Brent McKay could hardly be blamed for seeking a nice quiet desk job instead of forestry.
The 34-year-old logging contractor spent Friday night considering a change of occupation after his 35-tonne logging machine careered 100m down a steep bank in Northeast Valley, Dunedin.
"I was looking for a job where a
paper cut was the biggest thing that could go wrong," said Mr McKay yesterday.
The accident happened about 8 pm as he was driving the Prentice feller-buncher machine out of a forestry block.
While nearing a gate, he felt the machine begin to slide, but initially was confident he could stop the vehicle.
"It started building up speed, going faster and faster sideways.
"I knew what was coming up [a steeper bank], so I just had to give up and hang on."
As it gathered speed, the vehicle rolled, before crashing to the ground.
The vehicle rolled three times.
Mr McKay escaped serious injury and when the first rescuers arrived he was already trying to free himself through a removable windscreen.
Mr McKay said he believed his limited injuries - a sore shoulder, neck and minor cuts to his head - could be attributed to the seatbelt, which prevented his being thrown around the cab.
The machine was not badly damaged and was undergoing a mechanical check this week before returning to service.
Mr McKay and business partner Tony Gamble bought the American-made Prentice feller-buncher, which cuts, removes the limbs and stacks trees for production harvest, in 2000.
The machine's solid construction prevented its being damaged, with its estimated $1 million plus replacement cost "worth every cent".
As for the desk job, Mr McKay has put those plans on hold.
"Tony told me to get in and drive the thing on Saturday and I did. He's a bit big to argue with."
- NZPA
