Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Farmer Killed When Tractor Punctures Gas Line Causing An Explosion, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 62-year-old male was killed when the tractor he was operating punctured an aboveground gas line. He had recently moved to the area and was in the process of acquiring some land for farming. The land was overgrown with weeds and brush about 5 feet high. On a warm, clear afternoon he went out to clear the land with a tractor and rotary mower. Although the incident was unwitnessed, apparently he began mowing the field near a roadway and was likely on the third pass when the front of the tractor ran into an aboveground valve of a natural gas …

Tractor Driver Killed In Overturn While Mowing, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 44-year-old farm owner was killed when the tractor he was driving overturned. Using a rotary mower attached to a Ford 600 tractor, the farmer was mowing an area along the gravel road leading to his home in a very remote area of the county. On the east side was a fence and on the west a brush covered embankment. At the top of the seven-foot embankment was a sloping field that had been mowed earlier in the season. The tractor, having been purchased six weeks earlier, had undergone maintenance work but was not equipped with a Roll Over Protective …

Tractor Operator Killed By Rotary Mower While Mowing Highway Right-Of-Way, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 23-year-old male (the victim) was killed when he fell from the tractor he was operating and was run over by the attached rotary mower. The victim had been mowing near an interstate highway on-ramp at about 1:15 pm, when his right front tractor wheel hit a concrete drainage culvert, apparently jolting him off, into the path of the mower. Although he was working with a crew, none of his co-workers witnessed the event. A passing commercial truck driver saw the victim fall, pulled over, and called emergency medical services (EMS) on his cellular phone. EMS personnel arrived within minutes …

66-Year-Old Male Dies In Tractor Overturn While Mowing, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 66-year-old male (the victim) was killed while mowing his farm land. He was driving a Case tractor model 1212 with a front-end loader and 4-foot rotary mower attachments. The tractor had a homemade canopy attached for sun protection but it was not intended to function as a Rollover Protective Structure (ROPS). Tracks in the field show that he had made several passes and had likely worked for about three hours when the incident occurred. It was about 1 p.m. when he began mowing along the edge of the woods that bordered the field. Although the field was relatively flat, …

Farmer Run Over By Tractor, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

An 80-year-old male farmer (the victim) died when he was run over by the right rear wheel of his tractor. He had backed the tractor to the door of a shed in order to hook a tiller to it. After parking the tractor on a slight incline in front of the shed, he left it in neutral while he went inside for the tiller. The parking brake did not hold, however, and the tractor began to roll. He apparently noticed this and tried to remount the tractor, but was knocked down by the wheel and run over. To prevent similar …

Farmer Crushed When Run Over By Tractor And Disc, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 75-year-old farmer was killed when he was run over by a tractor and disc attachment. The farmer attempted to start the engine on a tractor while he stood on the ground beside it, a practice which was not unusual for him. The transmission had been left in gear and when the ignition was started the tractor lurched forward knocking the victim to the ground. The tractor continued to move forward, running over the victim. His wife went to search for him when she realized he had been gone from the house for quite some time. She found him in …

Rear Tractor Rollover Kills Farmer, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 67-year-old male farmer (the victim) died when the tractor he was operating flipped over backward, pinning him between it and another tractor. He and his 13-year-old grandson had been working with a tractor and rotary mower, but got stuck in the mud of a creek bed; approximately one-third of the rear tractor tires were buried in mud. He had gotten a second tractor, attached a chain from the rear of it to the front of the first tractor, and had just begun to try and pull the tractor out when the incident occurred. From evidence at the scene it …

Farmer Killed When Tractor Slides Over Embankment While Mowing, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 56-year-old part-time farmer was killed when the tractor he was driving overturned while mowing. Using a rotary mower attached to the John Deere 1520 tractor, the farmer mowed an area near the roadway that had a gradual downward slope. The tractor was not equipped with a Rollover Protective Structure (ROPS) or seatbelt. After mowing two rows, he made a left turn to begin the third pass when the back tire began to slip in the moist soil underneath the grass. Due to the momentum and weight of the tractor and attachment, the farmer was unable to stop the vehicle. …

