| Name | Age | Sex | Injuries | Injured areas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hernandex, Henry | 17 | Male | Fatality | Not recorded |
Saturday, 30 December 1972 Henry Hernandez, Jr. (17), Michael Bruginan (15), and John Wheeler (16) learned about the 110-foot deep Fischer's Pit from Mrs. Mabry, the owner of the cave. They assured her that they were experienced cavers and knew what they were doing. The boys managed to get down the first drop, supposedly using a crude rope ladder. Hernandez then tried to negotiate the next drop by grabbing a 1/4-inch ski rope and stepping over the ledge. He fell about 35 feet, landing on his head. Mrs. Mabry notified the authorities at about 2 p.m. The boy was removed by members of two fire departments by 4:25 p.m. He was in a coma and showed signs of severe shock but died before getting to the hospital.
Analysis: The boys were inexperienced yet overconfident in their abilities. They did not have the proper equipment for vertical caving.