Bob Kerbin killed by 1 m fall

[Clear Air Turbulence]

So this is weird.

The back story: I was rescuing Bob and Bill from a being stranded on Minmus. They managed to land safely - I aerobraked them in and we did a night-side touchdown, coming to rest on a mountainside somewhere on the other side of Kerbin. When the sun came up, the lander was lying on its side, with the hatch fortunately not obstructed by the ground.

Bob went EVA. He was holding on to the side of the ship, approximately one metre from the ground. When he let go, there was a huge cloud of dust and Bob disappeared. Flight log says Bob crashed into the ground and was killed.

I've had Kerbals fall into the water from suborbital height without parachutes and survive. This one survived about 30 days on Minmus without supplies. Then he is killed by a one meter fall. What gives? Is this a bug? Did I do something wrong? Or does Squad or Fate sometimes just have this cruel sense of humour?

Edited October 6, 2015 by Clear Air Turbulence

[The_Rocketeer]

Lots of things can happen when Kerbs are on the surface. They can be squashed, they can have collision issue with parts or the terrain that causes them to rapidly accelerate, or they can 'fall through the cracks', e.g. the gap in textures near the north and south poles - these seams also exist elsewhere.

Also, human beings fall and break their backs or their necks from 1m heights all the time.

[Tatonf]

Kerbal resistance to falls is quite random. Sometimes they can even survive landings on kerbin without a parachute (by jumping off the capsule once the speed is like 100-150 m/s). Sometimes they die because of a 1 meter fall.

[tsotha]

Yeah, Bob. Mama Kerman always said he was a bit on the sickly side.

I always save before I do any EVA. Tatonf is quite right - there's a big random factor involved (which I'm guessing has something to do with rag doll physics).

[moogoob]

I've had Kerbals on Minmus flung downward at speed from the hatch upon letting go of their ladder. The physics of Kerbals can be wonky some times.

[Kryxal]

Also, never save while in motion on the surface during EVA ... it tends to end about the same.

[panzer1b]

It could be bugs, ive had manty cases of kerbals evaing, dropping off ladder, and flying through the groubd triggering instant hell kraken.

Then there is Eve, where everything seems to die when it touches the ground (only some really solid designs that spam parachutes dont get vaporized), just like when i try to land a kerbal on the surface of jool or kerbol.

[PnDB]

Bob's poor little Kerbal bones were weakened by the low gravity and long stay on Minmus, and when he fell to the ground on Kerbin, he simply shattered!