is the world's single most comprehensive, detailed, updated, accurate, and complete source of amusement ride
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The Fiesta Shows Re-Mix II, shown
with new lateral restraint bar.
Manufacturer adds modifications to Re-Mix II
(September 24, 2009) - An amusement ride that ejected a 15-year-old girl at a New Hampshire carnival on Sunday
has reopened following modifications by its designer, Tivoli Manufacturing. Investigators concluded that the girl
slipped from underneath her seat's overhead restraint, partially because a portion of her body was able to fit
through a gap between the side rail and the overhead restraint. New safety rails were added to the sides of the
passenger seats to close that gap and prevent future ejections.
"We believe she slipped out under the restraint, but if this rail had been in place and this person had
been kept behind this restraint, we don't believe it would have been possible for this person to be ejected,"
said Briggs Lockwood, director of the New Hampshire Bureau of Tramway and Amusement Ride Safety.
Tivoli reports that there are six similar rides in the United States, and that the new rails would be installed
on each of them.
Investigators: no malfunction, no operator error, and no rider misconduct
"... the only thing left is the ride's design ..."
Girl ejected from 'Re-mix II' at N.H. fair
(September 20, 2009) - At the Rochester Fair in Rochester, New Hampshire, a teenager was ejected
from a high-speed spinning ride called Re-mix II. She was flung into an aluminum fence that
surrounded a ride called the Cobra, which was adjacent to the Re-mix II. An EMT arrived almost
immediately, and found the girl in great pain and shock; she was hospitalized with non-life-threatening
injuries.
Re-mix II riders are secured by an over-the-shoulder restraint device. All of the restraints were
in place when the ride came to a stop. Investigators have begun inspecting the ride and interviewing
witnesses.
The ride is only two years old; it is manufactured by Tivoli and operated by Fiesta Shows of Seabrook, N.H.
UPDATE: Although investigators have not yet reached any conclusions about the cause of the accident,
initial reports indicate that inspectors have yet to find any evidence to suggest that the accident was
caused by a mechanical malfunction, operator error, or rider misbehavior. The ride remains closed and
representatives of Tivoli are in New Hampshire to join the investigation.
Xcelerator shut down after malfunction injures 2
(September 16, 2009) - At Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, California, a 12-year-old boy and his father
were injured on the Xcelerator roller coaster when a cable that launches the ride's trains broke apart.
The cable sliced through the calf of the boy's left leg. The boy's father was treated for back injuries.
The ride has been shut down. The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health is investigating.
UPDATE: The boy has been released from the hospital. Park officials said that the cables
are replaced yearly according to specifications, and the cable that broke was installed in December.
Investigators are inspecting the cable and working to determine what caused it to fail.
Teleschau
Girl, 11, killed in fall from log flume
(September 7, 2009) - At a festival in Bavaria, Germany, an 11-year-old girl was killed in a 30-foot-fall
from a log flume ride called Wildwater. She was alone in her car and fell when from one of the ride's highest
points. She died while being transported by helicopter to a hospital in Munich.
Inspectors found no evidence that the ride malfunctioned. They said that the ride's safety restraints were working,
and could not explain how the girl fell.
(August 11, 2009) - At Blackpool Pleasure Beach in Blackpool, England, two roller coaster trains collided on the
Big Dipper roller coaster, leaving 21 people with injuries including whiplash, broken bones and back injuries.
Witnesses said that one of the trains stalled on the track and the other train, which was moving at some speed,
crashed into it. The collision left both trains stopped on the track; one was left about 20 feet off the ground
and the other came to rest close to the ground.
A special rope rescue team evacuated the riders using stretchers and spinal boards. Ambulances transported
riders to hospitals for treatment. Most were released after they received treatment for relatively minor injuries.
At least one of the victims was scheduled to undergo facial surgery.
Thirty-two people were aboard the ride at the time of the accident.
