Dear James,

Thanks for taking the time to submit your report - it sounds like a really valuable lesson and definitely worth sharing. However, I'm hoping you can make a few slight changes before we publish. We are unable to edit reports so it would be great if you could resubmit.

Firstly, please can you leave the area and route section of the report blank if they are unknown. Secondly, can you clarify the following line: 'it was in fact attached to one of the top threads that was only being held in the knot due to the friction of the rope'. This sentence suggests you clipped a strand of the knot itself (presumably on the 'dead' side of the bight, near the tail). It would be great if you could clarify this further.

I have copy pasted your entire report below in case that helps you resubmit.

Many thanks

Incidents Reporting Team

Date of Incident

04/01/2018

Country

Australia

Area

Bottom of face at crag
Route

Not relevant
Incident

Completed a 30m high sport climb in the middle of nowhere in Australian bush that had a two hour walk-in and poor route finding due to vegetation. Upon tying off on the lower off and doing a figure-8 on the bight and clipping a carabiner and then to my harness, I lowered down as is normal on sport routes off on the in situ gear. When I got to the bottom I realised that the carabiner attached to my harness was not attached to the loop of the figure-8, it was in fact attached to one of the top threads that was only being held in the knot due to the friction of the rope. If it was a new slick rope and the knot wasn't pulled as tight, the thread would have easily slipped through when I weighted it and I would have continued the 30m drop to the floor. I was hot, dehydrated and probably complacent because I've done it hundreds of times

Lessons

Always check rope/knot system before lowering off of a sport route

Activity

Sport rock climbing

When

Descending

Injury

No injury

Rescue Services Involved?

​

Causes

​

Anonymous?

Yes

Reported By

Participant

Wearing Helmets?

Yes