There goes my tractor

Today started with a dead battery in my truck. Did a battery swap and got going. Off to do a mowing job. About 1/2 way through the job it started raining. Was almost ready to stop. Then my JD just stopped. I was on the top of a hill so I started coasting down to my truck incase I needed tools. On the way down the tractor slowed and stopped. Since the motor wasn't operating and running the pump, the mower dropped and acted as a anchor. The tractor wasn't going further. Tried to put it in park, but didn't go in. I hopped off checked a few connections, then hit the key to see if did any good. Well it started, it must have been close to full throttle. The mower lever still in the up position raised immediately. All I could do is back away, and watch my tractor and flail mower head for a 30 ft drop off. I couldn't believe what I was watching. My best tractor a JD 401 industrial, heading for certain death. The tractor turned just a little and headed for a ditch in the drop off. The ditch sopped the tractor about 1/2 way down, by the mower. The ditch was just a little smaller the my 7 ft flail mower. I went home and got my crawler and a bunch of chains. I had my brother run the crawler.The other tractor just about didn't pull it out. but with a lot of digging it finally came out. Let me tell you I don't ever want that to see that happen again. I guess my biggest problem was not being able to find park with the tractor unable to move, and I should have been in the seat before I tried to start it. I have a few pictures when I can get them out of the camera, will post them. Stan

Make that rhyme a little and you could rival Baxter Black. LOL

i never start mine unless i am in the seat.just dont ask why.
RICK

My former 4-H leader and neighbor died because he was jumping and starting the tractor from the ground.

My BIL left my M Farmall at the top of a hill in neutral and it rolled almost to a drop off before it got stopped by a tree. It got caught by the axle with no damage what so ever. Ellis

Wew!

I'm glad to hear your tractor didn't get wrecked, but the important thing is you weren't hurt. Many folks have been killed or seriously injured by starting a tractor while not seated.

Reminds me of a neighbor he had a fellow working for him and was baling hay with his 444 IH and New Holland square baler the the hired hand gets off the tractor with the baler running to check out the knotters,the brake jumps off and the tractor and baler rolled off the side of a cliff and crashed into the river below totaling both.

I see some complaining on here about all the modern tractor safety features, interlocks etc, but that would of prevented that from happening. On our newer tractor I sometimes start it from the ground but the reverser has to be in neutral. I don't know how you would run an elevator or generator with the pto, there must be some way to bypass the seat switch, or put a sandbag in the seat!

glad you weren't hurt we all do things sometimes when "comfortable" and sometimes come out ok sometimes not...when I was growing up in northern Indiana there was always someone during fall harvest getting caught in a pto ..usually none of the guards were on and everyone got "comfortable"..it might be a good idea to install a clutch safety switch on it so it cant be started from the ground..unless you arc across the solenoid..lots of people disable them and mine is a pain sometimes but it helps remind me that with no one around to help if I get caught im probably in for a rough time of it..yrs ago we had a u allis chalmers..hand crank start and the gearshift lever slid from side to side horizontally...it had holes in the clutch pedal to hold pedal in with a pin that was on the tractor for that reason but dad never used anything like it was really supposed to be used...he started it in neutral and it dropped in gear and chased him out into the garden..about half throttle and 3rd gear..he was younger then and it was something we laughed about..when older it might not have worked out so well..if we had enough time I could tell you hundreds of things that happened but then so could you all..just glad your not hurt and your family isn't hurting tonight also

My lste brother had something like that happen. He had a friend baling hay. He stopped on top of a hill. Left the pto on and did not lock the brakes. Got on the wagon to throw a few bales around on kicker wagon so he could get a few more bales on the wagon. Rocking of the baler got the tractor, baler, and wagon going down the hill into a woods.
Snapped off the front of an Oliver 1850, totaled the hay pickup on a 338 baler, bent the baler hitch, and strung the frame on the kicker, and somehow broke quite a few oak boards on the wagon. Helper was smart enough to jump off wagon.
The only funny thing about it was the look on the insuranc adjusters face.

I did the something like that when planting corn.
Started a tractor to lower planter to get more fertilizer in the planter. Luckily the tractor was in 1st gear, idling, 3 speed in under. I pulled the engine off on the way underneath. Got pinched partly under the tire and squeezed against the rear hosing. Guy working for me heard me hollering for help twice. I could not breath and said to myself get ready God I coming soon. My helper saw what happened and come running over and backed the tractor off me. I broke every rib and a bone in my back. Month and a half later I got pneumonia. Ended up in the hospital in a coma for a month. Lost 1/2 of right long. Later had to have a double fusion in my back. Ended my farming career, but I still work quite a bit in my shop. I thank God every night and morning for being alive for another day.
One thing I learned is you do not have to set the world on fire to accomplish things.

Wasn't there a post about the exact same thing happening about a week ago? Glad you weren't hurt but maybe it's time to retire from doing custom work? Seems you've had a few close calls in recent month's. Would hate to hear of a serious or fatal injury.

Kind of hoping no one would remember that one. It was my ford truck. Already retired once. I just will need to be more careful. Stan

Stan,

I do not want to be disrespectful, but I have seen more than a few posts about dangerous situations happening to you. There does come a time when a person should change their activities.

It happens to all of us as we age.

Slow down and really make sure a situation is safe before you get into it. We, and your family do not want to lose you.

C'mon. Be nice to the old guy. After all he a a camera with FILM in it! LOL

You don't know what you are talking about. I have pictures stored in my camera, and I don't have the ability to load them on my computer. I am waiting for my daughter to come over and do it for me. There was no mention of removing film, and There was no need of your comment. Stan