ICON Park

[anihilnation]

The restraint was locked and given a green light. But the restraint wasn't designed for that shape of body, which is why these rides need to be VISUALLY checked as well. This particular company has had free falls installed since 2015 and this is their first accident. The one thing seatbelts would have prevented was being able to connect it, as it wasn't down far enough. That being said, the fatal one with the 10 year old in California did have seatbelts and he somehow slipped out anyways (no conclusion was ever reached other than it didn't malfunction and the operators had checked).

Just read that the restraint was still locked when the ride returned and that the kid was over the weight/height limit, they obviously don't weight you before a ride, but I assume it would have been obvious to the operator that his body was too large for teh ride judging by his height.
Another thing, the restraint used in a ride like this I guess is not of the type that has to in by so many clicks before it is given the green light? I do think there should have been a seatbelt too.

 

[OLSinFLA]

Just read that the restraint was still locked when the ride returned and that the kid was over the weight/height limit, they obviously don't weight you before a ride, but I assume it would have been obvious to the operator that his body was too large for teh ride judging by his height.
Another thing, the restraint used in a ride like this I guess is not of the type that has to in by so many clicks before it is given the green light? I do think there should have been a seatbelt too.

It's kinda weird, I cannot imagine a body shape that would fit into the harness with it that low down, yet it was designed to do so. Seatbelts aren't really a backup in case the harness fails... its a secondary way to measure if the harness isn't down far enough. If engineered to be way down, a seatbelt isn't necessary (like Doom has none).

 

[Tobias]

While on one hand it's good to hear this doesn't look like operator error, but now it's a question of the ride itself on what happened. Either way, it's gonna' be a long investigation for all involved. The victim's family, Icon, Funtime, Gerstlauer (they provide the restraints for the Skyfall ride.).

 

[Eckert]

Is this the first major ride accident in the social media age? There have been many accidents that are well known in the theme park community, but we are now in a time where things like this can live on forever on the internet...I feel for the family and I expect this to taint the image of ICON Park for a very, very long time thanks to places like TikTok and Facebook.

 

[Freak]

Is this the first major ride accident in the social media age? There have been many accidents that are well known in the theme park community, but we are now in a time where things like this can live on forever on the internet...I feel for the family and I expect this to taint the image of ICON Park for a very, very long time thanks to places like TikTok and Facebook.

Actually there was the horrible Ohio state fair accident several years ago with the Revolution flat ride model (Might be mistaken on the name/type of flat). That surfaced on the internet.

But I think you do bring up a fair point. The internet is not going to let this go away for a long time. It doesn’t help that this ride isn’t even three months old.

 

[Frank Drackman]

It's kinda weird, I cannot imagine a body shape that would fit into the harness with it that low down, yet it was designed to do so. Seatbelts aren't really a backup in case the harness fails... its a secondary way to measure if the harness isn't down far enough. If engineered to be way down, a seatbelt isn't necessary (like Doom has none).

just to clarify on 'seat belt', folks had been concerned that this particular ride does not have the belt that clips the harness to the seat (doom has this type of belt), it gives a way to 'click' in.

I did not seek any of the videos, but a news show did show the kid as the ride was about to go up. Most of us could look at that and know that harness was not fitting (without knowing how the harness works) -- anyway, I would think that if the secondary safety 'belt' had been there, it would have show that the boy did not fit. My guess is that the employees are trained 'green light good to go' and they either forgot or never learned about weight limits nor what a poor fit looks like.

sad/tragic, should not have happened.

 

[rhino4evr]

This is my worst nightmare and a prime reason I skip these free fall rides.

 

[Evan]

TimTracker mentioned on a live stream today that when he was at the media preview, he was told there was no weight limit.

But now it’s coming out there is one listed in the manual… so I am thinking Icon Park and the manufacturer (based on harness design) will both be found at fault here.

ETA: From the media event in January

4:37 is when Tim says they were told that there is no weight limit.

 

[SailwiththeTide]

most Of the rides at Magic mountain have seat belt back ups. I like the extra safety but it does impact ride dispatches. Seen many people not fit on rides because of the seat belt which is probably best way for ops to check. Also More rides need test seats.

 

[sjago13]

Regarding the seatbelt... If this was in fact technically closed to a satisfactory level the one would assume the seatbelt would also be designed to fit that satisfactory level. You can argue if a seatbelt would have stopped this but I don't think a seatbelt would have been useful as a measuring tool if this was "satisfactorily" closed. I think this is way more a a design issue. If this tilts 30 degrees and the restraint was locked at such an upright position the seat and restraint basically form a funnel to a gap between the two at the bottom. At which point you hit the brakes and then all this weight is pushed towards this gap that is now in the optimal position. If the seats didn't tilt the bottom of the seat would take the force and it would have been ok. The problem is all this weight caused enough force towards this gap to essentially suck him though. This reminds me of the new Texas giant death, granted I think that one was operator error but also an issue with how much the restraint closed due to the riders body dimensions. If I was the manufacturer I would close all their tilting models until they redesign the restraints or at least modify the required level of closed to a point that doesn't create a gap between the seat and restraights.

 

[OLSinFLA]

just to clarify on 'seat belt', folks had been concerned that this particular ride does not have the belt that clips the harness to the seat (doom has this type of belt), it gives a way to 'click' in.

I did not seek any of the videos, but a news show did show the kid as the ride was about to go up. Most of us could look at that and know that harness was not fitting (without knowing how the harness works) -- anyway, I would think that if the secondary safety 'belt' had been there, it would have show that the boy did not fit. My guess is that the employees are trained 'green light good to go' and they either forgot or never learned about weight limits nor what a poor fit looks like.

sad/tragic, should not have happened.

