I just posted a few pictures of a Super HET convoy carring M1A1s that got into a major fender bender. HET Fender Bender

Here is an excerpt from the Malfunction/Accident/Incident Report (MAIR):
[b]The following information is provided concerning a Malfunction/Accident/Incident involving TACOM equipment:

a. Location of MAIR: Eisenhower Ave., Fort Knox, KY
b. Date and Time of MAIR: 9 July 02, Approximately 09:00 A.M.
c. Identification of Unit involved: 233rd Transportation Company. (All vehicles belong to this unit, except for the tanks).
d. Injuries/Fatalities: Unknown at this time. (All Drivers were evacuated to Ireland Army Community Hospital). No physical fatalities were seen.
e. Identification of Weapon/Ammunition/Equipment/Vehicle (SN and bumper #) involved:

Vehicle # 1: M1070 HET, Serial No. 1049362, Bumper No. 236
M1000 Trailer, Serial No. 560, Bumper No. 236T
Abrams Tank loaded onto trailer: Unit 2/81 Armor Battalion, 1st Armor
Training Brigade. Bumper No. HHC-26, Serial No. L18078U.

Vehicle # 2: M1070 HET, Serial No. 1049364, Bumper No. 234
M1000 Trailer, Serial No. 562, Bumper No. 234T
Abrams Tank loaded onto trailer: Unit 2/81 Armor Battalion, 1st Armor
Training Brigade. Bumper No. HHC-24, Serial No. L18069U.

Vehicle # 3: M1070 HET, Serial No. 1049434, Bumper No. 319
M1000 Trailer, Serial No. 648, Bumper No. 319T
Abrams Tank loaded onto trailer: Unit 2/81 Armor Battalion, 1st Armor
Training Brigade. Bumper No. D-31, Serial No. D8067.

Vehicle # 4: M1070 HET, Serial No. 1049396, Bumper No. 210
M1000 Trailer, Serial No. 579, Bumper No. 210T
Abrams Tank loaded onto trailer: Unit 2/81 Armor Battalion, 1st Armor
Training Brigade. Bumper No. HHC-21, Serial No. L18065U.

Vehicle # 5: M1070 HET, Serial No. 1049445, Bumper No. 324
M1000 Trailer, Serial No. 640, Bumper No. 320T
Abrams Tank loaded onto trailer: Unit 2/81 Armor Battalion, 1st Armor
Training Brigade. Bumper No. D-12, Serial No. L7042

f. Property Damage:
Vehicle # 1: Bumper # 236, No apparent damage to the truck.
Bumper # 236T, trailer is extensively damaged on the rear end.
Abrams Tank had no apparent damage.

Vehicle # 2: Bumper # 234, Spring rail bent, drivers cab side winch ripped off.
Winch control station lifted and crushed. King pin mount bent. Frame is bent.
Extensive damage to the front of the vehicle.
Bumper # 234T, trailer is damaged on the gooseneck and on the left side
middle section.
Abrams Tank has a dent on the right side rear. It is scrapped all the way
down on the right side. Right side final drive bolts broke off.
(Tank's right side track is off the side of trailer)

Vehicle # 3: Bumper # 319, Truck is totaled. Smashed front end.
Bumper # 319T, Possible damage to axle assemblies.
Abrams Tank had left side shirts # 1 & 2 ripped off.
Left front fender bent upwards. Possible turret damage.
Left side front shirt # 1 arm support broke off.
Left side front track bumper stopper broke off.

Vehicle # 4: Bumper # 210, Front right side smashed in.
Frame damaged front and rear. King pin bent.
Bumper # 210T, Trailer only damaged on the rear end.
Abrams Tank has no apparent damage.

Vehicle # 5: Bumper # 324, Extensive damage. Frame bent and
sheered off at right front side of vehicle. King pin
bent. Winch, rear right side bent and leaking. Left
rear frame rail bent. Number 1 front axle twisted and
bent. Transfer and driveshaft bent and broken.
Bumper # 320T, Possible damage to axle assemblies.
Abrams Tank has no apparent damage.

g. Description of Accident: All five HET Transporters were traveling down a steep grade hill in convoy sequence when a front vehicle slowed down and the following vehicles collided into each other.

