This is from my 2003 season when I was still in High school, two almost crippled us, one did:
1. Electronics broad is designed in many pieces with the speed controllers in the middle of the robot. You and a friend see the pwm came out of a speed controller. You try to reach it with your hand only to find your hand completely blocks your view and you cannot twist your hand enough to push the pwm back in. You need help; your friend sticks his hands in to hold the speed controller still and help push the pwm in. However, he can't see his hands but you can and vice versa. So directing each other, each take turns pushing the pwm while the other holds it so that the pwm is not let go and pop out. After, many tries and a lot of cursing at each other, it finally goes in. then a triumphant high-five and a quick grab for some super glue to prevent this from breaking the robot for sure in a match.
2. Showing up back to pits after the last elimination match when a team mate says the CIM motor burned out. Everyone says not to worry, the team will not be picked. So the rest of the team goes grab food, you clean up the pits. About thirty minutes later, the team representative comes bursting into the pit exclaiming that team has been picked and runs off to tell the others. Then the rest of the alliance comes lead by the head mentor Grant Imahara (pre-mythbusters too
) comes to tell you that the robot needs to be on the field in thirty minutes. Suddenly, realizing you have a burnt out motor, you tell the bad news, to the alliance, and try to call the team mates but they won't pick up. Quickly a plan is developed to extract the motor. After about 5 minutes of panic by everyone in the pit, Grant asks if anyone actually used a voltmeter to check the problem. You realize that no one has (the voltmeter has been rarely used, if ever). 5 minutes later the problem was found to be a loose wire that needs to be reconnected. Everything now works, crises averted.
3. Collision in semifinal knocks battery out of robot.