Operation Megalithic Lift - The Stones and the Stars: Building Scotland's Newest Megalith - page 213

F IG . 7.17 ( a ) First approach to the hilltop. Royal Navy photograph. ( b ) BBC and
Scottish Television crews on site (Photo by Frank O'Neill)
In retrospect, the problem could be seen from the outset, in
Fig. 7.14a , and clearly in Figs. 7.22a, b . Due to an error by the
ground crew, the stone had accidentally been slung with the heavy
end uphill, and as it lifted it began to slide, dragging down the nose
of the machine and creating a risk that the blade tips would strike
the ground. John told me afterwards, “I first realized something
was wrong when I found I was alone - the ground crew had taken
to the scenery.” The pilot immediately increased the pitch of the