No injured cavers recorded.
On Sunday April 12, 1981, a group of high school students supervised by adults were in Cool Spring Cave, Trigg County, Kentucky taking part in the caving portion of an outdoor awareness program. The students had had a "short course" on cave safety and the adults had "more than average caving experience".
The group proceeded from the entrance about 100 yards along a large stream passage to one of the larger rooms in the cave. At 12:15 a.m. one boy (age 14) was climbing on a slick mudbank, lost his balance and fell over backwards, landing on his back. He complained of severe back pains and so was not moved.
At 12:40 a.m. the program director and the Trigg County Rescue Squad were notified. Program and Rescue Squad personnel carried out a quick evacuation. Examination of the victim at Trigg County Hospital showed only muscle strain.
Analysis: As Mylroie points out, a mis-step can occur even in easy caves. He also observes that the County Rescue Squad, untrained in caving, required the cavers present to carry out the evacuation. It might also be mentioned that mis-steps are less likely to occue at noon than at midnight.