[brooklin]

This boat was doing about 35 mph when it hit the mountain. At speeds like that you are deaf. You couldn't hear your own sonar.
There were several very good threads on this accident recently, and there were some respondents that actually have served on subs commenting on this very same issue.

[flair2000]

I served on two 637's and have taken interest in this accident, but I was a nukie-EM, and I haven't commented much due to my knowledge of "up forward" (coner) topics limited to what we had to do for our qual cards and what little bit I picked up plotting the CEP when I was a nub AEA (aux elec. aft).

I know that everything "nuclear" is always built with the highest standards of safety and performance in mind. That said, I am still impressed by how the reactor and propulsion system were still able to operate normally after the ship ran into a mountain doing 30 kts, and it is a testament to how dedicated the Navy is to reactor safety.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

I think this was the thread with a lot of talk from those who had served on Subs:

Navy photos of Submarine USS San Francisco in Dry Dock (you won't believe the extent of damage!)