I was South of Kaycee... mile 237. There was blowing snow the day before, that melted on the roadway and froze. The officer that came to help me, said that he has seen a few wrecks right at the same spot, for the same reason. The time of day was a little before 7 am in the morning. It was just getting light, visibility was marginal... . in that "middle light" between light and dark. I was doing 65, not on cruse control. It was not "black ice" but at the top of a rise in the road. I felt the back end of the truck dive toward the passing lane and the dance started. We went back and forth a few times. The passing lane was clear of ice, so I tried to ease over to it. The truck headed for the ditch so I drove into it. The trailer came around on the passenger side as the truck hit the snow in the ditch and jackknifed, so hard that the hitch broke and the trailer rolled behind me. The pickup box is smashed in the front passenger side and ripped out much like Sam's picture.
In hind sight... . maybe I could have caught up with the trailer... . but it felt like the whipping acton was not getting smalller. When I tried to get over to the passing lane to make the dry pavement, the trailer pulled the truck around, so we were heading for the ditch, as both trailer and truck drive tires were still on the ice. I just couldn't get it under control.
Brake controllers on big trucks are on the steering column. On light trucks the are usually on the kick panel of the lower dash..... not an easy place to reach in a time of "action". If I had been able to apply just the trailer brakes things might have been different. But I had my hand full and didn't think to do so until hours after the wreck. So this has led me to rethink where the brake controller is mounted.
One can practice whipping a truck or a car around in a snowy parking lot... but how does one practice with a trailer in tow?
Wind... . Later that day as we were near Wyo/Co border, the wind was very strong. My welding partner was very nervous as he was also towing a trailer. We pulled over and hunkered down for a bit. Sam, I think I remember your post on the trailer. Thanks for posting again.
WyoJim... . nothing truly against Wyoming..... my wife is from Cody. We just have a little inside joke about Wyo, as I have had a few trying times in the state.
Sam I think that the wood frame trailers do better that the welded aluminum in a crash. Aluminum welds are hard to keep from cracking where the weld puddle ends. ( Take a look at a welded aluminum flat deck semi trailer) My trailer rolled 3/4 of a revolution, landing on its side... but the walls cracked, and split open on the corners where the panels meet. The nose cap popped off.
Dave
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