Load kills truck driver

[bcp]

Clarksville Now - UPDATE: Name Released Of Man Involved In Freak Accident



More photos:
http://www.clarksvillenow.com/pages/15260086.php

One comment:
"I agree, I got my own pictures when there was only 3 cops/fireman there, and there was not a single chain/binder. Anything over 10k lbs requires minimum 4 chains."

 

[MasseyWV]

There is no way to say this without sounding cold and uncaring so I'll just say it. While I'm sorry to see that someone died, I also feel that if indeed the loader was not chained down, that the man should have known better. It's common knowledge that anything with wheels will have a tendency to roll, so it goes without saying...

If anything good can come of this, perhaps it will serve as a lesson to others, a lesson that may indeed save lives. :2cents:

 

[dhagood]

if (and i stress if) the load wasn't secured at all then i don't see how this could be considered a freak accident. i frankly find it not credible that a flatbed driver with more than 30 seconds of experience would drive off with a load totally unsecured.

 

[cqaigy2]

I feel for the family.
Why would one ever move something that big and not secure it.

 

[kevin37b]

I do not see how that loader could get over the main frame on the dropneck hitch . I have looked at this several times .I really don 't understand this . Must have been a panic stop .

 

[brin]

I do not see how that loader could get over the main frame on the dropneck hitch . I have looked at this several times .I really don 't understand this . Must have been a panic stop .

Me too - I agree with you...even if he slammed on the brakes but I also cannot come close to imagining how he would not have at least one tie down or just chocks...I mean something...I don't see how you forget something like that...RIP to him.

 

[tlbuser]

Did any of you look at the pictures? In the ones labeled Frost 1 and frost 2 load binders are visible. Frost 4, there is a piece of chain in the foreground and the same two binders are at the feet of the rescue crews.

 

[aczlan]

I feel sorry for his family, losing him in such a preventable accident.

I do not see how that loader could get over the main frame on the dropneck hitch . I have looked at this several times .I really don 't understand this . Must have been a panic stop .

If you look at Clarksville Now - Accident On Frosty Morn Dr. you can see that the bottom of the counterweight is angled up and the back of the dropneck is angled up as well. My guess is:
1. EDIT: There were ratchet type binders laying on the ground next to the truck/trailer so it appears that the guy who commented on the story saying "I agree, I got my own pictures when there was only 3 cops/fireman there, and there was not a single chain/binder" was missing something
2. Parking brake was not set and/or the trailer deck was slippery (based off of http://imgsrv.clarksvillenow.com/image/DbLiteGraphic/201301/12107335.jpg?1360567461 which doesn't appear to show any skid marks on the deck)
3. Downhill slope of the road
4. Hard stop for some reason

When he hit the brakes the tractor slid forward till it hit the dropneck, then slid onto the dropneck and into the cab (being guided by its wheels riding on each side of the dropneck).
I would guess that when the loader started sliding on the dropneck it picked up speed (less friction from metal on metal than wood on rubber) and the back wheels on the loader might have come in contact with the drive tires on the truck which would have helped the loader slide forward faster (not sure on that one, I cant tell if the wheels would have cleared each other or not).

15 minutes of chaining the loader down would have most likely prevented this. Driving the loader on in the other direction (ie: bucket first) could have helped even if he didn't chain down. A "headache rack" on the truck might have also slowed the loader down enough that it didn't kill him.

Aaron Z

 

[MasseyWV]

Did any of you look at the pictures? In the ones labeled Frost 1 and frost 2 load binders are visible. Frost 4, there is a piece of chain in the foreground and the same two binders are at the feet of the rescue crews.

After looking at the pictures again, I now see what appear to be ratchet-type chain binders and remnants of chain laying on the ground at either side of the truck. If that is the case, perhaps the load exceeded the capacity of the chain/binders (too small?) or the chain/binders failed (China made?).

 

[aczlan]

After looking at the pictures again, I now see what appear to be ratchet-type chain binders and remnants of chain laying on the ground at either side of the truck. If that is the case, perhaps the load exceeded the capacity of the chain/binders (too small?) or the chain/binders failed (China made?).

Looking again at the daylight pictures (http://imgsrv.clarksvillenow.com/image/DbLiteGraphic/201301/12107323.jpg?1360615583 , http://imgsrv.clarksvillenow.com/image/DbLiteGraphic/201301/12107322.jpg?1360615595 and http://imgsrv.clarksvillenow.com/image/DbLiteGraphic/201301/12107320.jpg?1360616051 ) I see the binders you are talking about laying on the ground. It would be interesting to see the incident report when all is said and done.
I wonder if the chains weren't tight enough and the loader slid, tightened the chains, but had enough inertia to snap the chains...

Aaron Z