Abstract: At approximately 3:00 a.m. on August 8, 2004, an employee was discovered after apparently falling from a fixed ladder on the F/V Pamela Rae to the floating concrete dock outside of the bulwark of the vessel. The ladder went to the pilot house. If the employee had fallen from the pilot house deck, the fall would have been approximately 8.5 feet. It was unknown at this time the actual distance of the fall. The employee was observed by a coworker, as reported through the captain, in the process of falling. The concrete dock included an 8 inch by 8 inch bull rail around the perimeter. Mooring cleats were affixed to the bull rail as well. The review of medical charts indicated that the employee apparently struck his head. It was not known if the head struck a part of the vessel or dock that caused the injury. Local emergency medical services responded to the location. The employee was transported to local hospital. The employee was flown to Seattle later that morning. The employee was removed from life support on at 12:30 p.m. on August 15, 2004. The investigator was not able to contact additional witnesses, who were awake and were y with the employee on the morning of the incident. The fixed ladder was in good repair. It was unknown at the time of the accident why the pilot house was being accessed at 3:00 p.m.