinpfalz of http://members. to blade - blade 28/10/2002 aol.com/fsweme broke off. It was and dien/ZZUnfalldat later admitted by 30/10/2002 ei_00_02.htm operators that there was a known defect in the blade prior to storm but they had ignored it. 161 Blade failure 27/10/2002 Loehme, Brandenburg, Storm tore off Berlin newspaper http://members. Werneuchen Germany two of three of 28/10/2002 aol.com/fsweme blades on a dien/ZZUnfalldat turbine at ei_00_02.htm Loehme (Barnim). Pieces hurled "far" but no distance data. 162 Blade failure 27/10/2002 Duelken, Viersen Westphalia, NEG Micon Blade bent then Rheini Post http://members. Germany broke in storm 28/10/2002 aol.com/fsweme and CR Viersen dien/ZZUnfalldat 29/10/2002 ei_00_02.htm
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum 163 Structural failure 27/10/2002 Goldenstedt Lower Saxony, GET 41a Turbine TV news NDR http://members. http://members. Ellenstedt Germany 600kW. Hub completely 27/10 and aol.com/fsweme aol.com/hierony height 70m, toppled in storm 28/10. Also dien/ZZUnfalldat musbosch2/eilen rotor diameter - concrete base Oldenburgi ei_00_02.htm stedtpresse.jpg 41m pulled out of newspaper. ground. Extensive photos Operational available. since 1/1/1997. Weights: rotor = 10.3Te, hub = 26Te, tower 80Te. 164 Blade failure 28/10/2002 Tauernwindpark Austria Vesta V66 Turbine blades Developer's http://members. http://www.igwin Oberzeiring, on turbine being website aol.com/fsweme dkraft.at/aktuell/ Steiermark installed dien/ZZUnfalldat a_archiv2.htm damaged during ei_00_02.htm storm. Winds reported at 130 km/hr. 165 Structural failure 29/10/2002 Navöygavlen Norway Nordex Nacelle and Nordex AG http://www.ventu http://members. rotor severed statement dated svigor.com/mod aol.com/fsweme from the tower 5 Nov 2002. ules.php?name= dien/ZZUnfalldat following Also Ventus News&file=articl ei_00_02.htm problems with Vigor wind e&sid=121 control system. energy portal Operators online. Also appear to have “Accidents”, D over-riden the Krämer, BLS, safety system on Dec. 2000 the turbine brakes 166 Blade failure 04/11/2002 Tjaereborg, Denmark Vestas V80 2.0 All three blades Nordfriesland http://www.ventu http://members. Esbjerg MW damaged. paper of svigor.com/mod aol.com/fsweme Turbine still 6.11.2002. ules.php?name= dien/ZZUnfalldat being Ventus Vigor News&file=print ei_00_02.htm
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum commissioned. wind energy &sid=122 Wind speed only portal online. 5-8 m/s (Force Also Windpower 4) Monthly December 2002 167 Lightning 05/11/2002 Laubuseschbach, Hessen, Fuhrländer Lightning strike Weilburger daily http://members. Limburg Germany paralysed newspaper aol.com/fsweme turbines and 13/11/2002 dien/ZZUnfalldat knocked out a ei_00_02.htm rotor blade for brand new turbines not yet commissioned. The site has a high lightning strike rate and the development was rushed through by the local authority 168 Transport 15/11/2002 Hersfeld/Huenfel Hessen, Not applicable 56 tonne turbine Darmstaedter http://members. http://mitglied.ly d Germany section fell off Echo aol.com/fsweme cos.de/WilfriedH overnight from 16/11/2002. dien/ZZUnfalldat eck/unfall2.htm transporter on Also Weilburger ei_00_02.htm public road Daily 16/11/2002 169 Transport 19/11/2002 Dahlenburg, Germany Not applicable Transporter Lueneburger http://members. Lueneburger sagged but newspaper of aol.com/fsweme fortunately did 20/11/2002 dien/ZZUnfalldat not fully tilt. ei_00_02.htm Main road to Dahlenburg Tosterglope closed until the following
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum morning 170 Structural failure 19/11/2002 Wachusett Wind United States Anemometer Anemometer "Brief on the http://www.princ Site, Princeton, tower 130 feet dangers of ice etonwindfarm.co MA high collapsed and structural m/Wachusett%2 following an ice failure at the 0Mountain%20 storm. The proposed Wind%20Farm% tower had been Wachusett 20Danger%20Br installed in July reservation ief.pdf 2000. It was windfarm, only 110 feet presented to: from a public The Joint trail. Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets at a public hearing on Bill S.40, Tuesday, July 5, 2005. With photos." 171 Transport 03/12/2002 Oberlieck, Germany Not applicable "Turbine Aachener http://members. Heinsberg transport causes messenger aol.com/fsweme substantial newspaper 4 dien/ZZUnfalldat damage". Road, Dec 2002 ei_00_02.htm roundabout and housing badly damaged after turbine transporter slid on roundabout. Road between Breberen and Saeffelen closed for 3 hours.
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum 172 Ice throw 08/12/2002 Muensingen, Wuerttemberg, Ice throws Private website http://members. http://mitglied.ly Reutlingen Germany observed and with photographs aol.com/fsweme cos.de/WilfriedH photographed and records dien/ZZUnfalldat eck/eiswurf7.htm up to 130m from ei_00_02.htm turbine on Dec 7th and 8th 2002. Pieces weighing up to 1.6kg 173 Structural failure 18/12/2002 Schneeberg, Germany Vestas V80 Complete Press release by http://www.vesta http://members. Kirchheimboland 2.0MW collapse of tower Vestas (see s.com/nyheder/p aol.com/fsweme en during online). Also resse/2002/UK/ dien/ZZUnfalldat commissioning. Windpower pres20021220u ei_00_02.htm Turbine had Monthly January k.html been up for 2 2003. Also weeks. Put down Rheinpfalz to faulty welding 19.12.2002. Photos 174 Blade failure - 28/12/2002 Nevian, Aude France 600kW, 75m Blade torn off "Rapport sur la http://ventduboc http://ventduboc structural failure total height during storm sécurité des age.net/accident age.net/accident followed by installations .htm 10.htm collapse of the éoliennes", turbine mast. Conseil général The turbine was des Mines, N° being installed at 04-5. Ministere the time. The de l’economie second of des finances et several such de l’industrie, French incidents Republique which led to a Francaise, July formal 2004. investigation of wind turbine safety
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum 175 Miscellaneous 2003 Bouin en Vendée France 2MW Turbine bases Internet http://ventduboc found to have age.net/accident cracks and .htm breaks. Constructed in 2002, operational from June 2003. 176 Environmental 27/01/2003 Ober-Flörsheim Germany Turbine Rhein-Mainer http://members. damage bei Alzey im constructed in from 29.1.2003 aol.com/fsweme Kreis Alzey- December 2002 + dien/ZZUnfalldat Worms / and leaking oil http://huegellan ei.htm Rheinland-Pfalz into the d.tripod.com/ surrounding land. Attempts to capture the oil with granules failed. Quantity of oil not known. Local newspaper reported the leak which had been ongoing for over 1 month when discovered 177 Component 01/02/2003 Canada Nordex 1.3MW "Gearbox failure Windpower failure damages Monthly turbine". Date is February 2003 of magazine publication 178 Fire 02/02/2003 Geesthacht im Germany Enercon Total destruction TAZ Hamburg, http://members. Kreis Herzogtum of 40m tower 3.2.2003 aol.com/fsweme Lauenburg / and turbine by dien/ZZUnfalldat Schleswig- fire. Fire was ei.htm Holstein un-noticed and