Doom got rid of seatbelts when the locking mechanism was installed.

 

[Frank Drackman]

Regarding the seatbelt... If this was in fact technically closed to a satisfactory level the one would assume the seatbelt would also be designed to fit that satisfactory level. You can argue if a seatbelt would have stopped this but I don't think a seatbelt would have been useful as a measuring tool if this was "satisfactorily" closed. I think this is way more a a design issue. If this tilts 30 degrees and the restraint was locked at such an upright position the seat and restraint basically form a funnel to a gap between the two at the bottom. At which point you hit the brakes and then all this weight is pushed towards this gap that is now in the optimal position. If the seats didn't tilt the bottom of the seat would take the force and it would have been ok. The problem is all this weight caused enough force towards this gap to essentially suck him though. This reminds me of the new Texas giant death, granted I think that one was operator error but also an issue with how much the restraint closed due to the riders body dimensions. If I was the manufacturer I would close all their tilting models until they redesign the restraints or at least modify the required level of closed to a point that doesn't create a gap between the seat and restraights.

everything you state makes sense (i believe it has been mentioned that he slipped out of the seat when the 'breaks' kicked in to slow the free fall). I imagine there will be a lot of finger pointing. From the reports I have heard, the boy was at least 50 lbs over the manufactures weight limit. The manual the news station was going over also mentions the operator should ensure that riders fit the contours of the seat properly.

Personally, I think the boys height/size had a lot to do with it. From the photo (pulled from a video), the boy really did not fit in the seat, that is why I thought a belt might show the lower gap was too big.

Doom got rid of seatbelts when the locking mechanism was installed.

Thanks! I did not know Doom had changed, I assumed they still had the belts as that was what the news reported (they were comparing to UNI) and they mentioned UNI having the belt on theirs.

regardless, a truly horrible accident that I feel could/should have been avoided.

 

[GA-MBIT]

The community has set up a memorial at the foot of the tower. Footballs and flowers everywhere. Rest Easy Tyre.

 

[shiekra38]

Is this the first major ride accident in the social media age? There have been many accidents that are well known in the theme park community, but we are now in a time where things like this can live on forever on the internet...I feel for the family and I expect this to taint the image of ICON Park for a very, very long time thanks to places like TikTok and Facebook.

There are several videos of the Smiler crash

However, this one was certainly much much closer than any I've ever seen

You much so you can hear the operator and riders communicating

I still question how the ride was able to dispatch without a properly secured OTS

Normally a ride would just sit there and not budge until everything was locked down

 

[Evan]

There are several videos of the Smiler crash

However, this one was certainly much much closer than any I've ever seen

You much so you can hear the operator and riders communicating

I still question how the ride was able to dispatch without a properly secured OTS

Normally a ride would just sit there and not budge until everything was locked down

Definitely never seen anything this close up and (quite frankly) graphic (in my experience). Which is partially why I don’t think this ride survives.

 

[fryoj]

There are several videos of the Smiler crash

However, this one was certainly much much closer than any I've ever seen

You much so you can hear the operator and riders communicating

I still question how the ride was able to dispatch without a properly secured OTS

Normally a ride would just sit there and not budge until everything was locked down

My assumption is the OTSR was properly secured. It was just designed so that the "properly secured" point is too soon in the closing rotation and allowed too big of a gap. I have a feeling that it was set at a point where on a normal, vertical seat, drop, it would have been fine. But with this one tilting forward, it changed the math and we saw the result.

 

[shiekra38]

My assumption is the OTSR was properly secured. It was just designed so that the "properly secured" point is too soon in the closing rotation and allowed too big of a gap. I have a feeling that it was set at a point where on a normal, vertical seat, drop, it would have been fine. But with this one tilting forward, it changed the math and we saw the result.

Wow, a lot of things going wrong at one time. This is all so unfortunate

Accidents on attractions are so rare, that they really rock the industry when it happens

I still have a lot of questions about the tower, restraints, and staff

 

[GAcoaster]

I have a hunch they'll modify the restraints, adding the seatbelt clips, then it re-opens. People have short memories, and if it reopened tomorrow there'd be people willing to ride.

 

[anihilnation]

My assumption is the OTSR was properly secured. It was just designed so that the "properly secured" point is too soon in the closing rotation and allowed too big of a gap. I have a feeling that it was set at a point where on a normal, vertical seat, drop, it would have been fine. But with this one tilting forward, it changed the math and we saw the result.

That is what I think too. The restraint was properly secured and did not malfunction, the problem was the body type of the person (more so than the weight even); in a regular drop it indeed seems there would have been no problems, basically there was too much of gap, this was ok while in freefall but once the breaking part comes and probably the seats moving into regular position again, those changes in force and momentum would have move him to the gap, I read something today of some ride expert saying in essence he was sucked out of the ride and how a seatbelt might have prevented it.

As for seatbelts, I have often wondered this, the way they are on a B&M coaster for instance, say the restraint breaks, would the seatbelt really work with all sorts of people's weight?

 

[JoeCamel]

That is what I think too. The restraint was properly secured and did not malfunction, the problem was the body type of the person (more so than the weight even); in a regular drop it indeed seems there would have been no problems, basically there was too much of gap, this was ok while in freefall but once the breaking part comes and probably the seats moving into regular position again, those changes in force and momentum would have move him to the gap, I read something today of some ride expert saying in essence he was sucked out of the ride and how a seatbelt might have prevented it.

As for seatbelts, I have often wondered this, the way they are on a B&M coaster for instance, say the restraint breaks, would the seatbelt really work with all sorts of people's weight?

I think the seatbelt would work they're incredibly strong There might be some hesitancy to actually use it though The point of leverage would make it even stronger with the pivot over the shoulder