Abstract: At 9:50 a.m. on August 17, 1995, Employee #1, a crane operator, was on the bank of the Los Angeles River, Long Beach, CA, on the levee at the junction of Long Beach Freeway North and I-405, the San Diego Freeway. The weather was clear, warm, and dry. The levee was compacted soil with aprons composed of a mixture of loose soil and asphalt. Employee #1 was making a lift of an estimated 24,000 lb, when the 2 1/2 in. thick single plants of cedar and oak broke on the soft soil, throwing the crane out of balance. Employee #1 was thrown from his crane as it toppled down the river bank. Employee #1 sustained fractured ribs, a broken leg, a punctured lung, and a possible concussion. The employer fulfills Caltrans contracts for caisson drilling, piling placement, and testing. Violations cited include: TCCR 1509(b), 1511(b), 4994(a), 4994(b)(2)(a), 4999(a), 5006(a), 5006(b), failure to train crane operators clearly as to proper set up, and operation with outriggers partially deployed on unstable soil.