2004-06-12 Incident

ACCIDENT REPORT
INCIDENT DATE – June 12, 2004
TWO VICTIMS
LOCATION – Eagle’s Nest Cave System, Hernando County, Florida
Victim #1 Profile

from Petersburg, FL
Age 36
Active cave diver
10 years cave diving
Certified Cave Diver (NACD) – April 1994
Certified Trimix Diver (IANTD) – September 1998
Certified DPV (Diver Propulsion Vehicle) Diver (NSS-CDS) – April 2002

Victim #1 Dive Equipment

Cylinder #1 (Oxygen cylinder) – Aluminum 80, O2 cover, cylinder located at 29’ on tree. Atomic regulator, valve closed. Scuba Pro 1st Stage, Sea Elite pressure gauge, analyzed at 100% oxygen, 2600 in cylinder.

Cylinder #2 – (33% Nitrox cylinder) – Aluminum 80, cylinder had stencil markings that read “70”, 2700 psi in cylinder, Zeagle regulator D54, Scuba Pro pressure gauge, valve closed, analyzed at 33.4% (33.4% oxygen). Cylinder dropped at 125’ on top of debris mound.

Cylinder #3 – (12/45 Travel cylinder) – Aluminum 80, cylinder had stencil markings that read “120”, 1400 psi in cylinder, Zeagle regulator, valve closed, analyzed at 12/44.8 (12% oxygen, 44.8% helium). Cylinder dropped at 250’ depth, apprx.550’ penetration into the cave.

Cylinders #4 and #5 – Backgas – Double Steel low pressure 131 cylinders, containing 12/43, (12% oxygen, 43% helium). 200 Bar isolator manifold, isolator valve in open position. Victim exhausted gas in cylinders.

NOTE Victim had an EAD (Equivalent Air Depth) of 151’at maximum planned depth.

Computer #1 – VR3 – Delta P Technology
– reading 1587 total dive time (26 hours, 45 minutes) 290’ maximum depth, date June 12, Entered water 1238 , gas 12/43 (12% oxygen, 43% helium). Other gases turned on in computer Nitrox 33, Nitrox 99.
Computer #2 – VR3 – Delta P Technology reading same as computer #1.
Drysuit – in good condition with drysuit boots, and victim was wearing hood.
Backplate Stainless Steel and webbing
BC (Buoyancy Compensator) – Halycon 70 lb lift wing
Mask – Cressi Sub -secure on face, contained combination of blood/water.
Fins – Scuba Pro Jet Fins with spring straps.
Knife – Z- Knife on left webbing.
Regulators – 2 Atomic Titaniums with one on a 7’ long hose, regulators functional, good condition.
Note Custom mouthpieces on regulators chewed on, possibly not a reaction to the accident, but already in that condition.
Pressure Gauge – Scuba Pro
Primary Light – Sartek 18 Watt HID Light, Plexiglass canister 14 amp/12 volt
Back up lights – 2 scout lights, both functional, not deployed
Reels – Two spool reels– #1 – 75’ gap spool, #2 – 150’ safety spool
Dive Rite Pouch – contained keys
Directional Markers – 4 line arrows on right chest D Ring
DPV – (Diver Propulsion Vehicle) Submerge, Silent Submersion Vehicle, UV – 26, owned by Victim #2. DPV found at 680’ penetration. Speed setting on #9.

Victim #2 Profile

from Spring Hill, FL
Age 44
Active cave diver
Certified Cave Diver (NACD, TDI) November, 2002
Certified Trimix Diver (TDI) June, 2003

Victim #2 Dive Equipment

Cylinder #1 – Steel 80, OMS Band and stage rigging, cylinder dropped at 33’ on tree. Poseidon Extreme regulator, valve closed, OMS pressure gauge, cylinder marked 100%, analyzed at 100%.

Cylinder #2 – Aluminum 80, dropped at apprx. 125’ on top of debris mound. OMS pressure gauge, Oceanic regulator, valve closed, 2700 psi of gas remaining in cylinder, cylinder marked 110 on side, analyzed at 35.6% (35.6% oxygen).

Cylinder #3 – Aluminum 80, victim had cylinder clipped off to his left side, top clip unclipped, Poseidon 1st and second stage, pressure gauge reading 0. Cylinder marked 13/47 (13% oxygen / 47% helium).

Cylinders #4 and #5 – Backgas – Double Steel low pressure 112 cylinders, containing 12/44, (12% oxygen, 44% helium). Isolator manifold, isolator valve in open position. Victim exhausted gas in cylinders.

NOTE Victim had an EAD (Equivalent Air Depth) of 151’ at maximum planned depth.

Computer #1 – VR3 – Delta P Technology –reading 4582 total dive time (76 hours, 36 minutes), 286’ maximum depth, date June 4th (date incorrect) Entered water 1254, gas 12/44 (12% oxygen, 44% helium)

Computer #2 –VR3 – Delta P Technology –reading same as Computer #1.