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum the fire brigade were not called out. Total loss. 179 Blade failure 25/02/2003 Salles-Limousis, France 750kW Three blades """Rapport sur la http://translate.g http://ventduboc Aude broke off during sécurité des oogle.com/transl age.net/accident storm - from installations ate?hl=en&sl=fr .htm three separate éoliennes"", &u=http://www.j turbines. Conseil général uracretes.ch/cent Turbines were des Mines, N° re1.asp/1-3- constructed in 04-5. Ministere 1301-145-83- July 1998. de l’economie 1/0-0-884-147- Following the des finances et 70- incident, 7 out of de l’industrie, 0/&prev=/searc the 10 turbines Republique h%3Fq%3DSall% on this site were Francaise, July 25C3%25A8les shut down and 2004. Also La %2Bpales%2Bbri were eventually Dépêche of 26 s%25C3%25A9e dismantled February 2003 s%26hl%3Den% " 26lr%3D%26sa %3DG 180 Structural failure 01/03/2003 Wachusett Wind United States Anemometer Anemometer "Brief on the http://www.princ Site, Princeton, tower 165 feet dangers of ice etonwindfarm.co MA high collapsed. and structural m/Wachusett%2 The tower had failure at the 0Mountain%20 been installed proposed Wind%20Farm% two months Wachusett 20Danger%20Br previously. Date reservation ief.pdf uncertaiun - windfarm, simply says presented to: "March 2003" The Joint Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets at a public hearing on Bill S.40,
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum Tuesday, July 5, 2005. With photos." 181 Fatal - driver 07/03/2003 Erneuter Westphalia, Third of three Kölner http://members. distraction - Tödlicher Germany public fatalities Stadtanzeiger- aol.com/fsweme public fatality Autounfall bei at the same Erftkreis from dien/ZZUnfalldat Erftstadt-Erp location put 8.3.2003 ei.htm down to driver distraction. 25 year old driver of red Audi. Accident spot is where turbines become visible to drivers - on circular road 33 (Kreisstraße 33) 182 Structural failure 05/04/2003 Reinsberg im Saxony, Tacke 600a, A spring storm MDR- http://members. http://www.gem Kreis Freiberg / Germany 600kW, hub totally destroyed Radionachrichten aol.com/fsweme einde- Sachsen 70m, rotor a turbine. of 5.4.2002. dien/ZZUnfalldat reinsberg.de/tipp diameter 46m Automatic shut Also internet ei.htm s/aktuell_2.htm down failed and http://www.freie it ran out of presse.de/TEXTE control prior to /NACHRICHTEN destruction. /REGIONAL/ERZ Rotor blade GEBIRGE/FREIB points computed ERG/TEXTE/590 to reach speeds 200.html and of 800km/hr. http://www.sz- Blade pieces online.de/nachri were found chten/artikel.asp 500m away from ?id=468790 the turbine. Also see detailed Houses are internet report situated 400m with photos from the turbine (second right)
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum - luckily in the opposite direction. Surrounding roads were closed off. Year of construction 1999. Oil also spilled into the surrounding ground (see separate entry) 183 Environmental 05/04/2003 Reinsberg im Saxony, Tacke 600a, Turbine MDR- http://members. http://www.gem damage Kreis Freiberg / Germany 600kW, hub destroyed by Radionachrichten aol.com/fsweme einde- Sachsen 70m, rotor storm spilled oil of 5.4.2002. dien/ZZUnfalldat reinsberg.de/tipp diameter 46m over a wide Also internet ei.htm s/aktuell_2.htm area. This is in a http://www.freie protected area presse.de/TEXTE for drinking /NACHRICHTEN water supply. /REGIONAL/ERZ Possible GEBIRGE/FREIB prosecution ERG/TEXTE/590 threatened (no 200.html and information on http://www.sz- whether it was online.de/nachri carried out) chten/artikel.asp ?id=468790 Also see detailed internet report with photos (second right) 184 Fire 15/04/2003 Greußen im Germany RePower 1.5 The first of 2 fires Thüringer http://members. Kyffhäuserkreis / MW at the same Allgemeine, aol.com/fsweme Thüringen turbine within 3 12.5.2003. dien/ZZUnfalldat weeks. This one Photos. ei.htm was in the
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum switchgear housing within the tower. Year of construction 2003 185 Component 21/04/2003 Iven im Kreis Germany Rotor exchange Nordkurier, http://members. failure Ostvorpommern required due to 30.7.2003 aol.com/fsweme / Mecklenburg- mechanical dien/ZZUnfalldat Vorpommern problems ei.htm 186 Environmental 04/05/2003 Dortmund- Westphalia, General Electric Oil leak into Homepage from http://members. damage Eichlinghofen Germany 1.5MW, 100m surrounding 8.5.03 aol.com/fsweme hub, 77m rotor ground reported http://www.eichli dien/ZZUnfalldat diameter over several days nghofen- ei.htm online.de/Aktuell es/aktuelles.html #Wind 187 Fire 11/05/2003 Greußen im Germany RePower 1.5 Lightning strike Thüringer http://members. http://members. Kyffhäuserkreis / MW assumed - lound Allgemeine, aol.com/fsweme aol.com/hierony Thüringen "bang" reported 12.5.2003. dien/ZZUnfalldat musbosch2/Gre at 0500. Fire Photos. ei.htm ussen.htm brigade called out but could do nothing because of the height. 4m piece of blazing blade reported to fall off. Year of construction 2003. Earlier fire at same turbine on 15/4/2003 188 Blade failure 08/06/2003 Damme im Lower Saxony, Vestas V80 Lightning dame Eyewitness http://members. Landkreis Vechta Germany to turbine reports and local aol.com/fsweme
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum / Niedersachsen blades. Blade newspaper dien/ZZUnfalldat parts scattered Photos ei.htm over approx 150m area from the turbine. Blade pieces collected by operators who denied damage. Turbine built in 2001 189 Structural failure 15/06/2003 Colorado USA WTC The May 2002 Info from http://www.windt accident caused developers own urbinecompany.c an undetected website om/milestones/ crack in the turbine's rotorshaft and led to a second accident in June 2003. Date simply used as mid-point for the month 190 Blade failure 14/07/2003 Köstorf im Kreis Lower Saxony, Despite being Lüneburger http://members. Lüneburg / Germany fitted with Zeitung, aol.com/fsweme Niedersachsen lightning 15.7.2003 dien/ZZUnfalldat conductors, a ei.htm lightning strike damaged turbine blades. Blade tips were broken off. Witnesses report a very loud "bang" when the lightning hit.
