Lisbon funicular crash tied to uncertified cable, maintenance gaps

A preliminary investigation released Monday found that the September 3 crash of a Lisbon funicular that killed 16 people and injured 21 was linked to the failure of a steel haulage cable and shortcomings in maintenance procedures, and recommended that other historic funiculars remain out of service until safety can be confirmed. The government safety bureau said the century-old Gloria line carriage left the track on a bend, hurtled down a steep slope and struck a building in the early evening, leaving the wooden cabin badly damaged.

The Office for Air and Rail Accident Prevention and Investigation, known by its Portuguese acronym GPIAAF, said the underground steel cable that connected the line’s paired cars and provided counterbalance was not certified for passenger transport, had not been installed according to the manufacturer’s instructions and had been in use for less than a year. The report identified five instances in which the operator’s maintenance program relied on nonexistent, inapplicable or outdated standards. GPIAAF said those procurement and acceptance failures led to the use of cables that did not meet required specifications.

According to the preliminary account,...