Farmer Killed When Tractor Overturns On Embankment, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 44-year-old cattle farmer was killed when the tricycle tractor he was operating overturned. As was his usual practice, the victim had backed the tractor out of the shed near his home, turned to the right and was driving forward, down the embankment to the road which led to the highway. His cattle barn and pasture were located a short distance from his house (1-2 miles), and he regularly drove the tractor there to tend the cattle. On this day, however, the tractor flipped as he came over the embankment, rolling onto the victim. He died at the scene. In …

Mill Owner Dies In Tractor Rollover, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 51-year-old mill owner (the victim) was killed while pulling a 16-foot log from the woods. He had reached the top of a 10-12-degree slope, turned slightly to the left and stopped, when the tractor he was driving turned over. It landed on the victim and then rolled again. The victim's partner, who was with him, ran to a nearby house where he had seen two men working outdoors earlier. He asked them to call 911 and then returned with a backhoe with which to lift the tractor. While he was doing this, emergency medical services (EMS) personnel arrived. The …

Farmer Killed When Crushed By Tractor, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 70-year-old farmer (the victim) was killed while mowing his pasture. He had completed mowing around the top of a ridge, and was beginning to mow the sloping sections, when the power take-off (PTO) shaft connecting the rotary mower (bushhog) to the tractor came off. When he attempted to re-attach the shaft, the tractor began to roll down the steep slope; he lost control as it descended into the hollow. Apparently he attempted to jump from the left side of the tractor and his right foot became wedged between the high/low shift lever; as a result his body went under …

Retired Farmer Thrown From And Run Over By Tractor, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 67-year-old retired farmer (the victim) was killed while mowing a field of the family farm. He had made several passes around the field using a rotary mower recently equipped with new blades by his son. At one end of the field was an approximate 20-foot hill of 15-degree slope. The top of this hill was a plateau across which the tractor could be driven in order to ascend at the end which was less steep. The victim had come close to rolling the tractor over in the past, and so it was never his practice to mow across the …

Farmer Killed In Tractor Rollover [96ky088], Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

On August 22, 1996, a 75-year-old farmer was killed when the tractor he was operating rolled over onto him. He was using a 1979 IH Farm all 140, towing a flatbed wagon along the perimeter of a tobacco patch. As he turned left to proceed around the field, the left tractor wheels went over an embankment, causing the tractor to roll over. The victim was crushed under the rear wheel of the overturned tractor and died of traumatic asphyxia due to chest injuries. He was discovered by his son two hours after the incident when he did not return to …

Farmer Killed When Thrown From Tractor, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 79-year-old farmer (the victim) was killed while driving his tractor. He had been a full-time farmer who lived alone and farmed on the 136-acre land nearly all of his life; the main commodity was beef cattle. As was his usual practice, he was working alone on the day of the incident. Every evening he had dinner with his two sisters who lived in a house on the same property about 50 yards from his home. When he did not show up for the evening meal, they went out to look for him. They found that he had taken the …

Farm Worker Killed In Tractor Rollover On Public Roadway, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 21-year-old farm worker was killed in a tractor rollover incident. The victim was driving a tractor on a secondary public road, pulling an unloaded 18-foot flatbed trailer, when he lost control. After the tractor wheels went off the right side of the road, the victim overcorrected, which caused the vehicle to become unbalanced; he was thrown from the tractor as it overturned into a ditch. It was not equipped with an appropriate rollover protective structure (ROPS) or a seatbelt. The unit, which included a canopy, had been installed to provide shade on summer days and cover in occasional downpours, …

Farmer Is Run Over By Disc After Falling From Tractor, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

Because access to the scene and inspection of the equipment were not possible in this case, a partial inspection was done. Conclusions cannot be drawn from the evidence collected.