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum 191 Blade damage 15/07/2003 Kirburg bei Bad Germany Lightning strike Eyewitness http://members. Marienberg / to two turbines - reports and aol.com/fsweme Rheinland-Pfalz damage to 65594 Runkel. dien/ZZUnfalldat multiple blades Photos ei.htm on each. 192 Environmental 18/07/2003 Lemgo Kreis Westphalia, DeWind Leak of 160 litres Eyewitness, http://members. damage Lippe Germany of hydraulic fluid police and fire aol.com/fsweme into the brigade reports dien/ZZUnfalldat surrounding ei.htm ground. It ran down the mast and also to the end of each blade and so was distributed over a wide area. The area is a protected area used for drinking water supply. 193 Construction 28/07/2003 Windpark Germany 80 tonne, 25m Ostfriesische http://members. Fiebig/Ostfriesla crane fell over Nachrichten aol.com/fsweme nd during turbine 1.8.2003 dien/ZZUnfalldat assembly ei.htm 194 Fire and 15/08/2003 Schwochel bei Germany Vestas V52 Three mechanics Lübecker http://members. http://members. explosion Ahrensbök im 850kW were working on Nachrichten, aol.com/fsweme aol.com/hierony Kreis Ostholstein the turbine when 22.8.03. Also dien/ZZUnfalldat musbosch2/Lueb / Schleswig- they noticed a see ei.htm eckerNachrichte Holstein fire. They http://members. n1.GIF escaped but had aol.com/hierony to undergo musbosch2/Lueb hospital eckerNachrichte treatment for n2.GIF fume inhalation.
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum An explosion followed which destroyed the turbine housing. This was later put down to brake failure (the turbine was spinning out of control). 195 Blade failure 23/08/2003 Opitzhöhe nahe Saxony, Lightning Sächsische http://members. Groß-Opitz bei Germany damage to blade Zeitung, 29.8.03 aol.com/fsweme Dresden / tip. Turbine dien/ZZUnfalldat Sachsen safely shut down. ei.htm Blade eventually replaced 196 Fatal - explosion 18/09/2003 Tres Vaqueros United States Howden 330 Marty Evans, 34. Kittitas County, http://www.co.kit http://www.wind- - fire Wind Farm, kW, built in At the time of the Desert Claim titas.wa.us/cds/f works.org/article Byron, Alamont 1985 accident the Wind Power eis/FEIS/Chapter s/BreathLife.html Pass, CA employee was Project, Final 3/3.8Health.pdf performing a EIS, Chapter 3, manual switching page 3-165. operation on a Also Wind pad-mounted Energy -- The electrical Breath of Life or transformer. An the Kiss of explosion Death: occurred during Contemporary the switching Wind Mortality operation. The Rates, by Paul employee died Gipe the following day from injuries sustained in the explosion. The explosion ignited
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum a fire at the base of the turbine, for which the California Department of Forestry (CDF) was immediately notified. 197 Fatal 15/10/2003 Neuruppen Brandenburg, Enercon E66 Un-named, 25- Wind Energy -- http://www.wind- http://members. Germany year old man, The Breath of works.org/article aol.com/fsweme working on Life or the Kiss of s/FallfromE66.ht dien/ZZUnfalldat ladder rail, Death: ml ei.htm disconnected Contemporary rail, fell 30m Wind Mortality through Rates, by Paul platform, hit Gipe. Also head on lower Prinzitger Zeitung platform rail. newspaper 16/10/2003, message broadcast 15/10/2003 and newspaper death notice 198 Environmental 16/10/2003 Derrybrian, Ireland In October RTE News 17 http://www.mon http://www.revolt damage - County Galway 2003, a major Oct 2003. See: asette.com/archi .co.uk/new/rnew property damage landslide http://www.rte.ie ve/000252.html s179.php involving more /news/2003/10 than a half 17/landslide.htm million cubic l. Also photos in metres of peat North Atlantic took place over news a distance of two kilometres at Derrybrien, County Galway,
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum damaging property and killing an estimated 50,000 fish. The landslide was caused by work on Ireland’s largest wind- farm project. The EC are taking Ireland's government to the European Court of Justice over the incident, which the EC describes as an "environmental disaster" Ref EIHP 14-April 2005 - see http://www.eihp. hr/english/detalj nije.php?id=126 199 Blade failure 01/11/2003 Wachusett Wind United States 120 foot tower All three blades "Brief on the http://www.princ Site, Princeton, disintegrated on dangers of ice etonwindfarm.co MA existing wind and structural m/Wachusett%2 tower generator. failure at the 0Mountain%20 An anchoring pin proposed Wind%20Farm% gave way, Wachusett 20Danger%20Br allowing the reservation ief.pdf tower to tilt windfarm, forward until the presented to: rotating blades The Joint struck the tower. Committee on
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum The blades Bonding, Capital disintegrated Expenditures and showering the State Assets at a area with debris public hearing - some up to 5 on Bill S.40, feet long. Date Tuesday, July 5, uncertain - 2005. With simply refers to photos." "November 2003" 200 Fire 08/11/2003 Sitzerath bei Germany Turbine fire at Saarbrücker http://members. Nonnweiler im 80m height. Zeitung, aol.com/fsweme Kreis St. Wendel Mechanical 10.11.03 dien/ZZUnfalldat / Saarland source quoted ei.htm "probably the engine overheated" said police. Fire brigade could do nothing due to the height of the fire. Surrounding districts closed off until the fire burned itself out. 201 Blade failure 15/11/2003 Salles-Limousis, France 750kW Three turbines Midi Libre, http://ventduboc Aude with broken Saturday 15 Nov age.net/accident blades, 48m 2003 9.htm high, 43m diameter blades. 21.7m blade piece weighing 2 tonnes thrown. Smaller pieces thrown as far as
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum 100m from turbine. 202 Blade failure 15/12/2003 Windpark Klein- Lower Saxony, Vestas V80 Damage to rotor Anzeiger für http://members. Wassens bei Germany blade by Harlingerland aol.com/fsweme Jever, im Kreis lightning. 16.12.2003 dien/ZZUnfalldat Friesland / Residents (front page) and ei.htm Niedersachsen informed police. Jeversches Turbine safely Wochenblatt shut down with 16.12.2003 blade remaining attached. 203 Blade failure 16/12/2003 Windpark Westphalia, 37m long blade Rheinische Post http://members. Grevenbroich Germany section bent in and the aol.com/fsweme bei Neuss storm. Turbine Westdeutsche dien/ZZUnfalldat safely shut down. Zeitung, ei.htm Blade did not fall 17.12.2003 off. 204 Blade failure / 23/12/2003 Zobes, Saxony, NED WIND Lightning strike "Freie Presse" http://members. fire Gemeinde Germany 40m high destroyed a and aol.com/fsweme Neuensalz im blade and "Vogtlandanzeige dien/ZZUnfalldat Vogtlandkreis / started a fire r" from 27 and ei.htm Sachsen which destroyed 28.12.2003. part of the Photos. turbine housing. One blade badly bent, remained on the turbine. A second blade fell off. Constructed in 1994 205 Fire 26/12/2003 Bad Westphalia, Enercon E66 Fire started in the "Neue http://members. Wünnenberg Germany 1.8MW turbine housing Westfälische", aol.com/fsweme bei Paderborn and eventually "Westfalenblatt" dien/ZZUnfalldat two blazing and other local ei.htm
