Abstract: At approximately 8:45 a.m. on June 5, 1989, at Madden Auto Sales and Salvage in Blocher, IN, the hydraulic hose (original equipment) on a 17-year-old P&H 312 track backhoe ruptured. All hydraulic pressure to the boom failed instantly. The entire boom, and the 1 1/2 ton magnet it was carrying, free-fell and struck Employee #1, age 52. He died instantly of multiple head fractures and wounds, and multiple fractures of other body parts. The track backhoe did not have a hydraulic cylinder holding its valves intact, which is current standard safety equipment on all such units in the industry. Employee #1 should not have been in the area.