Freeman Reservoir Felling Fatality (3,896 K pdf file, 38 pages) Always sad, but... Lessons Learned. Maybe some of the loggers on the Forum, would like to provide some input; feel free to do so. http://www.wildlandfire.com/docs/2009/lessons-learn/freeman-factual.pdf OCR
History of flight: One from the NTSB: http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief2.asp?ev_id=20080905X01397&ntsbno=SEA08GA194&akey=1 OCR
Very sad indeed. Maybe if they would have taken more time to access this situation... I'm no logger by any means, but when a tree gets hung up like that especially a rotted tree the best way to remove it would be with a skidder? Having said that though, as trainers I suppose it was their job to show the trainees proper procedures for dealing with a "hung up tree" Be interesting to hear from some loggers here on how they would have handled a situation like this.
After reading the entire report it appears all of the normal proceedures were being followed with the exception of reassesing the fallen tree & escape route before making the final cut. The fact that the top portion of the trees snapped off & was catpulted back toward the cutter probably could not have been forseen. A seasoned logger would probably been more familiar with the possible outcome before it happened than a fireman, whose main focus of training is in the battling of forest fires, not logging proceedures. Possibly an additional instructor with logging experience could be added to the group training the new recruits to help with the common sense factor that needs to part of any dangerous situation. C Ya, Patrol Man (Dan) Goodearth13 [Old Hot Air Ballon Saying, "Safety Is No Accident"]
Rule number one for me I never cut trees without having the skidder on the job. Dead trees are the most dangerous because dekay will rot out the roots and will fall over from vibration , bumping it with another tree or skidder dragging buy it and brushing it with a tree top ect. Limbs will fly back from whip lash ,dead branches drop as it starts over if its a real bad leaner you have to cut the root flairs where they enter the ground other wise as you swing your cut though the tree it will tear the roots right out of the ground taking the saw and maybe even you if your not careful with it. Terrible accident for these guys but if a skidder would of been on the job or even a coughing hoist they could of hooked on the butt and then a soild tree behind them and jacked it back off the stump and pulled it back wards till it fell free in the top. I have seen guys cut sections out of the butt till they fall free but very dangerous , pressures can swing it so quick you might find it on top of yourself. Ive been hurt bad twice logging and I can tell you it happens so quick that you your self isn't sure what happened.Just like lighting stricking and its over ! It is a tuff call what happened on there job site without being there but for sure its a bad deal.
History of flight: Here's another NTSB report: http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief2.asp?ev_id=20070321X00315&ntsbno=NYC07MA073&akey=1 And a news paper article: http://www.starbulletin.com/news/20081130_Kauai_copter_crash_spurs_debate.html One more NTSB report... My Brother was on this fire, at the time. http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief2.asp?ev_id=20010907X01903&ntsbno=SEA01MA163&akey=1 OCR
This was a tragedy, and I read about it, the day it happened. It almost seems... unbelievable. I'll just link to this site, and you can read the report, if you like. http://wildfiretoday.com/2010/03/04/report-released-on-usfs-rappelling-fatality/ OCR
SOP on my sites with tree's that get hung up vary depending on available equipment.... in that situation i would have fell another "less limby" tree into it to clear it or possibly fall the tree holding up the original danger tree.... i would never NEVER permit someone to try recutting a limby tree (and a dead one at that) that got hung up on its way down ever period end of story for exactly the reason the faller in the story got killed. And people laughed at me when i would hook up a fall arrest then grab the leash and tug... I cant believe an accident like that would happen... bet there crew leaders are now required to grab the J-hook and pull them a step forward now.