The consequences resulting from an emergency failure of one subflow in the middle radiant part of a modernized PK-39-IIM boiler occurred during one of its first startups after the erection are presented. A numerical analysis of the factors that caused this failure is carried out. The calculation was carried out in accordance with the recommendations suggested in the standard method of hydraulic design. It is shown that at a load equal to 40% of its nominal value, increment of heat absorption in the subflow equal to 586 kJ/kg (140 kcal/kg), and heat absorption nonuniformity coefficient in the misaligned element equal to 1.5, the temperature of medium downstream of the subflow is equal to 670 C (operating conditions close to those under which the failure occurred). © 2013 Pleiades Publishing, Ltd.