The four-axle Grove from the Armbruster Kran fleet overturned last week Tuesday after lifting a large electrical mast/pole/pylon in Schlaitdorf, southwest Germany.
The mobile crane was lifting the eight-tonne, 18 metres long mast from a narrow single track road with minimal counterweight, short rigged outriggers and large ground mats bridging the road verge and the grass. It looks as though the load side outrigger mats sunk into the grass, causing them to tilt (the inner edge of the mats was on the road) the crane then appears to have shifted a little on its base, which looks to have caused the outrigger beams to retract, resulting in a loss of stability.
The crane operator, 52, suffered minor injuries after being trapped in his cab for a while but managed to free himself after a short period. The crane was later recovered, while a ruptured fuel tank caused a minor spillage.
