Dozer rolls down mountain

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martyn williams
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Re: Dozer rolls down mountain

Post #11 by martyn williams » Mon Apr 25, 2011 3:09 pm

This is the dozer we saw on its side in 1995.This machine was used to push load 4 Terex TS 24's on a landscaping job.Can't find my photos of that job.They were working flat out for three months.
Photo shows my son standing by the 9L
Martyn
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Deas Plant
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Re: Dozer rolls down mountain

Post #12 by Deas Plant » Tue Apr 26, 2011 3:18 pm

Hi, Folks.
From the story that I heard about that fast trip down the mountain, the operator had offered to help strip the top of the hill for a new mine for some sort of precious or semi-precious stone. I understand that the dozer was an almost brand new JD850J.

What I am still trying to figure out is why he was so far down the side of the mountain anyway when he was supposed to be stripping the top. On jobs like that, you start at the top and work your way down and out. There is ALWAYS more traction on the flat in the material you have pushed out than there is down the side of the mountain where he went - - - IF you don't get too close to the edge.

As far as I can see - maybe I need glasses - there was no need whatsoever for him to be in that position in the first place. All it takes is for one track to get up on a smooth rock and away you go, ESPECIALLY if you are trying to back up at the time.

The thought that occurs to me is that he was trying to roll some rocks down the slope for show and got caught out. Apparently the couple doing the filming had been told to stand well back out of the way to be safe from rolling rocks.

Just my 0.02.

My sympathies go out to his family and friends.
Last edited by Deas Plant on Tue Apr 26, 2011 3:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Additional information.
You have a wonderful day. Best wishes. Deas Plant.


Topic author
martyn williams
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Re: Dozer rolls down mountain

Post #13 by martyn williams » Tue Apr 26, 2011 4:03 pm

Looks like that guy was showing off and paid the ultimate price.Very sad outcome.
On a lighter note, some big dozers at play
http://youtu.be/QLBIcqId7TU
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLBIcqId7TU&feature=youtu.be[/video]


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Re: Dozer rolls down mountain

Post #14 by Tracklayer » Sun May 01, 2011 4:49 am

I ran across a few details of this accident, most of which have been mentioned here. As Deas says, the guy was developing some new area for an amethyst mine. Somehow moving the boulders was part of this process, but it is strange that somebody was making a video. I too wondered if there was some showing off. The reaction of the people making the video seems odd. I almost wondered if they even realized that the dozer was coming down rather than just another boulder. You can see a guy on foot up there near the dozer, and I understand that he was there to learn the business.

I get the impression that the operator was judging the slope the dozer could handle being in line with the slope, and maybe thought he knew how steep he could go. But he got a lot of weight shifted to the front, and when he tried to back up, the dozer was on its tip toes and having a hard time getting a grip in that loose, dry sand and rocks. So as the tracks slipped, he could have caught a loose rock, lost all the traction, and in a split second, the dozer could have turned completely crosswise to the grade. With the dozer up on its front end, that crosswise turn would almost have been like falling. The grade may have been too steep to be crosswise without rolling. Or it may be that the falling over crosswise might have provided enough momentum to just go right into a roll. Somebody said that they rebuilt that dozer. The operator was ejected. It looks like the ROPS held together. I wonder if he was wearing the seatbelt, and if not, could he have survived if he had been. If you notice at the very end, one track is rolling free and continuing down the mountain.


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Re: Dozer rolls down mountain

Post #15 by Deas Plant » Mon May 02, 2011 3:08 am

Hi, Tracklayer.
IF they rebuilt that dozer, THAT would be one rebuild that I would LIKE to see. From what I could see of the video full screen on my PC, it looked like the blade and one track came off on the way down and continued further down the slope than the rest of the machine. The camera followed this dust cloud down until it came to rest and stayed with it until the dust had largely settled and it became fairly obvious that the rest of the machine was not there. It then panned back up the slope until it found the rest of the tractor.

It does appear that the ROPS did stand up pretty well in the incident.

In my latest viewing of this clip, it seems even more likely that the operator was rolling rocks down the slope to put on a show for the camera. What baffles me is that at one stage the machine was back to being pretty much straight up and down the slope. If he was having difficulty getting back up the slope, why not simply continue down to the bottom and return the long way?

It's easy to try to second-guess in these sitautions and it was not my favorite rump steak in the seat, for which I am thankful.
You have a wonderful day. Best wishes. Deas Plant.


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Re: Dozer rolls down mountain

Post #16 by TaylorLambert » Sat Jul 23, 2011 6:01 pm

Back in the late 70's to the mid 80's Dad worked for a comapany called Wright brothers. He had been with thm before when they had a few old AC machines. Later when he went back to work with them they had a large company with over 100 scrapers. Dad was working on a job scraping off the face of a mountain. They had several D8s mostly Ks but a few high tracks. When you broke over the top there was no goingback. when you got to the bottom you had to go up another route. Dad was called to start up another site and when he was leaving saw a younger operator in his 20s go over the bank. He hit a hardwood tree with a large root ball. Instead of it uprooting and going to the side he lifted the blade and the ball went under the nose of the machine. Then it got side ways. Dad said it rolled manytimes. THe man was belted in but was broken up. He survived THe room in the cab saved him. I have a friend who rolled a enclosed cab on a newer smaller machine. He was belted in but his heat hit the side of the cab hard.


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