Ainscough Crane Hire Issues Industry Alert After Counterweight Drops from Mobile Crane in Kent
- Meagan Wood
- Oct 31, 2025
- 3 min read
Updated: Feb 6
30-Second Takeaway
An Ainscough all-terrain crane dropped a fixed rear counterweight slab while travelling on a public road in Kent last week. The incident occurred on the A249 near Maidstone and, fortunately, resulted in no injuries or vehicle damage. Ainscough has completed an initial investigation, identified a failed securing bolt as the primary cause, and issued an industry-wide alert encouraging crane owners to review counterweight fixing inspections.
Incident Overview
An all-terrain mobile crane from the Ainscough Crane Hire fleet dropped a fixed rear counterweight slab while travelling north on the A249 Detling Hill, near the Kent Showground, close to Maidstone, on Wednesday, October 29th.
The crane was travelling on a public road when the counterweight detached from the rear of the carrier and landed on the carriageway.
No other vehicles were involved and no injuries were reported, though traffic was temporarily delayed while the incident was managed.
What Is Known
Location: A249 Detling Hill, near Maidstone, Kent
Crane involved: Liebherr LTM 1100 all-terrain crane
Owner/operator: Ainscough Crane Hire
Incident: Fixed rear counterweight slab detached while travelling
Injuries: None reported
Third-party damage: None reported
Ainscough operates a depot in Maidstone, and the crane was believed to be travelling to a job at the time of the incident.
Findings From Initial Investigation
Following an internal review, Ainscough issued a detailed statement to alert other crane owners and operators.
According to the company:
One of the main fixed counterweight securing bolts failed
This caused the counterweight to drop on one side
The resulting lateral loading led to the failure of the second main fixing bolt
The crane was compliant with Ainscough’s maintenance policy at the time
Actions Taken by Ainscough
In response to the incident, Ainscough has:
Launched an immediate service campaign to inspect fixing bolts on all cranes fitted with fixed rear counterweight slabs
Confirmed that counterweight bolt inspection, removal, refitting, and re-torquing already form part of its periodic service regime
Initiated a review of maintenance criteria in collaboration with the manufacturer to further reduce the risk of recurrence
Ainscough emphasized that while the event was extremely rare, the potential consequences warranted immediate and transparent action.
Industry Alert to Crane Owners
Ainscough concluded its statement by urging other crane owners and operators to:
“Ensure that the inspection of these bolts is included within regular maintenance activities.”
The company’s decision to publicly share its findings is intended to support industry-wide learning and prevent similar incidents elsewhere.
Why Incidents Like This Can Occur
Fixed counterweight systems are subject to:
Continuous vibration during road travel
Cyclic loading on securing bolts
Potential torque relaxation over time
Even when equipment is well maintained, fastener integrity remains critical, particularly on cranes operating frequently on public highways.
Industry Reminder
Dropped counterweights on public roads pose an extreme hazard to other road users. The absence of injuries in this incident was fortunate.
This event reinforces the importance of fastener integrity, torque discipline, and proactive inspection regimes, even within well-maintained fleets.
Editorial Note
Crane Hub Global reports on crane incidents to support learning and prevention across the lifting industry. This article is based on information released directly by Ainscough Crane Hire and reflects findings available at the time of publication.
How Incidents Like This Can Be Prevented
Periodic Bolt Removal and Re-Torque
Counterweight fixing bolts should be periodically removed, inspected, refitted, and torqued to specification, not simply checked visually.
Manufacturer-Aligned Maintenance Criteria
Inspection intervals and torque procedures should be reviewed jointly with OEM guidance and adjusted based on real-world operating conditions.
Vibration and Travel Exposure Monitoring
High-mileage or frequently travelled cranes may require enhanced inspection frequency due to increased vibration exposure.
Post-Incident Knowledge Sharing
Transparent reporting of rare but high-risk events supports industry learning and risk reduction.
