| Name | Age | Sex | Injuries | Injured areas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lewis, Janet | 20 | Female | Lacerations, contusions | Not recorded |
On 22 March a group of six Texas cavers, Jim Jarl (22), Janet Lewis (20), Logan McNatt (23), Kathryn Moet (21), Peter Strickland (25) and Joe Sumbera (25), all students from Southwest State College, San Marcos, Texas, arrived at the 185-foot deep pit called Natural Well.
At about 2 p.m., one male member of the party having descended, Lewis started her descent. She started over the lip of the pit with five brake-bars on a rack. She had not yet placed her entire weight on the rappelling device and had to feed the rope. She took one bar off the rack and then stepped over the edge, immediately falling out
of control down the rope. She tried to control her rappel and apparently was partially successful. She also was struck a glancing blow by a ledge about 150-160 feet down, probably slowing her descent. The man on the bottom, hearing her scream, raced to the rope, arriving just as she fell upon the talus slope on the bottom.
By chance, Darwin Moss, coordinator for the Cave Pit Cliff Rescue unit of the Madison County Rescue Squad, was on the trail to Natural Well at the time of the fall, and was at the pit within five minutes. Not being equipped for caving, he sent Strickland, probably the most experienced of the Texas group, down the pit with extra seat and chest slings. It was then ascertained that Lewis had suffered only bruises and abrasions.
She was pulled out of the pit with the aid of members of Huntsville Grotto who had by that time arrived. Having fallen at 2 p.m., Lewis was raised from the pit by 3 p.m., in the hospital at 3:15. and released at 3:50.
Source: Darwin Moss
Analysis: (Moss) Lewis was considered by the others in her party as capable of making the descent. In my opinion, she committed an error in removing the fifth bar from her rack before putting her full weight on the rope. Also, a bottom belay would have stopped her rapid descent. Compare the similar accident in Fantastic Pit in 1969.
This record was last updated on 27th Apr 2024 at 23:11 UTC.