I am writing in response to your request for additional  information for block number 3 of the accident reporting form. I  put "poor planning" as the cause of my accident. You said in your  letter that I should explain more fully and I trust the following  detail will be sufficient.  I am an amateur radio operator and on the  day of the accident, I was working alone on the top section of my  new 80 foot tower. When I had completed my work, I discovered that I had, over the course of several trips up the tower, brought up  about 300 pounds of tools and spare hardware. Rather than carry  the now un-needed tools and material down by hand, I decided to  lower the items down in a small barrel by using a pulley, which  fortunately was attached to the gin pole at the top of the tower.
    Securing the rope at ground level, I went to the top of the tower and loaded the tools and material into the barrel. Then I went back to  the ground and untied the rope, holding it tightly to insure a slow  decent of the 300 pounds of tools. You will note in block number  11 of the accident reporting form, that I weigh only 155 pounds.   Due to my surprise of being jerked off the ground so suddenly, I  lost my presence of mind and forgot to let go of the rope. Needless  to say, I proceeded at a rather rapid rate of speed up the side of the  tower. In the vicinity of the 40 foot level, I met the barrel coming  down. This explains my fractured skull and broken collarbone. Slowed only slightly, I continued my rapid ascent, not stopping  until the fingers of my right hand were two knuckles deep into the  pulley.
     Fortunately, by this time, I had regained my presence of mind and was able to hold onto the rope in-spite-of my pain. At  approximately the same time, however, the barrel of tools hit the  ground and the bottom fell out of the barrel. Devoid of the weight  of the tools, the barrel now weighed approximately 20 pounds. I  refer you again to my weight in block number 11. As you might  imagine, I began a rapid descent down the side of the tower. In the  vicinity of the 40 foot level, I met the barrel coming up. This accounts for the two fractured ankles and the lacerations of my legs  and lower body.  The encounter with the barrel slowed me enough  to lessen my injuries when I fell onto the pile of tools and  fortunately, only three vertebrae were cracked. I am sorry to report,  however, that as I lay there on the tools, in pain, unable to stand  and watching the empty barrel 80 feet above me... I again lost my  presence of mind. I let go of the rope.