OUCH! That's a lot of tonnage suddenly coming to a stop I guess.

I love the photo with the guy in the blue shirt (a driver? or merely a passerby?). That photo would make a good photo caption contest.

Thanks for sharing Rob. Looks like the M1's fared pretty well in the crash. Of course they probably were causing most of the damage if not by their sheer weight alone.

Jim

Damn!!! What a mess. Hope no one was hurt.

Mark

Do you lose your Expert Driving Badge for that?

I like picture #4, what was the driver thinking as the Abrams was moving into his cab? Can you swear and move fast at the same time?

Dave

I believe the "pucker factor" would act like suction and keep you at your seat. For those uninitiated, the "pucker factor" is a phenomenon that occurs when something bad is about to happen and the muscles in your sphincter tighten up or "pucker", thus creating suction and holding you in place. It is said, but not proven, that if an entire tank crew gets the pucker factor at the same time, the resulting suction will be enough to remove the white paint from the tank interior.

I wonder if anyone plans on displaying their AA HET model (the $450 one) in this mode?

YIKES!

Sure hope that no one was seriously hurt on that!

That might take a while to pay off on some PFC's wages too.

Thanks,
Kevin Keefe
Mortars in Miniature

Thats pretty funny.

I hope everyone was ok, amazing nobody was killed. Imagine the noise of all that tonage crashing around. What a mess.

Oops. I'd hate to call the boss and explain what happened to his transport section...
I'm surprised how little damage was done to the A1s when you see the total picture. Those MP's must have had a field day writing their report !

Who allowed his dog to stray across the road unserpevised ? What a mess...

Fender bender !!. Good chice of words their Rob. So who gets loss of pay on this one.

I work at range control here at Knox, and witnessed the aftermath of it. We're lucky that no one was killed. I have several other pics that we took, (those are media shots) but didn't want to post them due to security reasons.....they get pretty tight lipped down here when people get hurt. The accident was caused when a convoy of HET's were coming down MISERY (anyone who has been to Knox knows where it is) A basic training unit was doing a roadmarch on the same hill, but were running an hour late, and didn't call it in. The first 2 HET's were able to slow down, but it caused a pileup .

And that's the rest of the strory......

G. Sabot,

Cool pics. Glad to see them and just to add some details to my AA kit or to think of some idea for a conversion.

Can we say, in my dreams....... #:-)

Dave

Hi there. Is that the Major speaking ?
Hemmm... listen, Sir, we had a small road accident this morning. Nobody seriously hurt or anything. I was jest wondering : the repair company asked me where they can send the invoice ?
Hello... Major ... ? You still there ???


Everything you Americans ever do is bigger, faster, more expensive, more spectacular... but this is really something ! Even my mother-in-law's driving skills pale when compaired to this little gem ! Now I understand why US soldiers wear their helmets INSIDE the vehicle during exercise. Think of the good side of this, Rob, this is certainly good for employment in the region. Half a dozen guys can be busy for months to get this show on the road again !

If you can find drivers like that, you don't even need an enemy !


Jan

You gotta remember this...
1 Het= 50 tons
1 tank=60-70 tons
emergency stopping distance down a steep hill= Yeah right

Like I said before, we're lucky no one got killed

PS...now the cat is outta the bag....if the Moderators want the pics for the gallery, let me know and I'll send

John

Thanks for posting the pics, Rob. I saw this in the Fort Knox newspaper and was hoping someone would come up with more photos. I guess there were a some minor injuries, but nothing serious.

In the fifth photo, notice the sign hanging from the gun tube "DANGER Do not walk under gun tube" -- it's advisable not to drive under it either

Think of the "war story" all those basic trainees now have to tell

Hey Rob, thx for the pics!.....got a question tho'.....what's the usual 'deductable' that the 'good hands' at Allstate Insurance Company charge ya?

Tread.

BTW, I'm not a Moderator or anything, but I'd still like to see the pics you have!