Unfortunately, SRS, that's not a very rare kind of incident.

Recovery of a wimpy little thing like a John Deere 200 series excavator shouldn't really be that much of a problem, but skill in conventional use of heavy equipment does not necessarily qualify anyone for the specialized task of recovery of one that's gotten into the muck.

Rule number 1: Don't try to drive up close to the one that's stuck.

Obviously violated here.

A cousin fresh out of college was assigned recovery, under somewhat similar conditions, of one more similar to this one, only bigger as his first job with his new employer. It took them about three months. It was about 30 yards out into the lake (it slide down the slope for a ways after the driver bailed out), with a full bucket of mud. Part of the problem was finding anything big enough to move it.

Rule number 2: The recovery vehicle should be at least twice as big as the one that's stuck.

With a really good crew, you can cheat on #2 - sometimes. But it ain't good sense if you've got a choice.

According to some 'Nam vets, equipment left in similar conditions there was often stolen by locals using hand labor only, when they went back to get it with big recovery equipment - although I think some of my friends who related such stories may have been a little influenced by the tequila.

John