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum blades fell off. media from 27 Burning debris and reported to travel 28.12.2003. several hundred Photos meters. Fire brigade could do nothing because of the height. 206 Blade failure 29/12/2003 Windpark France Lagerwey 750kw Blade parts Local http://members. http://www.eolie Boulogne-sur- weighing several newspapers in aol.com/fsweme nnes.net/article.p Mer tonnes fell onto Boulogne-sur- dien/ZZUnfalldat hp?sid=1098 an area used by Mer and internet ei.htm local fishermen site and walkers. "www.eoliennes. "Pure luck" that net" no-one was injured. Area closed off to public. Boulogne prosecutors office undertaking investigation. Another French incidents which led to a formal investigation of wind turbine safety 207 Fatal 2004 Sweden Vestas "In 2004, Vestas Vestas 2004 http://www.vesta Northern Europe Annual Report s.com/pdf/miljoe experienced a /anlaegsomraad fatal accident in er_uk/2004/489 Sweden. The 64%20VES%20B cause of the la%20Videbaek
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum incident has %20UK.pdf been investigated, and the investigation concluded that the wind turbine, the documentation of the working procedure and the training supplied were all in accordance with current demands. The accident occurred because safety regulations had been disregarded." Quote from Annual Report 208 Structural failure 01/01/2004 Portal, France Lagerwey 750kw 30m turbine Windpower http://www.espa http://ventduboc Boulogne-sur- collapsed during Monthly May ce- age.net/accident Mer a storm. Two 2004. Also eolien.fr/lille/cen 3.htm blade first broke Dunkerque - trportel.htm off (2 days Voix de Nord earlier?), 2/2/2004. Also followed by "Rapport sur la collapse of the sécurité des turbine mast. installations Total loss. The éoliennes", third of several Conseil général such French des Mines, N° incidents which 04-5. Ministere
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum led to a formal de l’economie investigation of des finances et wind turbine de l’industrie, safety. Local Republique newspaper Francaise, July reports 80 2004. tonnes fell to ground. 209 Blade failure 09/01/2004 Windpark East Belgium Vestas V80 2MW Lightning strike Grenz-Echo http://members. Roderhöhe bei led to exploding ("Border Echo" - aol.com/fsweme Eupen blade. Also German dien/ZZUnfalldat lightning language ei.htm damage Belgian reported to newspaper), generator 27.1.2004 210 Blade failure 15/01/2004 Windpark Sas, Holland Three blades lost Zeeland Local http://members. http://wilfriedhec Wilhelminadorp after lightning Radio of aol.com/fsweme k.tripod.com/ in der Provinz strike. Akll three 16/1/2004 dien/ZZUnfalldat Zeeland blades exploded ei.htm due to the heat of the strike. 211 Blade failure 09/02/2004 Oederquart bei Lower Saxony, Vestas V66 2 tonne piece of Stader Tageblatt, http://members. http://www.tage Stade / Germany blade broke off 10.2.2004 aol.com/fsweme blatt.de/db/main Niedersachsen and travelled dien/ZZUnfalldat .cfm?DID=1462 66m. Cause - ei_00_02.htm 83 pin breaking. Identical accident to one of 15/3/2001 212 Blade failure 09/02/2004 Groß Bieberau- Germany Blades torn off Darmstädter http://members. Hippelsbach im during storm. Echo, aol.com/fsweme Kreis Darmstadt- Small 5kW 10.2.2004 dien/ZZUnfalldat Dieburg / turbine only, ei.htm Hessen initially constructed as a
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum pilot project in 1995 213 Blade failure 22/02/2004 Puschwitz bei Saxony, Vestas V80 10m section of Sächsische http://members. http://www.sz- Bautzen / Germany blade broken off Zeitung, aol.com/fsweme online.de/nachri Sachsen by the wind, 24.2.2004 dien/ZZUnfalldat chten/artikel.asp travelled 20m. A ei.htm ?id=577567 further 6m piece travelled 40m. Pieces confirmed to 200m from turbine. Constructed in 2001. A similar (almost identical) incident took place at the same site on 5/4/2004. Lightning damage in mid- February suspected to have weakened the blades. 214 Ice throw 26/02/2004 Lankern bei Westphalia, Four out of five Bocholt-Borkener http://members. Dingden, nahe Germany turbines closed Volksblatt, aol.com/fsweme Hamminkeln down because of 28.2.2004 dien/ZZUnfalldat Kreis Wesel danger to people ei.htm from thrown ice. Up to 0.5m pieces reported but no distance data. Residents informed police who insisted on shutdown.
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum Shutdown between 2 and 3 days 215 Structural failure 20/03/2004 Loon Plage, Port France Lagerwey 300kw 30m high turbine Windpower http://ventduboc http://www.espa de Dunkerque collapsed during Monthly May age.net/accident ce- a storm on 2004. Also 5.htm eolien.fr/lille/VD March 20. The Dunkerque - N_dunk.htm#Edi third incident Voix de Nord tion%20du%20D since the turbines 20/3/2004 and imanche%2021 were built in 21/3/2004. %20Mars%2020 1997. The Also Rapport sur 04 turbines were la sécurité des later dismantled installations for safety éoliennes. reasons. Conseil général Previous des Mines, N° incidents include 04-5. Ministere turbine collapse de l’economie on January 1 des finances et and the breaking de l’industrie, of a blade in Republique February 2002 Francaise, July at Wormhout. 2004. Following this incident, the French carried out a formal investigation of wind turbine safety, published in July 2004 216 Blade failure 21/03/2004 Carolinensiel in Saxony, Tacke TW-600 Rotor blade bent Jeversches http://members. Ostfriesland / Germany during storm. Wochenblatt aol.com/fsweme Niedersachsen Some pieces flew 22.03.2004 dien/ZZUnfalldat off. No further ei.htm data.
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum 217 Blade failure 05/04/2004 Puschwitz bei Saxony, Vestas V80 10m section of MDR- http://members. Bautzen / Germany blade broken off Fernsehbericht aol.com/fsweme Sachsen by the wind. TV with pictures dien/ZZUnfalldat pictures showed from Tag, ei.htm blade part 6.4.2004 hanging from the rotor. Constructed in 2001. Second such accident at the same site - previous one on 22/2/2004 218 Blade failure 01/05/2004 Bassen bei Lower Saxony, Vestas V66 Lightning strike Verdener http://members. Oyten im Kreis Germany destroyed the Allerzeitung, aol.com/fsweme Verden /Aller / blades, close to 28.5.2004 dien/ZZUnfalldat Niedersachsen motorway A1. ei.htm
219 Blade failure 18/05/2004 Dautenheim bei Germany 54m rotor Broken rotor Main-Rheiner http://members. Alzey im Kreis reported. from 18.6.2004 aol.com/fsweme Alzey-Worms / Turbines dien/ZZUnfalldat Rheinland-Pfalz constructed in ei.htm 2000. 220 Fire 09/06/2004 Wulfshagen/Tütt Germany NEC MICON Lightning strike Spiegel Online, http://members. endorf im Kreis 2MW caused the www.tagesschau. aol.com/fsweme Rendsburg- Tuttendorf de and others dien/ZZUnfalldat Eckernförde / turbine fire, ei.htm Schleswig- despite lightning Holstein "protection" fitted to turbine. At 64m high, the fire brigade could do nothing but seal the area and watch.
