We were there to do a flow test on the big diesel powered pump, after we picked it and re-set it so we could hook the flow meter up the engine was fired up. No power out here, so the diesel went through a right angle gearbox and then down to the pump. An exposed 6' driveline ran from the engine to the gearbox, and before the test started all of us were within a few feet of it, once the water started really moving the rancher and I backed off and the pump guy remained nearby so he could adjust the back pressure and read the flow. I had just got through telling the rancher my PTO story: The one old (93) ex-Corsair pilot/Marine aviator/50 year ag pilot/ Jim had told me. In his 70's, retired and on his ranch in Nevada, he got too near a driveline on a tractor PTO, felt a tug, and looked over about 20' away and saw his arm laying there. They sewed it back on and it works, sort of. Since he related this a few years ago, EVERYTIME I am around a PTO and/or driveline, I think about it.....Anyway, about 30 seconds after relating this to the rancher, all of a sudden the noise changed pitch, and 5 seconds or less later there was a loud bang and things went to hell. The driveline ended up about 200' away, after reaching a max altitude of at least 100'. A 3000 gallon tank of diesel, a brand new pivot line (16K a section), 2 really nice pickups, my crane, 2 good dogs, and 3 humans were all unscathed. Pretty exciting there for awhile! Turns out there are things called zert fittings on the yokes, and they had not been used for a while
and the yokes had picked just that moment to let go, with a big crowd standing around. And I thought I wasn't doing anything risky that day. 
