Seeking information about November 1992 Accident

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Seeking information about November 1992 Accident

Postby Larry E. Matthews » Sep 4, 2013 9:17 pm

There was an accident at the Banshee Hole in Cumberland County, Tennessee in November 1992 that resulted in the death of NSS member Ted Rudolph.

There is a brief mention of this accident in the July, 1993 NSS News on page 189, but I am trying to find any other trip reports or incident reports about this. If you know of any, please let me know.

Larry E. Matthews
NSS #6792-F

Email: nss6792@bellsouth.net
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Re: Seeking information about November 1992 Accident

Postby UnderGroundEarth » Sep 5, 2013 8:40 am

Hey Larry,

Have you looked in the 1992 American Cave Accidents report? Look at page 366/367. You may also want to chat with Buddy Lane. He may be able to provide some info as he is listed as one of the references.

https://secure.caves.org/nss-business/p ... _ACA92.pdf
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Re: Seeking information about November 1992 Accident

Postby johnlhickman » Sep 7, 2013 9:57 pm

Larry,

I remember the write up in the ACA. From what I remember, a group of out of state cavers was visiting the cave. One of the cavers was using a Gibbs climbing system that I remember being illustrated in a Gibbs brochure. The climbing system had an upper ascender that was part of a chest harness but did not include any attachments to a seat harness. The top of the pit had an overhanging lip that the caver couldn't negotiate. Help was summoned but the caver had been hanging for some time. I don't know his condition when he was raised, but he subsequently died.

That is the jest of what happened. I visited the cave a few years later on our way back from Grassy Cove Saltpeter, the lip was a little tough but not difficult. I think the configuration of the climbing system and perhaps the size of the caver may have been the problem.

Hope this helps. The accident report certainly has more details.

John
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