Abstract: At approximately 11:30 a.m. on March 8, 2005, Employee #1 was setting chokers. The carriage had returned to the unit and was stopped. During that time, another coworker, the yarder operator, heard an air leak under the cab and dismounted to find it. He did not set the mechanical brake on the skyline drum. When the operator grabbed the air hose leading to the air auxillary brake to the skyline, it became detached and the skyline dropped on Employee #1 who was underneath it retrieving chokers. The employee was struck in the back and received fractures to several vertebrae. He was transported to a medical center in the crew transport truck, where he was hospitalized for treatment.