A 68-year-old farmer died when he fell from his tractor into the path of an attached disc. The victim had begun discing a tobacco field about 3:00 p.m., minutes after his wife and son left for second-shift work at a factory. After completing one field, he proceeded to a second field to complete the afternoon's work. The second field was across a small galley. As the victim drove the tractor through …

Farmer Killed In Tractor Rollover [95ky039], Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 66-year-old male farmer was killed in a tractor rollover incident. The victim was discing a small tobacco plot near his home when he lost control of his tractor. It went over an embankment, rolled one-half turn and landed on the victim before rolling further down the embankment. It was not equipped with a rollover protective structure (ROPS) or a seatbelt; its brakes were inoperable. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene by the county coroner. In order to prevent similar incidents, the KY FACE investigator concluded that:

• tractors should be retrofitted with Roll Over Protective Structures and seatbelts; …

Farmer Killed After Tractor Overturns Into Creek Bed, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 47-year-old farmer/chemical analyst was killed when his tractor overturned into a muddy creek bed. The victim was checking a fence line on his property, which in that area has a rough, uneven terrain and on that day was very wet from a thunderstorm the previous night. He was going up an incline when his tractor slid backwards in the mud; the back tire slipped over the edge of a steep embankment and the tractor rolled over into the creek bed, pinning him face down in the mud. The tractor was not equipped with a Roll Over Protective Structure (ROPS) …

Farmer Run Over After Falling From Tractor, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 54-year-old male farmer was killed in a tractor runover incident. The victim was on his way to his tobacco field when he lost control of his tractor. After it left the road, he fell and was run over by the right rear tire and possibly the edge of the attached plow. The three-year-old tractor was equipped with a seatbelt, but it was not fastened. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene by the county coroner. In order to prevent similar incidents, the KY FACE investigator concluded that:

• Tractor operators should always wear seatbelts;
• Tractor operators should pay close …

Retiree Dies In Tractor Rollover, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 63-year-old retired bus driver was pinned underneath a rear tractor tire after it overturned while he was bush hogging. The 37-year-old tricycle tractor, not equipped with a ROPS or a seatbelt, had a bush hog attached. On the morning of the incident, the operator and his brother were mowing a portion of a pasture. At about 9:30 am, the victim started mowing at the bottom of a steep slope, and then progressed toward the top of the ridge. In order to make turns he had to circle around three dogwood trees at the top of the ridge. His brother …

Prison Employee Killed In Tractor Rollover, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 36-year-old male prison recreation director was killed in a tractor rollover incident. The victim was driving the tractor down a sloping, S-curved driveway when he lost control. The tractor went over an embankment, rolled one-half turn, and came to rest on the victim. It was not equipped with a Rollover Protective Structure (ROPS) or a seatbelt. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene by the county coroner. In order to prevent similar incidents, the KY FACE investigators concluded that:

• Tractors should be retrofitted with Roll Over Protective Structures and seatbelts.
• Employers should provide tractor operation training by safety …

Farmer Killed When Run Over By Tractor In Barn, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 62-year-old male farmer was killed inside his barn on a Saturday afternoon after starting his tractor from a standing position. The victim was demonstrating recent repairs to the tractor for his brother-in-law; a new battery and starter had been installed. Standing beside the tractor, the victim reached for the ignition switch to turn the tractor on. The tractor was in gear; when he turned the key the tractor lurched forward, running over the victim, who died moments later. The KY FACE investigators concluded that, to prevent similar occurrences, farmers and other tractor operators should:

• Never attempt to start a …

Retiree Dies After Tractor Overturns Into Creek, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 58-year-old retired factory worker and part-time farmer was killed when the tractor he was operating overturned into a creek and pinned him. At the time of the incident, the victim was mowing a pasture along a creek bed. The tractor was not equipped with a Roll Over Protective Structure (ROPS) or a seat belt. Attached to the tractor was a five foot bush hog. About 3:00 pm the day of the incident, the victim began mowing a 30 acre bottom land pasture by entering a gate at the east of the pasture. The victim drove in a westward direction …

