I am writing in response to your request for "additional information". In block no. 30 of the accident report form, I put poor planning as the cause of my accident. You said in my last letter I should explain more fully. I trust that the following detail will be sufficient. I am an amateur radio operator. On the day of the accident I was working alone on the section of my new 80 foot antenna tower. When I completed my job, I discovered that I had, over the course of several trips, brought up about 300 lbs. of tools and spare hardware. Rather than carry this all down by hand, I decided to lower the items in a small barrel by using a pulley, which fortunately was attached to the pole at the tip of the tower. Securing the rope at ground level, I went up the tower and loaded the tools etc. into the barrel. Then I went back to the ground and untied the rope, holding it tightly to insure slow descent of the 300 lbs of tools. You will note in block no. 11 of the accident report that I weigh 155 lbs, due to my surprise at being jerked off the ground so suddenly, I lost my presence mind and forgot to let go of the rope. Needless to say, I proceeded at a rapid rate up the side of the tower. In the vicinity of the 40 foot level, I met the barrel coming down. This explains my fractured skull and broken clavicle. Slowed only slightly, I continued my rapid ascent, not stopping until the fingers of my right hand were two knuckles deep into the pulley. Fortunately by this time I had regained my presence of mind and was able to hold on tightly to the rope in spite of the pain. At about the same time however, the barrel hit the ground, the bottom fell out of the barrel. Devoid of the weight of the tools, the barrel now weighed 20 lbs. I refer again to my weight in block no. 11. As you might guess, I began a rapid descent down the side of the tower, in the vicinity of the 40 foot level, I met the barrel coming up. This accounts for the two fractured ankles and the lacerations on my legs and lower body. The encounter with the barrel slowed me enough to lessen my injuries when I fell into the pile of tools, and fortunately only three vertebrae were cracked. I am sorry to report, however that as I lay there on the tools in pain, unable to stand, and watching the empty barrel 80 feet above me, I again lost my presence of mind, I let go of the rope...
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