Accident...or?

[MDF4]

Spring 1971...Kentucky


The following is a true account
A farmer is tilling a plot of flat land preparing for planting. The tractor is upside down and disconnected from whatever he was pulling with the deceased man trapped beneath it. There are vehicle tire tracks and foot prints to the site and exiting the field. Apparently it's not all that unusual for farmers to work well into the night and when he didn't return home the next morning his wife called a neighbor to check on him. The neighbor parked at the edge of the field and seeing what happened drove to the nearest phone and called the Sherriff. Ultimately, the incident was ruled as an accident.
The question is; for those of you that understand that type of work is it reasonable for this type of accident to happen?


There is a back story to this and the man that was killed was my elder bother.

 

[30-30remchester]

Worked with heavy machinery most of my adult live. Tractor roll overs have killed many, many farmers over the decades. It takes a mere second or two before something goes from normal to fatal with machinery. I know and have worked with 4 individuals that were killed by their machinery. It has been a while since I checked the following stats so DON''T take for fact, but IIRC, oil field workers are 10 times more likely to be killed and 22 times more likely to be permanently disabled on job than police officers.

 

[mtgianni]

Full sized front end or tricycle style? Did the towed implement appear to be disconnected manually or by the rollover? What was the slope of the ground?

 

[dockmurgw]

"A farmer is tilling a plot of flat land preparing for planting."
"is it reasonable for this type of accident to happen?"

Flat land, I would say no...not reasonable.

 

[NYlakesider]

Its easy to tip over a tractor. Thats why all modern ones have ROPS AKA a tractor equipped with a rollover protective structure and the seat belt.

I have had a couple close calls and most people I know with construction equipment have their stories also. Many times it boils down to "Familiarity breeds contempt"!

 

[Bekeart]

I am SUSPICIOUS

There are vehicle tire tracks and foot prints to the site and exiting the field.

I am SUSPICIOUS.

Unless the tracks and prints were made earlier and the tractor had driven over them, whoever made the prints should have reported the incident.

Bekeart

 

[steelslaver]

I had a close friend whose brother was killed by rolling a tractor over on himself. My freind was there and there was really nothing he could do. Brother was making a sharp turn and a rear wheel dropped in a shallow ditch and over it went.

 

[IronSkillet]

Maybe a good samaritan, realized nothing could be done. Not saying it is the correct thing to do but many people have never seen death outside of a controlled environment. My thinking if someone was going the distance to make a murder look like an accident why would they leave tracks? Someone came upon this took flight, kid maybe who knows.

I am SUSPICIOUS.

Unless the tracks and prints were made earlier and the tractor had driven over them, whoever made the prints should have reported the incident.

Bekeart

 

[SMSgt]

More than one tractor has flipped over backwards. It is not beyond comprehension.

 

[Countrycuz]

A lot of factors in tractor stability, including wheel spacing, weight distribution, and sudden changes. If the rear load suddenly and dramatically increases, like hitting a large rock or stump, the tractor can flip over backwards. I don't know how a second person could intentionally cause a rollover.

 

[sigp220.45]

Say its not an accident.

How do roll a tractor over onto someone deliberately?

 

[eveled]

In my opinion @Countrycuz, is spot on.

 

[Jinglebob]

A lot of factors in tractor stability, including wheel spacing, weight distribution, and sudden changes. If the rear load suddenly and dramatically increases, like hitting a large rock or stump, the tractor can flip over backwards. I don't know how a second person could intentionally cause a rollover.

I farmed all my life and I agree with you. If you suddenly put a heavy load on the draw bar and your speed is to fast it will roll or flip the tractor even on flat level ground.

 

[tlawler]

Say its not an accident.

How do roll a tractor over onto someone deliberately?

That's the first thing I thought when I read the OP. Especially on a flat field.

 

[DWalt]

Were autopsy cause of death findings consistent with a tractor rollover?

I do not know how a second party would intentionally cause a tractor turnover.

 

[Rustyt1953]

Thanks. I'm gonna be up all night now.

 

[Yaworski]

I had a cousin killed in a tractor rollover. He was mowing and the field had been mowed a thousand times before without incident. Suddenly there was a soft spot or hole.

 

[444 Magnum]

For the last fifty years or more, tractors have had weights added to the front to balance the load and prevent back flips, etc. Not sure what type of tractor...tricycle front gear, weights, soil conditions...it could easily happen.

Heavy weight in back (plow/harrow in the ground), no front weights, throttle up, pop the clutch...very possible.

 

[Muss Muggins]

Why is this coming up 51 years after the accident . . . ?

 

[MDF4]

Why is this coming up 51 years after the accident . . . ?

Because my father went to his grave without a definitive answer.
Based on the comments and you folks that know about tractors and that they can flip over adds to whether I'll press on and get a court order to release the file.


My father made multiple trips to Kentucky but the county Sherriff would not release the file without a court order and basically said it was an accident, case closed. My father tried talking to neighbors in his area and pretty much got, "I don't know," with the exception that my brother was a good man and sad that he left behind a young wife and three little ones.


There was one comment by a local that there were issues and I suppose that was what stuck in his craw.
Thanks everyone for your comments...I do appreciate it.