Part-Time Farmer Is Killed In Rops-Equipped Tractor Rollover, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 60-year-old male minister and part-time farmer began mowing a 15-acre field near his home at about 11:00 am. Operating a farm tractor with a side sickle bar mower attached to the right side, he proceeded around the perimeter of the field. One edge of the field dropped off steeply to a ravine. While making the second pass around the field the ground under the left wheels gave way causing the tractor to roll over. The tractor came to rest on the victim causing massive internal injuries. A Roll Over Protective Structure (ROPS) had been retro-fitted to the 1962 tractor …

Farmer Pinned When Tractor Overturns Into Dry Creek Bed, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 65-year-old farmer died after his tractor overturned, pinning him underneath. The victim, working alone, began mowing with a bush hog along the perimeter of a soy bean field. At approximately 12:30 pm, the victim was about 1/4 mile from the main road mowing blackberry briars along a creek bed. This area was between the bean field and a creek embankment. Having made two cuts into the brush about 30 feet apart for the purpose of marking the creek edge, he proceeded to make a third cut. He backed the tractor, bush hog attached, toward the embankment. The 3-point hitch …

Farm Worker Is Killed In Tractor Rollover, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 42-year-old farm worker was killed when the tractor he was operating rolled over on him. The tractor was not equipped with Roll Over Protective Structures (ROPS) or a seat belt. The victim had been bush hogging alone in a field the morning of the incident. Having completed a lower pasture, he proceeded up a single lane loose gravel road carved in the side of the hill. The left side going up the hill was covered with trees and brush. The right side fell quickly off to form a steep embankment. As the victim maneuvered the tractor up the hill, …

Part-Time Farmer Is Killed After Losing Control Of His Tractor, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 38-year-old part-time farmer (landowner) was killed after the tractor he was operating turned over on him. The victim was mowing his property using a tractor and rotary mower attachment. The tricycle-type tractor was not equipped with a rollover protective structure (ROPS) or a seat belt. After completing an upper field, he drove the tractor down a hill toward the public roadway. The brakes apparently failed and he lost control of the tractor. The tractor slid off the gravel road, turned over and came to rest on top of the victim. There were no witnesses to the event. In order …

Retiree Is Killed When Tractor Overturns, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 61-year-old retiree was crushed to death when the tractor he was operating turned over on him. At 4:30 pm, the victim was bush-hogging a pasture on his farm, driving a tractor pulling a five-foot-wide, three-point hitch rotary bush-hog. The tractor was not equipped with a Roll Over Protective Structure (ROPS) or a seat belt. Mowing the outer perimeter of the pasture, the victim was on the first pass outlining the field. An eroded ravine forced the victim to go up the hill along the edge of the rose-briar-filled 18-foot-wide ditch. The left front and rear tractor wheels began sliding …

Farmer Is Run Over By Tractor After Losing Control On A Public Roadway, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 55-year-old male farmer was killed after the tractor he was operating left the roadway and ran over him. On the morning of the incident, the victim had been baling hay in a field seven miles from his home. After baling for about two hours, he left the field and proceeded home for lunch. About two miles from his home at 11:25 am, the victim's granddaughter (the witness), following the tractor and baler in a pick up truck, noticed the baler weaving in the road. It appeared the victim was having difficulty keeping the tractor in the right hand lane. …

Farmer Killed When Tractor Overturns, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 68-year-old male farmer was killed when the tractor he was operating overturned. The victim was driving his tractor down the roadway to a farm near his home. He was hired to bush hog on a neighbor's property. The tractor was not equipped with a Roll Over Protective Structure (ROPS) or a seat belt. The tractor did have indicator lights mounted to the fenders but no Slow Moving Vehicle (SMV) emblem. The tractor was towing a bush hog mounted on a three point hitch. The victim drove eastward on a public roadway to reach the property. Turning right from the …