Drysuit – Diving Concept Pinnacle 200, Left pocket on suit

Backplate Aluminum

BC (Buoyancy Compensator) – OMS 60 lb lift wing

Mask – low profile

Fins – Scuba Pro Jet Fins with spring straps, XL

Knife – Z- Knife missing from pouch.

Regulators – 2 Poseidon Extremes, good condition, functional, one on 7’ long hose

Primary Light – Sartek 18 Watt HID Light, Plexiglass canister 14 amp/12 volt. Light had a small pinhole on the cord, and was flooded.

NOTE In my opinion, small pinhole would take several hours to flood light.

Pressure Gauge – Scuba Pro

Back up light #1 – OMS 7-LED

Back up light #2 – SL6 Underwater Kinetics

Reels – One Jasper style safety reel.

NOTE One reel possibly missing where accident occurred.

Lift Bag – Dive Rite lift bag, butt mounted.

Directional Markers – 2 line arrows, 2 non directional markers on D ring, right webbing

DPV – Submerge, Silent Submersion Vehicle, UV – 26, DPV found clipped to victim.

Dive profile/plan

Victims dive plan was to scooter to Andrews Tunnel, which was discussed with several different people before they entered the water.

SUMMARY

Dive team entered water at 1238 PM on Saturday, June 12, 2004.

Dive team dropped oxygen at 30’ and nitrox cylinders at the top of debris mound at 125’.

They scootered downstream to just before the entrance of the Pit Restriction, where Victim #1 dropped his trimix stage bottle. Team continued through the restriction at 650’ penetration, upon exiting the restriction, the main line runs on the right side of the restriction as you come out into the passage. It is possible that one or maybe both of the divers encountered buoyancy problems, causing a silt-out at the base of the pit, which eliminated any visibility in the cave in this area. There is no flow in this area, this section of cave is the one of the deepest and siltiest areas in the system. It would take hours for sediment to settle. In my opinion, they were immediately separated, because of lack of visibility. Victim #1 dropped scooter approximately 30’ from the main line. There was no evidence that he deployed a safety reel to search for the main line. It appears that Victim #1 may have moved further into the cave in his search to find the main line or exit. Victim found the main line further into the cave and was exiting when he depleted his air source. The point that Victim #1 was found was approximately 450’ further into the cave from where he dropped his DPV.

Victim #2 moved further and was found in “John’s Pocket”, which is located to the left of the main line. Victim #2 was found tangled in his own line, and other line that may have been left by previous divers. The line was tangled around victims hands, fins, and equipment. The upper clip of victims stage cylinder had been unclipped, but bottom clip remained clipped to D ring on waist. Victim #2 still had DPV clipped to his crotch D ring.

This was a situation of time and gas at depth to solve their problems. It appears the main problem they had was a silt out and being lost off the line near the beginning of their dive. It appears that they both had a near full set of double cylinders when the situation started at approximately 670’ penetration. This would give them an estimated time of 20-25 minutes (approximately) to solve this situation.

Victim #1 brought to surface on June 13, 2004 at approximately 1400.

Victim #2 was recovered June 15, at approximately 1715.

Ambulance on stand by for rescue efforts.

Sunday, 6/13/04

Recovery Diving Activities

Dive Team #1 – Paul Heinerth and Steve Straatsma.

Dive Time In 1307 Out 1550, Maximum Depth 296’.

Victim #1 found in cave apprx. 1100’ penetration on the downstream side, victim was facing out of the cave, leaning to the right side, on the celing, regulator out of mouth, apprx. 5’ over the line, his light hanging down almost touching the line, at a depth of 240’. The dive team continued into the cave to a 1400’ penetration looking for Victim #2, but could not locate him. Team #1 pulled the victim out of the cave to the 800’ penetration mark, and marked with a strobe for the next team.

Dive Team #2 – Brett Hemphill and Bert Wilcher

Dive Time In 1411 Out 1543, Maximum Depth 290’

Dive Team #2 extracted victim from 800’ penetration marker (287’ depth) through the Pit Restriction, to the top of the debris mound in the main Ball Room to a depth of 125’.

Dive Team #3 – Jeff Petersen and Dave Miner

Dive Time In 1440 Out 1515 Maximum Depth 130’

Dive Team #3 took control of the victim from Team #2 and extracted the victim from the Ball Room to the Sheriff’s Dive Team in the open-water basin.

Dive Team #4 – Larry Green, Debra Green and Bill Oestreich

Dive Time IN 1605 Out 1910, Maximum Depth 296’

Dive Team #4 searched the cave for Victim #2 to the last room of downstream, maximum penetration 1800’. Did not locate Victim #2.

Dive Team #5 – Jerry Murphy and Dan Lins

Note No dives made.

