The collapse happened on 26 May 2002 when the towboat Robert Y Love was pushing two empty tank barges northbound on the McClellan-Karr Arkansas River Navigation System, near Webbers Falls, Oklahoma. The impact collapsed a 153m section of the bridge. Fourteen people died and five were injured.

Board investigators have recommended the use of a warning system capable of alerting motorists. This might have prevented some of the vehicles from driving off the I-40 bridge thus mitigating the loss of life they said.

The NTSB has also recommended that the US Coast Guard investigates the effectiveness of alert systems on inland towing vessels.