Wind turbine reported to have snapped and collapsed in north-west Germany

What happened

A wind turbine was reported to have snapped and collapsed into a field in north-west Germany. The operator was reported to have blamed a strong, very sudden gust. The available report does not name the site or the operator, and does not state the date of the collapse or whether anyone was hurt.

Contributing factors

A strong, very sudden gust was reported as the operator's explanation. That explanation has not been independently confirmed in the report seen.

Lessons learned

1. Treat an operator's first explanation of a collapse as a report, not a confirmed cause, until weather and inspection records are checked.
2. After a reported extreme gust, inspect nearby turbines for related damage.
3. Early public reports should state the site, date and whether anyone was hurt, so the event can be distinguished from other collapses.

Source

Windpower Monthly (windpowermonthly.com)