Decompression Support Dive Team

Michael Poucher

Alex Warren

Surface Support

Debra Green – Coordinator

Jeff Bauer

Michael Browning

Beth Murphy

Izabella Maxwell

Mike McDonald

Karen McDonald

Jay Wells

Monday, 6/14/2004

Recovery Diving Activities

Dive Team #1 – Larry Green and Paul Heinerth

Dive Time In 1810 Out 2151, Maximum Depth 296’

Dive Team #1 searched cave at a maximum penetration of 800’. Located Victim #1’s scooter buried in silt up to the rim. Kept searching and located victim at a maximum depth of 286’. Victim located in “John’s Pocket”, apprx. 710’ penetration, regulator out of mouth. Victim was severely entangled in line. Victim still had stage bottle (top clip unclipped) that was depleted and DPV clipped to him. His left hand, arms and fins were entangled in a large amount of cave line that he deployed himself, although no spool or reel was found. Victim was also entangled in existing cave line.

NOTE This large amount of line suggests that victim had tried to perform a lost line procedure, possibly in zero visibility, and had become entangled in his own line.

Heinerth tied in his reel to victim and attached to a rock near the main line for Team #2 to continue recovery. Green brought out Victim #1’s DPV (Diver Propulsion Vehicle), which was located off the main line apprx. 30’ at 680’ penetration.

Dive Team #2 – Brett Hemphill and Bert Wilcher

Dive Time In 1935 Out 2335

Dive Team #2 proceeded to Victim #2, Victim severely entangled in line and cutting instruments necessary for extraction. Team cuts line away from victim, pulling victim back to restriction area. Team #2 had cut the victims BC (buoyancy compensator) when victim became buoyant. Visibility in cave has been greatly reduced at this time. Victim left on the downstream side of restriction at apprx. 670’ penetration to be recovered the following day.

Decompression Support Dive Team

Alan Owens

Michael Poucher

Alex Warren

Surface Support

Debra Green

Izabella Maxwell

Mike McDonald

TUESDAY, 6/15/04

Recovery Diving Activities

Dive Team #1 – Larry Green and Alex Warren

Dive Time In 1620 Out 1800, maximum depth 295’. Green pulled victim from 670’ penetration into the restriction where Warren was waiting to assist in getting victim through restriction. Warren attached BC to victim to gain buoyancy control. Green used DPV to tow victim and Warren out of the cave into the Ball Room at a depth of 165’ within 25 minutes. Banks and Owens took victim from them and proceeded to the top of the debris mound at 125’ and got victim negative, took them 19 minutes to cut off victims equipment and put in first bag, then into the 2nd bag. Hicks was then signaled to go up and get Sheriffs Dive Team. Sheriff’s dive team entered water at 1655 and picked up victim at top of debris mound and exited with victim at 1707.

Decompression Support Dive Team

Rudy Banks

Richard Hicks

Alan Owens

Surface Support

Debra Green

Izabella Maxwell

Mike McDonald

Saturday, 6/19/2004

Diving Activities

Dive Team #1 – Paul Heinerth, Bill Oestreich, Alex Warren and Bert Wilcher

Dive team did last dive to clean out victims equipment left in the cave after the recovery. Oestreich carried out Alum 80 stage bottle from apprx. 670’ penetration., Poseidon regulator, contained 13/47 (13% oxygen47% helium) belonging to Victim #2. The cylinder was empty at depth. Heinerth extracted the DPV from 710’ penetration. DPV in good working order. Equipment was located through the Pit Restriction at 290’ apprx. 660’ penetration where it was left by the recovery teams for extraction.

OFFICERS IN CHARGE

Detective Carlos Douglas

Major Case Section – Hernando Co.

Lieutenant Scott Bierwiler

Operations Support Commander – Hernando Co.

Sergeant Eddie Lane

Citrus Co. Dive Team Captain

Tamera Stewart, BSW

Victim Advocate

Divers

Jeff Bauer

Michael Browning

Debra Green

Larry Green

Paul Heinerth

Brett Hemphill

Richard Hicks

Dan Lins

Dave Miner

Beth Murphy

Jerry Murphy

Bill Oestreich

Alan Owens

Jeff Petersen

Michael Poucher

Steve Straatsma

Alex Warren

Jay Wells

Bert Wilcher

Surface Support

Debra Green

Beth Murphy

Jeff Bauer

Jay Wells

Michael Browning

Mike McDonald

Karen McDonald

Izabella Maxwell

Acronyms

DPV – Diver Propulsion Vehicle

OMS – Ocean Management Systems, dive manufacturer

NACD-National Association for Cave Diving – training agency

NSS-CDS-National Speleological Society – Cave Diving Section – training agency

TDI-Technical Diving International – training agency

IANTD-International Association for Nitrox and Technical Diving – training agency

Report submitted by Larry and Debra Green

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