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum Federal highway 73 was closed for some time. Photos clearly show burning debris being spread across the area. 221 Mechanical 17/06/2004 Horns Rev Denmark Vestas Report that all Die Zeit from http://members. failure offshore wind 80 offshore 17.6.2004 aol.com/fsweme park turbines at Horns (supplement) dien/ZZUnfalldat Rev need to be ei.htm taken ashore for repair due to transformer and generator failure. 222 Blade failure 28/06/2004 St. Thegonnec, France 300kW Turbine blade Ouest France, http://ade62.net Pleyber-Christ, bent and vendredi 9 juillet /breve.php3?id_ Finistere, Brittany damaged its 2004. Also: breve=9 mast. First of Rapport sur la two incidents in sécurité des ten days. Safety installations concerns. éoliennes. Conseil général des Mines, N° 04-5. Ministere de l’economie des finances et de l’industrie, Republique Francaise, July 2004. 223 Mechanical 30/06/2004 Windy Hill wind Australia 600kW Enercon, "Windy Hill Wind Stanwell http://www.stan failure farm, installed 1999- Farm turbines Corporation well.com/PDF/S Ravenshoe, 2000 were found to 2004 Annual CL_ANNUAL_RE
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum Cairns, have a type fault Report, July PORT_2004.pdf Queensland related to its 2003-June 2004 main carrier bearing. The plant supplier replaced all affected parts and is working with Stanwell on a long-term solution to this issue. Date uncertain - sometime between July 2003 and June 2004" 224 Blade failure 08/07/2004 St. Thegonnec, France 300kW Three pieces of Ouest France, http://ade62.net Pleyber-Christ, blade from one vendredi 9 juillet /breve.php3?id_ Finistere, Brittany of the five 2004. Also: breve=9 turbines were Rapport sur la found in a field. sécurité des Two pieces 2.5m installations long, the third éoliennes. piece 1.5m long. Conseil général Second such des Mines, N° incident in ten 04-5. Ministere days. Safety de l’economie concerns. des finances et de l’industrie, Republique Francaise, July 2004. 225 Fatal 16/07/2004 Wittmund in Lower Saxony, Enercon E66 34-year old Wind Energy -- http://members. Ostfriesland / Germany Enercon service The Breath of aol.com/fsweme Niedersachsen technician Alwin Life or the Kiss of dien/ZZUnfalldat
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum K. fell from the Death: ei.htm turbine to his Contemporary death Wind Mortality Rates, by Paul Gipe. Updated May 2005. Also Death notice in Anzeiger für Harlingerland Wittmund and supplemental information 226 Human injury 28/07/2004 Windpark Germany Blade part fell Polizeiinspektion http://members. Schwirzheim from a crane, Prüm and aol.com/fsweme nahe Büdesheim injuring a 42- Trierischer dien/ZZUnfalldat bei Prüm im year old worker. Volksfreund from ei.htm Kreis Bitburg- He was on a 29.7.2004 Prüm / platform 12m up Rheinland-Pfalz at the time - knocked down to a height of 4m during the accident. He had to be rescued by fire brigade, and later underwent emergency surgery at Trier. 227 Fire 09/08/2004 Isselburg im Westphalia, Fire at 96m Polizei Borken, http://members. http://www.wdr. Kreis Borken Germany height in Borkener aol.com/fsweme de/themen/pano Isselburg. Cause Zeitung, dien/ZZUnfalldat rama/brand01/ unknown. Fire Westdeutscher ei.htm windkraftanlage/ brigade could do Rundfunk from index.jhtml nothing due to 9.8.2004 and height. 10.8.2004
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum Surrounding area closed off until fire burned out. No injuries 228 Blade failure 31/08/2004 Zeebrugge Belgium The three tonne Het Gazet van http://www.expat propeller blade Antwerpen 31 ica.com/source/ became August 2004. site_article.asp?s detached and Also Wind Farm ubchannel_id=4 was blown 100 Monthly, 8&story_id=112 metres through October 2004 61 the air. It landed not far from the nearby natural gas terminal. Date is of newspaper article 229 Blade failure 01/09/2004 Helmshagen bei Germany Vestas Blade thrown Ostsee-Zeitung http://members. Greifswald / from turbine. Greifswald from aol.com/fsweme Mecklenburg- No further 3.9.2004 dien/ZZUnfalldat Vorpommern details ei.htm 230 Environmental 1/8/2004 to Charleston, West USA Various "A study of wind Eyewitness News, http://www.wchst 13/9/2004 Virginia farms in West June 6 2005 v.com/newsroom Virginia and /wv/news11.sht Pennsylvania ml estimates as many as 2,600 bats were killed by the whirling blades during a six-week period during 2004. Researchers estimate that between 13-
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum hundred and nearly two- thousand bats were actually killed in that period at the Mountaineer Wind Energy site in Tucker County. The study estimates another 400 to 600 were killed at the Meyersdale Wind Energy Center in Pennsylvania. The site has 20 wind towers. Between August First and September 13th, 2004, researchers with the Bats and Wind Energy Cooperative found 765 dead bats on the ground at the Mountaineer site, which has 44 wind towers. " 231 Fatal 14/09/2004 Meyersdale, USA 1.6MW, 52 year old Wind Energy -- http://www.philly Somerset, PA probably Vestas Dane Niels Otto The Breath of burbs.com/pb-
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum Andersen Life or the Kiss of dyn/news/103- Sjolander was Death: 09142004- killed after falling Contemporary 365282.html 60 feet to his Wind Mortality death. He had Rates, by Paul completed Gipe. Updated maintenance on May 2005. Also the turbine and Wind Power was being Monthly, lowered to the October 2004. ground when the Also Associated turbine started Press report turning and 14/9/2004 broke the arm of the crane. He was knocked out of the basket and fell to his death. Date given is of Associated Press report (see "Phillyburbs" weblink) 232 Ice throw 14/11/2004 Carzig im Kreis Germany 30cm pieces of Märkische http://members. Märkisch ice reported Oderzeitung, aol.com/fsweme Oderland / thrown 75m to 17.11.04 dien/ZZUnfalldat Brandenburg nearby road. ei.htm No injuries. Ice thrown at turbine start up following shut-down due to ice formation! 233 Transport - 25/11/2004 Niederkirchen Germany 45m turbine Saarbrücker http://members. http://members. public damage bei St. Wendel / section rammed Zeitung-Ausgabe aol.com/fsweme aol.com/hierony Saarland a house, causing St. Wendeler dien/ZZUnfalldat musbosch2/Nied significant Zeitung from ei.htm erkirchen_bericht
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum damage. House 26.11.2004 .jpg had to be supported due to structural damage caused. Road closed for considerable time. Danish truck and driver. 234 Fire 07/12/2004 Schaller, near United States MidAmerican Firemen climb "Firemen climb http://www.zwire Storm Lake, IA Energy 213 feet tower to 213-ft Tower In .com/site/news.c rescue two Rescue", Dec 7 fm?newsid=135 electrical workers 2004, Zwire 05645&BRD=1 following a fire. news 304&PAG=461 Fire started &dept_id=1804 following refit 85&rfi=6 and testing of components 235 Ice throw 12/12/2004 Rhede, Kreis Westphalia, 30cm long and Borkener http://members. Borken Germany several cm thick Zeitung, aol.com/fsweme pieces of ice 14.12.2004. dien/ZZUnfalldat reported thrown Also police ei.htm onto road and report cycle tracks during weekend. Turbine shut down. Police report is available. No injuries 236 Ice throw 12/12/2004 Lankern bei Westphalia, All five turbines Rheinische Post http://members. Dingden, nahe Germany on site reported Wesel, aol.com/fsweme Hamminkeln to throw ice 13.12.2004. dien/ZZUnfalldat Kreis Wesel despite being Photos ei.htm fitted with ice
