Tractor accident

My neighbor lost his cousin and farming partner last week in a terrible accident. His name was Pat and a great guy and friend especialy to the young farmers who loved to talk to him. He was 63 but looked much younger. He was starting his 185 allis from the ground, I know what you're thinking, and it was in gear and ran him over. It happened in the early afternoon and my nephew and brother found him about 9:30 that night. This tractor had a faulty starter and he would hit the starter with a hitch pin while reaching around to the key. How many times have farmers done that! For what ever reason the tractor was in 3rd high. It hit the grain drill parked in the shed in front of it the same time the rear tire got on his upper back and left shoulder and it stalled. That's the way they found him. He was going to combine that afternoon but decided to wait another day. I wish he hadn't. We are sure going to miss him. Guys, don't let "things " get in the way of knowing that you know that you know!!! thiings are safe. He just was saying a while back that the last few years were the best he could remember on the farm and wished he was a young guy again. BE CAREFUL! Nick

Sorry to hear this Nick.  My heart goes out to you and your neighbor.  Condolences to your neighbor and prayers go out.  This is especially a bad time of year for accidents.  Everyone is trying to hurry and beat the weather or what ever.  Yes, BE CAREFUL!!  Use the brain that God gave you.  Don't take shortcuts!

Thanks Ted. What is ironic is Pat got stuck in corn in his grain bin last year while loading out grain and Mark heard him yell and shut the auger off. He was shoulder deep in the grain. They got him out by putting a plastic barrel tube over/around him and vacuuming the corn out. We all figured that was his near brush with death. He ended up suffocating in a different way. Too sad.

Nick, condolences to you, your neighbor and all of Pat's family. Tragic accidents like this are hard on everyone involved.

very sorry for your loss, can't tell you how many times i've done the same thing. Just a reminder to all fix those simple little things like the clicking starter or tricky brake latch before the become something that can't be fixed. so many times it's the things you've been doin for years that can catch you buy surprise. again my condolences to you and the family. 

condolences to the family and friends. May God Bless and keep themthrough this time of tragedy.

We have all taken shortcuts -- lets all of us be more carefull !!

So sorry to hear that.

It's so easy to do. I went to start my C this spring. I forgot my son had bush hogged with it a few weeks before. I always take it out of gear and make sure the wheel is chocked when I leave it. I also usually check for neutral before i start it. Just forgot that one time. Stood on the left side, turned on the gas, pulled the choke, reached over the steering tube and pushed the starter rod. Luckily, it didnt start the first roll over like it usually does. Tire still hit me in the right leg when it jumped. It is sooo easy to forget. Prayers for the family and for everyone else to be careful. Take the extra time, or you might not have any left.

If you really think about it, there are no accidents. The circumstances and their outcome are because not doing what is required safely. I made it through a very close call with a tractor running over my legs when I was a senior in high school. Won't ever forget that feeling.  Prayers for the family. God Bless, Tracy Martin

Condolences and prayers from NC also. 

     Sorry for your loss. The Renko Families, Edwardsville Il.

 Good for you and the neighbors. I remember when a neighbor here blew his knee out right before planting time. I never saw so much big eqipment for soil finishers and planters in one place before. And I got Dad's old disc out and did a little patch that none of the BIG rigs could get into. That was B4 owning a AC though and I used what I had, a JD A

Edited by CTuckerNWIL - 14 Oct 2012 at 7:30pm