Top 10 Most Expensive Human Error in History
1.
Chernobyl
Cost:$200
Billion
On April 26, 1986, the world witnessed the costliest
accident in history. The Chernobyl disaster has been called the biggest
socio-economic catastrophe in peacetime history. 50% of the area of
Ukraine is in some way contaminated. Over 200,000 people had to be
evacuated and resettled while 1.7 million people were directly affected
by the disaster. The death toll attributed to Chernobyl, including
people who died from cancer years later, is estimated at 125,000. The
total costs including cleanup, resettlement, and compensation to victims
has been estimated to be roughly $200 Billion. The cost of a new steel
shelter for the Chernobyl nuclear plant will cost $2 billion alone. The
accident was officially attributed to power plant operators who violated
plant procedures and were ignorant of the safety requirements needed.
2. Space Shuttle
Columbia
cost:$13 Billion
The Space Shuttle Columbia was the first space worthy
shuttle in NASA’s orbital fleet. It was destroyed during re-entry over
Texas on February 1, 2003 after a hole was punctured in one of the wings
during launch 16 days earlier. The original cost of the shuttle was $2
Billion in 1978. That comes out to $6.3 Billion in today’s dollars. $500
million was spent on the investigation, making it the costliest
aircraft accident investigation in history. The search and recovery of
debris cost $300 million.
In the end, the total cost of the accident (not
including replacement of the shuttle) came out to $13 Billion according
to the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
3. Prestige Oil
Spill
Cost:$12 Billion
On November 13, 2002, the Prestige oil tanker was
carrying 77,000 tons of heavy fuel oil when one of its twelve tanks
burst during a storm off Galicia, Spain. Fearing that the ship would
sink, the captain called for help from Spanish rescue workers, expecting
them to take the ship into harbour. However, pressure from local
authorities forced the captain to steer the ship away from the coast.
The captain tried to get help from the French and Portuguese
authorities, but they too ordered the ship away from their shores. The
storm eventually took its toll on the ship resulting in the tanker
splitting in half and releasing 20 million gallons oil into the sea.
According to a report by the Pontevedra Economist
Board, the total cleanup cost $12 billion.
4. Challenger
Explosion
$5.5 Billion
The Space Shuttle Challenger was destroyed 73 seconds
after takeoff due on January 28, 1986 due to a faulty O-ring. It failed
to seal one of the joints, allowing pressurized gas to reach the
outside. This in turn caused the external tank to dump its payload of
liquid hydrogen causing a massive explosion. The cost of replacing the
Space Shuttle was $2 billion in 1986 ($4.5 billion in today’s dollars).
The cost of investigation, problem correction, and replacement of lost
equipment cost $450 million from 1986-1987 ($1 Billion in today’s
dollars)
5. Piper Alpha Oil Rig
$3.4 Billion
The world’s worst off-shore oil disaster. At one
time, it was the world’s single largest oil producer, spewing out
317,000 barrels of oil per day. On July 6, 1988, as part of routine
maintenance, technicians removed and checked safety valves which were
essential in preventing dangerous build-up of liquid gas. There were 100
identical safety valves which were checked. Unfortunately, the
technicians made a mistake and forgot to replace one of them. At 10 PM
that same night, a technician pressed a start button for the liquid gas
pumps and the world’s most expensive oil rig accident was set in motion.
Within 2 hours, the 300 foot platform was engulfed in
flames. It eventually collapsed, killing 167 workers and resulting in
$3.4 Billion in damages.
6. Exxon Valdez
$2.5 Billion
The Exxon Valdez oil spill was not a large one in
relation to the world’s biggest oil spills, but it was a costly one due
to the remote location of Prince William Sound (accessible only by
helicopter and boat). On March 24, 1989, 10.8 million gallons of oil was
spilled when the ship’s master, Joseph Hazelwood, left the controls and
the ship crashed into a Reef. The cleanup cost Exxon $2.5 billion.
7. B-2 Bomber Crash
$1.4 Billion
Here we have our first billion dollar accident (and we’re only #7
on the list). This B-2 stealth bomber crashed shortly after taking off
from an air base in Guam on February 23, 2008. Investigators blamed
distorted data in the flight control computers caused by moisture in the
system. This resulted in the aircraft making a sudden nose-up move
which made the B-2 stall and crash. This was 1 of only 21 ever built and
was the most expensive aviation accident in history. Both pilots were
able to eject to safety.
The crash was captured on video. It shows one B-2
Bomber successfully taking off followed by the B-2 Bomber which crashes.
The crash starts at 2:00
8. MetroLink Crash
$500 Million
On September 12, 2008, in what was one of the worst
train crashes in California history, 25 people were killed when a
Metrolink commuter train crashed head-on into a Union Pacific freight
train in Los Angeles. It is thought that the Metrolink train may have
run through a red signal while the conductor was busy text messaging.
Wrongful death lawsuits are expected to cause $500 million in losses for
Metrolink.
9. Tanker Truck vs
Bridge
$358 Million
On August 26, 2004, a car collided with a tanker
truck containing 32,000 liters of fuel on the Wiehltal Bridge in
Germany. The tanker crashed through the guardrail and fell 90 feet off
the A4 Autobahn resulting in a huge explosion and fire which destroyed
the load-bearing ability of the bridge. Temporary repairs cost $40
million and the cost to replace the bridge is estimated at $318 Million.
10. Titanic
$150 Million
The sinking of the Titanic is possibly the most
famous accident in the world. But it barely makes our list of top 10
most expensive. On April 15, 1912, the Titanic sank on its maiden voyage
and was considered to be the most luxurious ocean liner ever built.
Over 1,500 people lost their lives when the ship ran into an iceberg and
sunk in frigid waters. The ship cost $7 million to build ($150 million
in today’s dollars).
Deliberate actions such as war and natural disasters do not qualify
as Human Error and therefore are not included in this list.
