The source told NBC News that NTSB investigators believe Amtrak 188 engineer Brandon Bostian was likely distracted by radio dispatchers prior to the May 12, 2015, crash in Philadelphia.
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The official was not authorized to comment publicly because the probe is still underway and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity.
WPVI reports sources say the National Transportation Safety Board’s findings reveal he might’ve been distracted by radio traffic about rocks hitting another train’s windshield.
Investigators say this is what caused Bostian to approach a 50 miles per hour curve at 106 miles per hour and that they found no evidence the Amtrak engineer was using alcohol, drugs or a cell phone.
Amtrak 188, A Year Later: Doctors Recount Derailment AftermathOn the one-year anniversary of the deadly Amtrak 188 derailment in Philadelphia, doctors who treated dozens of patients recount how they handled the disaster. Peter Knudson, a board spokesman, declined comment ahead of the hearing.
Other trains reported being hit by rocks on the same evening and shortly before the crash. Eight were killed and more than 200 were hurt in the crash.
Bostian told investigators in February he could barely remember the moments leading up to the nighttime crash. Dozens of victims have sued Amtrak for compensation. Sources say the NTSB found that Bostian may have thought he’d already passed the curve when he sped up.
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At the time of the accident, acquaintances in the suburb recalled him as a quirky guy with a great sense of humor. But his love of trains and railroads superseded his passion for writing. “I wasn’t, you know, super concerned, I don’t think”.
