Abstract

A 60-year-old farmer died when the tractor he was operating rolled over on top of him. The victim was attempting to hook up a camper to a tractor in order to pull it to a paved roadway. Having recently sold the camper, the farmer, assisted by the buyer, was preparing to remove it from the farmer's property.

The victim, driving a tractor which was equipped with a front end loader, pulled forward past the tongue of the camper in order to line up the tractor draw bar with the camper tongue. The ground sloped more than one-half inch per foot downward toward the front of the camper. As he pulled forward and down hill, the right front wheel slid over an embankment causing the tractor to roll over. Evidence at the scene, such as indentations in the ground and pushed-over brush and cedar trees, suggest that the tractor slid, then rolled just once before coming to rest on the victim. The right rear fender crushed the victim's skull. The investigator concluded that to prevent similar occurrences, tractor owners and operators should:

  • Contact county extension agent or local equipment dealer to determine if retro-fit rollover protection and seat belts are available for their equipment.
  • Evaluate the slope of the land and ground conditions before beginning a procedure.
  • Remove extra weight from the front end to assure balance in the equipment's center of gravity and improve visibility.
  • Keep equipment in good working order.

Document Type

Report

Release Date

8-8-1994

Incident Number

94KY040; 94KY040-001

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