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Learned the hard way.
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Lessons-learned submissions follow a standardized format designed to identify the issue, draw out the relevant factors and present useful guidance to others facing a similar situation. The submitter answers the following 5 questions:
1) What went wrong (or right), and why?
2) What were the shortcomings, and why did they exist?
3) What actions were taken to fix the problem?
4) What preventive actions should be taken into account for future efforts?
5) What overall recommendations should be made for future projects?
The length of the write-up and amount of detail presented are left up to each individual. Some lessons learned can be perfectly conveyed in a few simple sentences, while others will require much more. The goal is to be as clear and succinct as possible, not to generate literary masterpieces!
All posts submitted to this forum are held in a review queue for approval by a moderator. Information in the posts will be reviewed, vetted, and modified as needed before going public. Additionally, any replies that are submitted would also be reviewed to ensure they add value and remain on topic. This will avoid normal threat drift of general discussions.
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Learned the hard way.
by mccool » Sun Jul 16, 2023 7:10 pm
Not really anything to do with building, but it's my soapbox on harness safety.
I had a habit of not snugging up the lap belt on my 4 point harness in my Thatcher CX4, and the shoulder straps were kept fairly snug but not so much I couldn't reach anything easily.
This placed the buckle somewhat higher than ideal. On a flipover crackup, the buckle struck the stick and was driven into my chest cracking my sternum and cracking fracturing 4 ribs. Just to make things interesting I was trapped, jammed upside down with my head jammed into the ground. It was dark and no way to get out with only a small gap between the ground and the longerons. A clicking sound reminded me that shutting down the fuel pump would be wise. Especially since this was a wheat field. Funny how hard it is to find the master switch when you're upside down in the dark. I decided that I might get into a better position if I undid the harness. It helped but not much.
Happily, help was on the way and after maybe 5 looong minutes I heard my buddy who had been waiting to take off while I was landing, "Are you all right?"
"No, but nothing seems broken. Get me the hell out of here"
His son lifted the wing and he dragged me out. By then I knew my chest was comprimised. I lay there a while till the ambulance came, along with police cars, and the fire department.
A week in the hospital, and a long recuperation. My back is still not right 2 years later.
What pisses me off most about the whole thing, and the lesson to be learned is that if I'd had the harness done up properly I most likely would have walked away with some pulled back muscles.
https://youtu.be/XXcU4mfGOtQ
I had a habit of not snugging up the lap belt on my 4 point harness in my Thatcher CX4, and the shoulder straps were kept fairly snug but not so much I couldn't reach anything easily.
This placed the buckle somewhat higher than ideal. On a flipover crackup, the buckle struck the stick and was driven into my chest cracking my sternum and cracking fracturing 4 ribs. Just to make things interesting I was trapped, jammed upside down with my head jammed into the ground. It was dark and no way to get out with only a small gap between the ground and the longerons. A clicking sound reminded me that shutting down the fuel pump would be wise. Especially since this was a wheat field. Funny how hard it is to find the master switch when you're upside down in the dark. I decided that I might get into a better position if I undid the harness. It helped but not much.
Happily, help was on the way and after maybe 5 looong minutes I heard my buddy who had been waiting to take off while I was landing, "Are you all right?"
"No, but nothing seems broken. Get me the hell out of here"
His son lifted the wing and he dragged me out. By then I knew my chest was comprimised. I lay there a while till the ambulance came, along with police cars, and the fire department.
A week in the hospital, and a long recuperation. My back is still not right 2 years later.
What pisses me off most about the whole thing, and the lesson to be learned is that if I'd had the harness done up properly I most likely would have walked away with some pulled back muscles.
https://youtu.be/XXcU4mfGOtQ
- mccool
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- Joined: Mon Aug 08, 2022 10:43 am
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