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum sensors. Up to 50 pieces of ice found by reporter, to 100m from turbines and across the B473 road. Some sharp pieces of ice reported "rammed into the ground". What would it have done to a person? 237 Transport 18/12/2004 BAB A 5 bei Germany Turbine section Bild am Sonntag http://members. Alsfeld, fell of transporter 19.12.2004, aol.com/fsweme Vogelsbergkreis / and blocked Frankfurter Neue dien/ZZUnfalldat Hessen motorway A5 for Presse from ei.htm 14 hours in both 20.12.04 u.a. driving Zeitungen directions. Accident put down to excessive speed. No-one hurt 238 Blade failure 22/12/2004 Windparks France Three blades lost La Tribune http://members. http://ventduboc Montjoyer/Roche from turbine only Montelimar 30 aol.com/fsweme age.net/accident fort-en-Valdaine 15 days after Dec 2004 dien/ZZUnfalldat 2.htm startup. ei.htm Following maintenance, the turbine gave out more noise than normal and this got worse over
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum several days. A fire then started. A blade came off approx 1 hour after that, then the second and third blades fell off. Police and fire brigade were called. No-one hurt. A brake fault has been acknowledged - turbine was turning at 50rpm (2 times normal speed). 239 Mechanical 30/12/2004 Pattensen bei Lower Saxony, AT Bonus 1300 Rotor cap Allgemeinen http://members. failure Hannover / Germany reported to fall Zeitung from aol.com/fsweme Niedersachsen off the turbine 31.12.2004 dien/ZZUnfalldat onto the ei.htm surrounding ground sometime between 30 and 31 December 240 Environmental 17/01/2005 Schluechtern Germany 3 x WindWorld Loss of hydraulic Detailed local http://members. damage Hohenzell in the 600kW fluid into reports and aol.com/fsweme Main Kinzig surrounding photos from dien/ZZUnfalldat circle/Hessen ground. Serious adjoining owners ei.htm concerns over environmental pollution from all three turbines - which have been in place since
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum 1998. Local environmental regulator considering prosecution. (Outcome not known) 241 Blade failure 20/01/2005 Udby, north of Denmark 100 foot turbine Turbine running Danish TV article http://www.tv2re http://ventduboc Vordingborg out of control - online report. gionerne.dk/Def age.net/accident (braking failure) Also second TV ault.asp?r=3&Id 6.htm – the three 30m report online =225094 blades broke off with pieces thrown over a large area. Residents evacuated from homes. Luckily no injuries or property damage. 242 Ice throw 30/01/2005 Bölling bei Dahl, Westphalia, Three members Westfalenpost http://members. Stadtgebiet Germany of the public from 1 Feb 2005 aol.com/fsweme Hagen/Westf. im heard four and Hagener dien/ZZUnfalldat Kreis Hagen, "bangs" from the Stadtanzeiger ei.htm Bölling turbines from 2 Feb while walking 2005. near them. They also observed snow thrown up near them. Thinking gun shots, they informed the police. It was discovered to be
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum ice thrown from the turbines. They were shut down.
243 Ice throw 01/02/2005 Schlüchtern- Germany WindWorld Ice throw on Report from city http://members. Hohenzell im 600kW January 31st and administration aol.com/fsweme Main-Kinzig- February 1st. and report plus dien/ZZUnfalldat Kreis / Hessen Pieces approx photos from ei.htm 1.5m x 0.45m neighbours thrown 140m. Landed on local road. Traffic now banned which means large detours and loss of amenity. 244 Mechanical 01/02/2005 Dorsten-Lembeck Germany GE 1.5 MW Rotor damage Detailed private http://members. failure by Marl, and replacement report and aol.com/fsweme Westfalia after only 14 photos. dien/ZZUnfalldat months of ei.htm operation. 245 Human injury 02/02/2005 Voigtstedt / Germany 30-year old Thüringer http://members. Thüringen mechanic from Allgemeine from aol.com/fsweme Helbra injured 3.2.2005 dien/ZZUnfalldat doing repair ei.htm work. Injury crushed his foot, he then fell off the turbine top. His life was saved by a safety harness. Arterner fire
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum brigade eventually retrieved him. 246 Mechanical 02/02/2005 Dorsten-Lembeck Westphalia, GE 1.5 MW Complete rotor Detailed http://members. failure bei Marl Germany replacement operator reports aol.com/fsweme following plus reports and dien/ZZUnfalldat problems with photos from ei.htm Actuators. neighbours Turbine only 14 months old 247 Blade failure 24/02/2005 Kamaishi, Iwate Japan Nagasaki Turbine blades Mainichi http://mdn.maini Shipyard made, on three Interactive – Top chi.co.jp/news/a 68m tower, separate turbines News, Feb 25 rchive/200502/ 29.5m blade snapped off in 2005. Photo. 25/20050225p gale. Winds 2a00m0dm002 reached 000c.html 31.7m/s, turbines and blades rated to 60m/s. 248 Fire 26/02/2005 Friedrich- Germany Enercon E66 Major fire with Husumer http://members. http://www.nord Wilhelm- total loss. Pieces Nachrichten + aol.com/fsweme click.de/news/ar Lübkekoog - of burning Nordwest- dien/ZZUnfalldat chiv/?id=15977 Kreis blades scattered Zeitung from ei.htm 17&dbci=2&sea Nordfriesland/Sc over wide area. 28.2.2005 + rch=Lübkekoog hleswig-Holstein Fire brigade told Nordclick local residents to stay indoors and close windiows due to poisonous fumes. Fire brigade unable to fight fire due to height, so was allowed to burn
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum out. Mechanics had been working on the turbine before the fire started. 249 Blade failure 10/03/2005 Gebbies Pass, New Zealand Windflow Gearbox and Manawatu http://www.nzher http://www.nzher Banks Peninsula, Technologies main rotor Standard, ald.co.nz/index.c ald.co.nz/index.c near prototype assembly ripped 11/3/2005 and fm?ObjectID=1 fm?ObjectID=1 Christchurch from mountings New Zealand 0114869 0118931 during a storm. Herald, Total loss. 12/3/2005 Developers "thankful; none of our staff were injured". This is a test turbine for a proposed 104 turbine development. Two blades were first torn off - the rest followed. 250 Blade failure 07/04/2005 Crystal Rig, Scotland Nordex tower, 40m blade BBC news online http://www.berwi http://news.bbc. Berwickshire 40m blade, shattered – parts 14/4/05. Plus ckshiretoday.co. co.uk/1/hi/scotl 2.5MW thrown hundreds "The Berwickshire uk/ViewArticle2. and/4446223.st of meters. News" 14 April aspx?sectionid= m Turbines only 2005. Photos 972&articleid=9 operational since on both. 97456 August 2004. 251 Structural failure 06/05/2005 Weatherford, United States GE Wind 1.5 A 300-foot Channel http://www.chan http://www.kotv. Oaklahoma MW turbine snapped Oaklahoma neloklahoma.co com/main/home in half and News, 6 May m/news/445950 /stories.asp?whic collapsed at a 2005. With 3/detail.html hpage=1&id=8 wind farm in video. 2744 Weatherford on
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum Friday. Video coverage reports very light winds at the time. There are 71 x 1.5MW turbines and was only declared operational on April 30 2005 - 6 days before the tower collapse. 252 Fatal 07/05/2005 Marsberg- Westphalia, 35 year-old male Westfalenpost http://www.rp- http://members. Erlingshausen - Germany mechanic killed from 9.5.2005 online.de/public/ aol.com/fsweme Hochsauerlandkr while fixing rotor article/nachrichte dien/ZZUnfalldat eis transmission. He n/journal/katastr ei.htm and a fellow ophe/deutschlan worker secured d/nrw/88675 the rotor and began working on it when the rotor turned. He was fatally injured and his colleague also injured. The Dortmund fire brigade rescue helicopter was used as they were at 65m height. The man killed was from Paderborn.
