| Name | Age | Sex | Injuries | Injured areas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ogden, Albert | 23 | Male | Broken right leg, back injury | Not recorded |
At about 2:00 p.m., Pete Williams (25), Albert Ogden (23), and Scott Roth (24), all of the Mountain State Grotto, entered Canterbury Cave to make observations for Ogden's Ph.D. thesis. About 200 feet inside the cave is a 34-foot pit which Williams rigged with a 70-foot length of soft-lay rope, similar to Goldline. The rope belonged to Ogden but had recently been returned to him by a fellow caver.
Before beginning the rappel, Ogden stated, "Gee, this is so short, if I fell the worst that would happen is I'd break both ankles". As Ogden began to rappel, the rope broke, dropping him 28 feet to a flat, gravel floor. Ogden yelled as he fell and may have struck a small ledge in the descent. In the fall, Ogden lost his lamp but the Fibre-Metal helmet with a chin strap stayed in place. Although in pain, he remained conscious and was able to report his condition to his companions. He had a broken right leg and a back injury but was not bleeding externally. Since the only available rope was at the bottom of the pit, Williams left to seek aid while Roth remained at the top of the pit to keep Ogden company.
Williams was able to notify the local doctor and rescue group and several cavers representing the VPI, Greenbrier, and Pittsburgh Grottos. By 4:00 p.m. Williams returned to the cave with rescue gear he had gathered. Williams and a medic from the local rescue group rappelled into the pit. Ogden was placed on a back board and wrapped in blankets. Doctor Gewirtz arrived at the cave but was very claustrophobic. A rather small girl let him know that he was not going to leave until he had examined Ogden. The doctor descended by cable ladder and confirmed that the victim had a broken leg but did not have a back injury severe enough to hinder the rescue effort. With the use of the back board Ogden was raised from the pit but was later placed in a Stokes litter for the last 120 feet.
Analysis: The rope broke near the top. Later inspection showed green spots on the rope at the break. The West Virginia University Chemistry Department analyzed them as being due to dilute hydrochloric acid. Ogden, a geologist, commonly carries a container of hydrochloric acid in his geological sampling kit. The rope was not inspected before use. Routine inspection and testing of caving ropes is unfortunately not done as frequently as it should be. The rescue was hampered by lack of proper rescue equipment such as pulleys. Since no leg splint was available, an inflatable arm splint was used on Ogden's leg. This caused his leg fracture to become compound. Much valuable time was lost waiting for the frightened doctor to enter the cave.
Sources: Report by P. Williams and J. Hempel.