It wasn't my day to die

[captbluewater]

Yesterday I was trying to move a dead tree and was dragging it with my backhoe on L-39. I was going up an incline and the frontend got light and started to rise so I went to reverse and engine killed . The tractor started rolling backwards and went off the road and straight down the hill about 120' at about a 45 degree angle. I thought for sure this is it and thought it would start rolling over. I came to a terraced area it slowed for a split second when the tires went over that edge. The backhoe hit a tree that was about 15'' thick and it smashed in several pieces. The tractor came to a stop right after that when the back hoe bucket slammed in to the side of dry creek bed. I took key out walked about 30' up hill before I turned to look back. Decided I was to shakened up to do anything so I went home.
Went out today to survay the damage. The tractor started right up . I tried hydraulics on Backhoe and there are several leaks. I cannot tell if I bent or broke anything yet.

 

[jlrsn]

Stuff like that can happen so fast that you don't have time to kiss your ***** goodbye! I'm glad to see that you are alright!!!
Jim

 

[Diamondpilot]

Glad you walked away. The tractor can be fixed.

Chris

 

[scesnick]

WOW !! Thankfully you are OK.

 

[Harvey9]

You were very lucky, now go buy a lottery ticket.

 

[dave1949]

Yikes. Too close of a call. Glad you are okay. Have any advice for what you would do different in a similar situation?
Dave.

 

[turbo36]

Yikes. Too close of a call. Glad you are okay. Have any advice for what you would do different in a similar situation?
Dave.

Yeah, hire it done:laughing:

 

[paccorti]

Wow I'm so happy you were not hurt. When you first started rolling back did the brakes not work or did it happen too fast? Did you kill the engine on purpose?

Peter

 

[captbluewater]

Yikes. Too close of a call. Glad you are okay. Have any advice for what you would do different in a similar situation?
Dave.

Base on what happen , first I should have put a chain around the tree and then dragged it. second I should have back up the incline while pulling the tree. third if I would keep a chain on the tractor I would have done the right thing and gotten off the tractor and attached the chain instead of grabbing the tree with the backhoe. Thanks Guys

 

[westcliffe01]

Why did it roll back ? It should just have stalled ?