Wind turbine crashes onto road; Couldn't withstand 5–7 m/s winds? Wind turbine crashes onto road
The Chosun Daily|Kwon Gwang-sun|Mar 2, 2026
A wind turbine in Yeongdeok, South Korea, collapsed onto a road after its supporting pillar broke during moderate winds of 5-7 m/s. The 80-meter-tall turbine, part of a wind farm built in 2005, had been operating for over 20 years. There were no casualties, but the road is blocked indefinitely as investigations into the cause, focusing on the unexpected tearing of a blade, are underway.
A wind turbine in Yeongdeok, South Korea, collapsed onto a road after its supporting pillar broke during moderate winds of 5-7 m/s. The 80-meter-tall turbine, part of a wind farm built in 2005, had been operating for over 20 years. There were no casualties, but the road is blocked indefinitely as investigations into the cause, focusing on the unexpected tearing of a blade, are underway.
Debris Covers Road, Indefinitely Blocked from Traffic
A terrifying accident occurred in Yeongdeok on the East Coast of North Gyeongsang Province when a large wind turbine column toppled over and fell onto a road.
Around 4:40 PM on the 2nd, the middle section of an 80-meter-tall wind turbine column at the wind power complex in Byeolparang Park, Changpo-ri, Yeongdeok-gun, bent, causing the column and blades to crash onto a road within the park. Fortunately, there were no casualties as the exhibition hall in the park was closed, resulting in low traffic.
The road is currently impassable due to the accident. At the time of the accident, the wind speed was 5 to 7 meters per second, with a maximum instantaneous wind speed of 12 meters per …
... more [truncated due to possible copyright]Debris Covers Road, Indefinitely Blocked from Traffic
A terrifying accident occurred in Yeongdeok on the East Coast of North Gyeongsang Province when a large wind turbine column toppled over and fell onto a road.
Around 4:40 PM on the 2nd, the middle section of an 80-meter-tall wind turbine column at the wind power complex in Byeolparang Park, Changpo-ri, Yeongdeok-gun, bent, causing the column and blades to crash onto a road within the park. Fortunately, there were no casualties as the exhibition hall in the park was closed, resulting in low traffic.
The road is currently impassable due to the accident. At the time of the accident, the wind speed was 5 to 7 meters per second, with a maximum instantaneous wind speed of 12 meters per second. An official from Yeongdeok County stated, "In cooperation with the police, we have decided to restrict traffic indefinitely on a 1.6-kilometer section of the accident site to prevent secondary accidents until the cause is determined."
According to Yeongdeok County and witnesses, the pillar supporting the generator suddenly broke while the generator blades were rotating. It was revealed that scattered debris, including the generator blades, fell, causing a vehicle passing on the road to narrowly avoid a tragic accident by just a few seconds.
Completed in 2005, the wind farm is equipped with 24 1,650kW generators. The facility was manufactured and installed by Vestas, a company headquartered in Denmark. Wind turbine No. 21, where the accident occurred, had been in operation for over 20 years, from May 2005 to the present. The turbine stands approximately 80 meters tall, with a single blade measuring 41 meters in length. The turbine's column is made of steel, while the blades are reportedly made of carbon fiber. It was designed to withstand wind speeds of up to 20 meters per second, equivalent to a moderate typhoon.
It was revealed that the accident occurred when one of the wind turbine blades tore. An official from Yeongdeok County stated, "After reviewing the video with the construction company, it appears the accident occurred when the generator blade, which was spinning vigorously, tore, lost balance, and struck the pillar." He added, "Bamboo breaks, not tears. Given the material of the blade, it is impossible for it to tear, so we are focusing our investigation on that aspect."
The lifespan of wind turbine blades is known to be around 20 years. The turbine involved in the accident had been in operation for 21 years this year. Recent safety inspections reportedly found no abnormalities.
Yeongdeok County plans to investigate licensing matters regarding the construction company and, together with the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, conduct safety inspections on the 23 generators of the wind farm.