| Name | Age | Sex | Injuries | Injured areas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kellam, Truman | 21 | Male | Internal injuries, fractures, lacerations | Leg, arm, head, internal |
On 4 October Truman Kellam (21) led three companions, Robert Pfister, Philip Shoff and Mathew Scoble (all about 20) on an exploration into Onyx Cave. All were inexperienced; this was the first cave trip for Pfister, the second for Shoff. and Scoble had been in Onyx only a few times previously. Kellam had been caving for one year, but not with any organized group. All wore hard hats with carbide lamps and they carried 100 feet of new 5/8 inch hemp rope. They entered the cave at about 5:30 p.m., crossed the 15 foot deep "Gorge" and continued to the left around the "Loop". Scoble and Kellam went down a small crawlway that came out in the side of a 150 foot shaft know as the "Hell Hole". Wall-writing indicated it to be 300 feet deep, but Kellam took this to be exaggerated and concluded that it was only about 30 feet. The rope was knotted every three feet and tied in. Kellam backed over the edge of the pit. using the rope for a hand-hold. Only a few feet below the edge he could find no foot-holds. tried to climb up again, lost his hold and fell 150 feet to the bottom. This was at about 8:45 p.m. After determining that Kellam was still alive the other three left the cave for help. The Santa Cruz County Sheriff was notified. who in turn called Sgt. Ted Brandes, Head of the Pima County Sheriff's Department Volunteer Search and Rescue Team. Brandes contacted the Southern Arizona Rescue Association (SARA). Members of both rescue groups, including one non-caver doctor, reached the cave. rigged both the Gorge and the Hell Hole, and had a man down to Kellam by about 3:00 a.m. At this time Kellam was still conscious and could talk coherently. Apparent injuries were a broken arm, broken leg and severe lacerations about the head. Medical and rescue supplies were being assembled when, between 6:00 and 7:00 a.m., it was determined that Kellam was dead. Kellam's body was removed from the cave at about 5:00 p.m. the day following his fall. The cause of death was probably internal injuries.
Source: Jerry Hassemer
Analysis: Inexperience and poor judgement.
This record was last updated on 27th Apr 2024 at 23:11 UTC.