homeinwestIL
Bronze Member
Man killed while using tractor to "support" tree that was being cut. 75-year-old Highland man killed when tree falls on him - Metro-east news - bnd.com
Tractor related death
- Thread starter homeinwestIL
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CurlyDave
Elite Member
No pictures, but I am mystified about how one would support a tree being cut with a tractor.
If the FEL is used to lift the tree, it seems that the FEL will never be at the balance point of the severed tree and it is going to tip over one way or the other.
If the FEL is used to lift the tree, it seems that the FEL will never be at the balance point of the severed tree and it is going to tip over one way or the other.
beenthere
Super Star Member
- Joined
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- Southern Wisconsin, USA
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- JD_4x2_Gator, JD_4300, JD_425, JD_455 AWS, added JD_455, JD_110, JD_X485(sold)
Very hard to put the story together what really happened. But can assume there were two men, a tractor and a tree involved some way.
Maybe the tree was leaning, and the men were trying to get the tree to fall away from the lean (otherwise no reason to have the tractor involved either pushing or lifting). If lifting, could be the loader bucket edge was in the backcut, used in place of a wedge to tip the tree.
If the other man was using a chainsaw and made the wrong cuts (or the tree had a rotten center and the conventional cuts were not working), the tree could have fallen wrong from the planned fall and dropped on the tractor.
Sad, but it happens. Hopefully this man had a good life 'til the accident. He won't have to spend time in a nursing home now, but likely will be missed by family and friends.
Maybe the tree was leaning, and the men were trying to get the tree to fall away from the lean (otherwise no reason to have the tractor involved either pushing or lifting). If lifting, could be the loader bucket edge was in the backcut, used in place of a wedge to tip the tree.
If the other man was using a chainsaw and made the wrong cuts (or the tree had a rotten center and the conventional cuts were not working), the tree could have fallen wrong from the planned fall and dropped on the tractor.
Sad, but it happens. Hopefully this man had a good life 'til the accident. He won't have to spend time in a nursing home now, but likely will be missed by family and friends.
hizoot
Gold Member
From reading the comments after the article....evidently this man was a local racing celebrity at belleclaire raceway. Seems he was very well liked.
DAY
Platinum Member
Age does not bring Wisdom- as many, many of us here will testify!
Though they wrote he was using the loader to support the tree, my understanding is, people do use loaders and backhoes to push trees in a particular direction, as it is being cut.Thereby using the uncut portion at the base, as a hinge. While clearly this is still very dangerous, it at least makes some sense mathematically. My guess is, that was more likely what was happening here.
