This 300SD in MD split in two upon hitting a tree. Occupants survived
 

This is a call that the Potomac Heights Volunteer Fire Dept & Rescue Squad responded to on April 16. I've only seen one other photo of a W126 split like this, and that was over 10 years ago. I think either shoddy repair work of previous accident damage, or extreme rust led to this result. I was able to ID it as a 300SD by barely making out the Turbodiesel badge in the one photo that shows the rear in the forest.
https://www.facebook.com/PHVFD7/posts/715467258556876

Is this the picture you were thinking of?

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...-see-bilde.jpg


More than likely shoddy body work.
Welding a rear or front clip onto a badly wreck vehicle.

Charlie

Yep. That's the photo.

Those pictures are shocking.

Definitely a cut and paste job done wrong. You can see the broken weld in the frame member in what should be below the right rear door opening.

That was cut to get the driver out you can see that .

Uhh, I think the posted pic is from a different incident. Following the facebook link shows pix of a rural road night-time scene, car has front end off at the A-pillar. This pic is a city street, daytime, with a telephone pole as the "cutting" instrument, not a tree like the OP was talking about.

Rust is a likely cause, too, though one can't be sure without looking at the subject vehicle in person. Usually a splice repair has the opposite issue - it's TOO strong and messes up the controlled crush (designed collapse of the body structure to protect the occupants).

My tendency is to add gussets and stiffen the body which is great for daily driving but bad if the vehicle is involved in a collision. I'll wager that most professional body guys have to fight that urge, too, though modern repair practices warn against over-strengthening the structure. As noted, it's also difficult to tell what was done to extract the occupants vs. what failed in the collision. Either way, it's better to keep your car and trees (or other immovable object) at a greater distance than these two drivers did.

Dan

This pic has been around for years.

That car has been sawn in half.

On another group this pic was investigated and deemed to be altered. I wasn't involved so I can't say whether that conclusion was correct.

o collision in the universe would split a car apart that cleanly. Even if it had been a poorly done "cut n'shut."

Also note the absence of any leaking fluids.

I wonder if it was staged for a film or TV show (a previously wrecked car brought in as a prop). If not, it's the cleanest major collision scene I have ever seen. Any big impact usually sends all manner of junk all over the roadway, as well as fluids.

Should be noted that the pic in this thread is what the OP referred to as the one seen years ago, not the accident over the last few days...


Sent from an abacus

For the day time pic, note that the grass is untouched. If the car was rolling backwards it would have plowed up grass and likely not have gotten that far in the pole.

And, there is no sign of lateral impact to split the car. The rear doors are missing and the RR door striker is apparently undamaged.


What did the car hit and why are the rockers not pushed in?

Looks to have been cut up and pulled apart.

I've seen that link. Most likely as you said - shoddy work or severe rust. You have good eyes. I can only see the expansion tank, which led me to think turbodiesel 1st gen w126.

For those who cannot access the link:

https://scontent-lax3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...5a&oe=57BCF3A8
https://scontent-lax3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...6a&oe=57BF4914
https://scontent-lax3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...5d&oe=57BD053A
https://scontent-lax3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...56&oe=57736706
https://scontent-lax3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...9b&oe=57B91172

That series shows a body upright with no roof and another with the body upside down.

So must have been before and after the firemen cut the heck out of it to remove people. ...including taking the roof off. This suggests when it is upside down there are still people in it.

It appears that the front subframe tore off taking the engine and dog house with it.

The body is upside down in both photos. Note the wheels.