A subcontract buncher operator had stopped for repairs near the end of his shift. He needed to walk out to his pick-up for tools approximately 1.5 – 2.0 kilometres away. It was late and dark outside. He looked in his machine and his flashlight was missing. He called his co-workers (employees of the subcontractor) and received no reply.

Ultimately, the buncher operator spent the night in his buncher—dark and cold. The employees of the subcontractor had gone home early and said nothing.

A log truck driver in first haul position headed empty up to the block. Road conditions were clear with frozen mud rutted areas due to muddy conditions prior.

From experience and driving the road prior, the driver assessed that one set of chains would be sufficient. After loading and beginning his descent down to the mill, he came upon an icy patch that was in a leaning bend in the road (it had become icy due to all the traffic on the road that followed up behind him). Also, fast changing weather conditions on this road are normal and were an issue.

A skidder (630 Tigercat model) was backing up a hill in reverse to grab a turn of logs. The hill had a gentle slope of approximately 20 per cent.

The skidder made a sudden noise, stopped; lights and buzzers came on and the machine took off forward (as if in neutral), down the hill. The operator attempted to apply the brakes and lower the blade to the ground in order to stop the machine from moving. The hydraulic functions did not work.