Abstract: On the morning of May 5, 2009, Employee #1 and a coworker were driving trucks to a building to redirect wires. Employee #1 was driving a Ford 250, four wheel drive, pickup, and his coworker was driving a Ford F550, four wheel drive, equipped with a hydraulic bucket system. The employee drove down the grassy road first to determine if it was solid enough for the second truck. The employee found it was okay, and the coworker drove the F550 down the grass road. At approximately 258 ft down the road, the F550 lost traction on the wet grass. However, the coworker was unable to move it forward or backward. Employee #1 maneuvered the Ford F250 around the Ford F550 to pull it loose but also began to lose traction. At this point, Employee #1 decided to hook a 3-in. by 30-ft nylon sling between the two vehicles and use the nylon sling to pull the Ford F550 backwards to where it could have more traction. The coworker remained in the Ford F550. Employee #1 looped the nylon sling over the hitch ball on the Ford F250 and looped it over the head of a My-te capstan winch (Model Number 30-12-FS, Serial Number T370097), mounted on the right rear bumper of the Ford F550. There was no tow connection on the back of the Ford F550. Employee #1 then entered the Ford F250 and made three attempts to tug the Ford F550 to more solid ground. On the third attempt, the head of the capstan winch broke, was pulled from the shaft of the winch, and propelled by the energy of the releasing sling through the rear window of the Ford F250, striking Employee #1 in the head. Although the coworker did not observe the head of the capstan winch being propelled through the rear window of the Ford F250, he heard the snapping sound and then observed the Ford F250 accelerate forward through a 6-ft chain link fence and continue travelling approximately 130 ft until it came to a hard stop against a tree in a wooded area . The coworker went to the point of impact with the tree and found Employee #1 bleeding severely and unresponsive. Emergency services determined that Employee #1 had severe injuries to the head and called for a helicopter ambulance to transport the employee to the University of Iowa Hospital Trauma Center in Iowa City, Iowa. Employee #1 died on May 23, 2009 at 3:30 pm.