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum 253 Fire 14/05/2005 Sörup bei Germany Fire-brigade NDR-Online http://www1.ndr. http://members. Schleswig - Kreis unable to fight from 15.5.2005 de/ndr_pages_n aol.com/fsweme Schleswig- fire at wind ewsdetail/0,298 dien/ZZUnfalldat Flensburg/Schles turbine on 4,NID20050515 ei.htm wig-Holstein Saturday evening 122053_NTBND - due to the R_SPM870,00.ht height of the fire. ml The fire was allowed to burn out. The surrounding areas was sealed off to allow burning debris to fall to the ground. The cause of fire as well as the extent of the damage are still unknown. 254 Fire 16/05/2005 Wulfshagen/Tütt Germany NEC - Micon A burning wind Kieler http://www.kn- http://members. endorf im Kreis 2MW turbine caused Nachrichten online.de/news/ aol.com/fsweme Rendsburg- two million Euro from 17.5.2005 archiv/?id=164 dien/ZZUnfalldat Eckernförde / damage on 3325 ei.htm Schleswig- Monday Holstein afternoon in Wulfshagen. The cause is not known. Nobody was hurt. The fire brigade could do nothing due to the height of the tower - they sealed the area
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum off to allow burning debris to fall while the fire burned out. A lightning strike at the same site caused a similar fire last year (9.6.2004). Photos are available of both incidents 255 Fatal 19/05/2005 Crosby County, United States Anemometer Local newspaper Lubbock http://www.lubb http://www.agavi Texas reports death of Avalanche- ockonline.com/st ation.org/towerr crop dusting Journal, 20 May ories/052005/re eport.htm pilot who flew 2005 g_052005054.s into an Also mentioned html anemometer for in the a wind farm July/August development. "Agricultural The 400 foot Aviation" structure had magazine only been recently installed (4 weeks old), and was not fitted with any warning devices. The plane hit a guy rope which sheard off a piece iof the wing. The pilot, 55 year old Bill Wade Tidewll, was pronounced
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum dead at the scene. FAA is investigating. 256 Blade failure 23/05/2005 Herzfelde im Germany Vestas Article in Nordkurier, http://members. Kreis Märkisch- Nordkurier 24.5.2005 aol.com/fsweme Oderland/ showing Vestas dien/ZZUnfalldat Brandenburg workers at ei.htm Maerkisch Oderland on a lifting platform at 70m height repairing small tears in rotor blades. The article says "They eliminate small tears in the rotor blades formed by weather effects" However - these tears are usually formed by production defects. 257 Environmental 02/06/2005 Beinhausen bei Germany DeWind Significant Eifelzeitung http://members. Kelburg im Kreis contamination of Daun from 1 July aol.com/fsweme Daun, the site and 2005, with dien/ZZUnfalldat Rheinland-Pfalz surrounding photos ei.htm ground from leaking oil. Transmission oil leak down the tower and also out across the blades - thrown over a wide
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum area. Leak reported to be 160m from the tower - without taking the scattered oil from the blades into account. 258 Blade failure 04/06/2005 Eggstedt im Kreis Germany Jacobs Turbine blade Sylter Rundschau http://members. Dithmarschen / 43/600kW was broken off from 6.6.2005 aol.com/fsweme Schleswig- during a storm at dien/ZZUnfalldat Holstein Eggstedt. ei.htm Further report will follow. One turbine only in place - operational since April 1998 259 Environmental 06/06/2005 Scroby Sands, UK Staff at the Daily Mirror, 6 http://www.mirro Norfolk wildlife hospital June 2005 r.co.uk/news/tm at Winterton, _objectid=1559 Norfolk, say 5416&method=f hundreds of ull&siteid=9476 seals on Scroby 2&headline=win Sands off Great dfarm-seal-alert- Yarmouth have name_page.html been so disturbed by the 300-foot turbines there that it is affecting their breeding. Many pups are born dead or abandoned by frightened
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum mums. Jaime Allison, a biologist at the hospital, said: "A definite pattern is emerging. It's hard not to conclude the wind farm is responsible." 260 Structural failure 20/06/2005 Saskatchewan Canada "Twister wrecks CBC http://sask.cbc.c wind power Saskatchewan a/regional/servle equipment". report, 20 June t/View?filename Cranes and 2005. With =wind- turbine blades photos and power050620 damaged by realplayer video storm at a site in Saskatchewan. The site is under construction and no turbines are yet erected. The Saskpower project is located about 25km south of Swift Current. A 350- tonne, 300 foot crane was toppled. The site was closed at the time of the storm - so no-one was hurt. 261 Lightning 30/06/2005 Cathedral Rocks Australia 60m towers Lightning Port Lincoln http://portlincoln Wind Farm, Port destroyed a Times, 23 .yourguide.com.
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum Lincoln, South blade on tower 6 August 2005 au/detail.asp?cl Australia in June 2005. ass=news&subcl Turbines still ass=local&categ undergoing ory=general%20 construction/co news&story_id= mmissioning. 418188&y=200 Construction 5&m=8 started in February 2005 - a 33 turbine development. Date in June uncertain. 262 Blade failure 29/07/2005 Windy Hill wind Australia 600kW Enercon, """Wind power a Herald Sun, 29 http://heraldsun. farm, installed 1999- lot of hot air"". July 2005 news.com.au/ Ravenshoe, 2000 This week Cairns, another problem Queensland came to light when Stanwell Corporation's Windy Hill wind farm had a nasty accident. Fortunately, no- one was injured when a massive 22m turbine blade on one of the 20 huge wind turbines spectacularly sheared off. But it must have been extraordinary to see a glass fibre
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum reinforced epoxy blade perched 44m above the ground go for an excursion. Stanwell spokesman Anne Savage confirmed the incident, near Ravenshoe on the Atherton tableland south of Cairns, and said an investigation had been launched into what went wrong. Date is of newspaper article - the incident took place the week before." 263 Transport 18/10/2005 A' Chleit, Kintyre Scotland, UK Vestas A serious Rural Community http://www.rural accident was Gateway. gateway.org.uk/ avoided last Reported on Oct cgi- week when a 18th - incident bin/item.cgi?id= section of wind happened the 1069 turbine at least previous week 50 feet long (actual date rolled off a lorry unknown). that was heading north on the A83 near A' Chleit on Kintyre's west
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum coast. The incident happened as the driver in a convoy of two lorries under escort swerved to avoid an oncoming vehicle. Anti wind power campaigners say the incident is the worst in a series of mishaps involving lorries in the area and has highlighted local concerns about the transportation of huge sections of wind turbine from the Vestas factory in Campbeltown along Argyll's narrow roads. 264 Transport 05/11/2005 Wells Fargo, ND United States Xcel A truck hauling a Grand Forks wind-turbine Herald, ND, platform struck a November 7th power pole here, 2005 leaving 3,700 residents without electricity, most of them for
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum about two hours. The accident happened after 7 a.m. Saturday Nov 5th at the intersection of Main Avenue and Ninth Street East, knocking out traffic signals at several intersections. Electrical lines were down on Main Avenue and Ninth Street, until a repair crew for Xcel Energy arrived, he said. No injuries were reported. The truck, from DMI Industries of West Fargo, was carrying a wind- turbine tower that protruded from the trailer, striking the utility pole as the truck turned west onto Main Avenue. 265 Fatal 11/11/2005 East Ridge Wind United States Suzlon "Man Dies In WCCO-TV - http://wcco.com Farm, Chandler, Wind Tower Minnesota's /local/local_stor Minnesota Fire". Slayton, Breaking News, y_315152455.ht
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum Minn. A South 11 November, ml Dakota man 2005 died and two people were injured Friday in a wind tower fire in southwestern Minnesota. The Murray County sheriff's office received a call just before 10 a.m. reporting the fire at a wind tower east of Chandler, Minn., and that one person had fallen. Benjamin James Thovson, 26, of Sioux Falls, S.D., died at the scene. He fell about 210 feet, Deputy Randy Donahue said. The other two were able to climb down and escape, but were taken to a local hospital. When help arrived, Donahue said, "the wind generator was engulfed in
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum flames." The tower is owned by Dean DeGreeff, of Chandler, who is part of an eight- person private ownership group called East Ridge Wind Farm. The three people on the tower Friday worked for Energy Maintenance Service LLC, based in Gary, S.D. They were installing a Suzlon Wind Energy Corp. wind turbine, the companies said in a statement. According to at least one report, they were replacing a bolt when the fire started The Daily Globe of Worthington said.Donahue told the newspaper the fire resulted from the crew's work.
