LOXLEY, Alabama — The National Transportation Safety Board is continuing its investigation into the cause of a March bus crash on Interstate 10 in Baldwin County, issuing a preliminary report on its website May 1.

According to a release issued by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, at 5:33 a.m. Tuesday, March 13, a tour bus carrying students from Channelview, Texas, was traveling west on Interstate 10 when it left the roadway, traveled into the median and down an embankment.

The crash occurred approximately three miles east of Wilcox near the 57 mile marker and landed in a ravine on Cowpen Creek in the Wilcox community.

All 46 passengers sustained minor to serious injuries in the crash, according to the report. Killed in the crash was the bus driver, 65-year-old Harry Caligone of Houston.

NTSB investigators arrived were on scene the day following the crash gathering evidence and it could be more than a year before the investigation is complete.

The report stated that, according to preliminary GPS data, the bus was traveling about 59 miles per hour. A witness reported that as it approached the milepost, the bus suddenly left the right westbound lane, crossed the left westbound lane, and continued across the median into the eastbound lanes.

The bus continued across both eastbound lanes, almost colliding with a passenger vehicle and a truck-tractor semitrailer, then continued onto the shoulder and struck a W-beam guardrail. The bus traveled back across both eastbound lanes onto the median, where it continued west into a ravine between the twin bridge structures that support the eastbound and westbound roadways. The bus came to rest in the ravine on its right side against a bridge pier, 38 feet below the roadway.

Preliminary evidence showed no signs of braking, according to the NTSB report.

“A passenger reported that as (the bus) departed the travel lanes, the driver appeared unresponsive,” the report stated. “The passenger attempted to revive the driver in the time before the crash.”

According to the report, an inspection found no vehicle defects that might have contributed to the crash. The bus was equipped with lap/shoulder belts for all seats, and the extent of belt use by passengers is being examined. The NTSB is also evaluating motor carrier operations and driver performance as it relates to the crash.

“All aspects of the crash remain under investigation while the NTSB determines the probable cause, with the intent of issuing safety recommendations to prevent similar crashes,” according to the report. “The NTSB continues to work with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Highway Patrol, the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, the Alabama Department of Transportation, and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to produce a complete and accurate account of the crash.”

The NTSB is an independent investigation organization dedicated to improving transportation safety both on the ground and in the air.