| Name | Age | Sex | Injuries | Injured areas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kokalis, Pete | Not recorded | Male | Broken bones | Lower body |
Fourteen members of the Central Arizona Grotto, Escabrosa Grotto, and UAAC entered Black Abyss, a totally tectonic feature having large amounts of loose breakdown. At 5:10 p.m. Pete Kokalis was coming through a small vertical drop in breakdown blocks when his foothold, a rock about 2 feet in diameter, came loose resulting in Kokalis's falling three feet. The rock had been the keystone for a larger boulder of about 1000 pounds. This larger block fell, first landing on Kokalis's left foot and then rolled pinning him to the floor. Kokalis complained of pain in his back, left hip and left foot. He went into shock.
Several trips were made by members of the group to gather first aid supplies, food, water and extra clothing. A stretcher was constructed from a bed frame made of plywood and 2 by 4's. The accident had occurred 450 feet below the entrance, and it took about 5 1/2 hours to move the victim the 1000 lateral feet to the entrance. This included a double rope pull of the stretcher up a 40-foot wall. Nine hours after the accident, Kokalis was loaded into the ambulance to start the 60-mile trip to the hospital.
Kokalis's injuries were extensive, including left heel bone broken in eight places, broken left ankle, three simple fractures of the left pelvis, and a cracked cocyx bone. His recovery period was extended.
Analysis:
"A preventive suggestion for such an accident in this cave is difficult - it just happened! Every caver in the group was fully aware of the extreme loose break- down hazard in this cave, in fact, Pete Kokalis emphatically explained the hazard to all before the group entered the cave.
"Since the cavers involved were able to conduct the rescue themselves, the rescue time was kept to a minimum and the situation was perhaps kept from being any worse than it was. Also this kept the accident from receiving any publicity that could have had an adverse effect on Arizona caving.
"We wish to emphasize that it is not normally advisable for the group involved to conduct its own rescue. A competent rescue team should be utilized if at all possible. This particular case just happened to have the right people and equipment at hand. Several of the group have been or presently are members of the Southern Arizona Rescue Association and had participated in several practice and actual cave rescues. Additionally, members of this party had basic and advanced first-aid training. Even so, had the equipment to make the rigid stretcher not been available, this group would have needed outside assistance." (Bridgemon, et. al)