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum Energy Maintenance Service and Suzlon said they were cooperating with federal, state and local authorities in the investigation 266 Transport 29/11/2005 A941 Elgin- Scotland, UK Olsen A huge lorry "Lorry Sheds 50- Rothes road at Renewables carrying a Tonne Load After Drumbain, less section of turbine Accident", Press than a mile from for a Moray and Journal, 30 Rothes, Moray windfarm shed its November load in 2005. Photo. spectacular style. The metal section - around 100ft long and 15ft in diameter - fell from the lorry and rolled down an embankment and 200 yards into a field after the vehicle mounted the verge on the A941 Elgin- Rothes road at Drumbain, less than a mile from Rothes. The lorry toppled on to its
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum side on the roadway, with part of the articulated bogie coming to rest upside down, 20ft down the embankment. The Danish lorry, which was accompanied by escort vehicles at the front and rear, was on its way to the site of a windfarm which is under development on Paul's Hill at Ballindalloch. The driver of the lorry, a Dane, escaped unhurt. 267 Fire 16/12/2005 Simonsberg bei Germany Enercon, 40m Turbine housing Sylter Rundschau http://members. http://www.kn- Husum im Kreis hub fire, 40m above from 17 aol.com/fsweme online.de/news/ Norfreisland, ground. December 2005. dien/ZZUnfalldat archiv/?id=176 Schleswig- Completely Also local news ei.htm 8278 Holstein burned out. on line -see 20m fell off. www.kn- Reported to "rain online.de link blade pieces". (right). Nine fire crews in attendance, but could do nothing at the height. Damage
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum estimated at 0.5M euro 268 Structural failure 16/12/2005 Delmenhorst Germany Small private Private turbine Nonstop news http://members. http://www.nonst nahe Bremen, turbine, 15m 15m high von Borgmeier aol.com/fsweme opnews.borgmei Niedersachen high completely media from 16 dien/ZZUnfalldat er- destroyed in December 2005 ei.htm media.de/meldu storm. The (see online link ng.php?ID=307 turbine fell into right), with photo 9&JG=0 the owner's garden. Rotor blades were torn off and "flew through the air". Parts pierced a garage droof and destroyed a car within. Another rotor blade ended in a neighbours garden. The turbine had been in place for 20 years. 269 Blade failure 16/12/2005 Sefferweich im Germany NORDEX N90 or One of three Trierischer http://members. Kreis Bitburg- N80 blades broke off Volksfreund from aol.com/fsweme Oprum, turbine following 19 December dien/ZZUnfalldat Rheinland-Pfalz a minor storm. 2005 ei.htm Blade travelled several meters only and landed close to the tower. Other turbines on site were shut down.
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum 270 Component 16/12/2005 Gagzow bei Germany Transformer Ostsee-Zeitung http://members. http://www.ostse failure Neuburg im exploded. online from 16 aol.com/fsweme e- Kreis December 2005 dien/ZZUnfalldat zeitung.de/archiv Nordwestmeckle (see online link ei.htm .phtml?Param= nburg right). DB- Artikel&ID=210 6928&Stichwort =Windkraft&Pre =DB- Artikel&Typ=Arti kel&Card=0 271 Ice throw 17/12/2005 Lankern bei Germany Ice throw Rheinische Post http://members. http://mitglied.ly Dingen, nahe reported from Wesel plus local aol.com/fsweme cos.de/nature20 Hamminkeln each of the fuive administration dien/ZZUnfalldat 00/Eiswurf.htm Kreis Wesel, turbines in the and statements ei.htm Westfalia community from adjoining windfarm Loikum owners. Photos at Lankern. This online (see link has happened right). each year of Photographed operation. piece 38cm in length. Pieces reported to be thrown over 80m. 272 Human injury 22/12/2005 Woolnorth Australia Two workers ABC News http://www.abc. (not fatal) Windfarm, reported to be in online 24 net.au/news/new Tasmania hospital - injured December 2005 sitems/200512/s but stable - 1537653.htm following an accident at the Woolnorth Wind Farm, Tasmania, on Thursday Dec 22nd. Reported on Dec 24th.
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum No circumstances of accident or details provided, other than that the two men were working on a wind monitoring tower when the accident happened. 273 Fire 23/12/2005 Nissan Car Tyne and Wear, Six x Vestas Turbine fire National ITV and http://news.bbc. http://www.sund Factory, England, UK adjacent to A19 BBC television co.uk/1/hi/engla erlandtoday.co.u Sunderland and A1231 and radio news. nd/wear/45566 k/ViewArticle2.as roads. 55m Also Sunderland 40.stm px?SectionID=1 high turbine Echo 24/12/05 107&ArticleID= caught fire after and 1295769 work to 27/12/2005 investigate an oil leak. Both A19 and A1231 roads closed. Fears that the turbine would fall onto the road however luckily it fell into a nearby field. Locals reported to be "terrified" (27/12/05 report). All three blades burned and fell off. Fire reported in the
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum national press with photos and video. Seven fire engines were in attendance. Operators Nissan quoted as saying "as far as we're aware nothing like this has happened before". Construction started in September 2005 using second- hand Vestas turbines.
Ice throw 1990 to 2003 Germany 880 cases of “A Statistical reported icing Evaluation of events from Icing Failures in 1990 to 2003, Germany’s ‘250 33% on the MW Wind’ coastline and Programme – lowlands, 67% in Update 2003, M the mountains Durstwitz, BOREAS VI 9-11 April 2003 Pyhätunturi, Finland. Lightning 1992 to 1995 Germany 393 reports of Data from lightning strikes WMEP database: from 1992 to taken from 1995, 124 of report “External those direct to Conditions for
©2006 Caithness Windfarms Information Forum the turbine, the Wind Turbine rest are to Operation – electrical Results from the distribution German ‘250 network MW Wind’ Programme”, M Durstewitz, et al, European Union Wind Energy Conference, Goeteborg, May 20-24, 1996
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