The Big Dipper, a wooden roller coaster, opened in 1923. The ride has been shut down pending an investigation by the
Health and Safety Executive.
(August 10, 2009) - At Great America theme park in Santa Clara, California, 24 people were left
stranded between 40 and 80 in the air when a roller coaster malfunctioned, according to rescue
workers who were called to the scene. The incident happened on Invertigo, an inverted looping shuttle
coaster. The Santa Clara and San Jose fire departments were called to the park and used cherry pickers
to bring riders to safety, one at a time. The evacuation was expected to take 4-5 hours.
Man dies after roller coaster ride
(August 8, 2009) - A 38-year-old man died after he was rushed to a hospital with breathing problems he suffered on the
Firehawk roller coaster at Kings Island theme park in Mason, Ohio. Park workers noticed that the man was having trouble
breathing when his train returned to the loading station and called for an ambulance.
UPDATE: Firehawk reopened August 9 after inspectors found it to be in proper operating condition.
Rapids ride raft capsizes; 4 injured
(August 4, 2009) - At Alabama Adventures theme park in Bessemer, Alabama, four people suffered scrapes and bruises when a river rapids raft capsized on the park's
Wild River Gorge ride. According to one of the victims, the raft collided with an empty raft that appeared to be stuck in the water. The collision caused the
victims' raft to capsize.
The riders were underwater for 20 seconds, locked in their seats with seat belts.
"It flipped over with us in it. We were in our seatbelts upside down," said one of the riders.
"We kept fighting and squirming until we could get our seatbelts off and get out."
The park offered the riders season passes and asked them to sign forms releasing the park of liability; both offers were refused.
The ride has been shut down.
In 1999, five people suffered injuries after their raft capsized on the same ride. That accident happened when two of the ride's rafts
were too close together during the ride, and they began bumping each other until one finally flipped over. The passengers became trapped
upside-down in their seats beneath the surface of the water until park personnel freed them.
In 2001, a raft filled with park employees capsized on the same ride. It was determined that the employees were rocking the raft and caused it to tip.
(August 2, 2009) - A 3-year-old boy drowned in an outdoor children's pool at the Kalahari Resorts water park in Sandusky, Ohio.
Lifeguards were on duty at the time the boy died.
The Ohio Department of Agriculture’s amusement ride safety division has taken disciplinary action against the resort at least four times since it opened in 2005.
In 2008, state officials reported that Kalahari Resort is cited more frequently for safety violations than any other Ohio water park.
The most recent complaint cited a total of 11 violations in eight separate areas in the park.
At least five lawsuits were filed against Kalahari by people who say they were injured there.
In a May 7, 2008 letter addressed to Kalahari President Todd Nelson, Amusement Ride Safety Division Chief James Truex said inspectors found the resort had 14
fewer guards than its plan specified, and that two guards on duty had invalid certification. The department also found that “many water rides were operated
in a careless and unsafe manner.”
Woman injured in fall from Ferris wheel
(July 31, 2009) - A woman suffered a minor injury when she fell from the loading platform of a Ferris wheel
at a carnival in the Castle Shannon area of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. According to reports, the woman was
boarding the Ferris wheel with her son when a bolt in the ride's clutch failed, causing the car to move suddenly.
The two fell off the loading platform.
Carnival worker injured in fall
(July 25, 2009) - A carnival worker suffered serious head and neck injuries when he slipped from a platform
and fell 15 feet while dismantling a Ferris wheel after heavy rains in Hilton, New York.
Roller coaster derails, crashes; 7 injured
(July 25, 2009) - Seven children suffered minor injuries when a popular kiddie roller coaster called the
Dragon Wagon derailed at a carnival in the Pelham Bay area of the Bronx, New York. Firefighters said that
the cars ran off the track and fell about four feet.
"We made a close loop toward the end of the ride and the whole thing tilted over and fell," said a 9-year-old
boy, who suffered a scraped wrist.
Another witness said she "saw the whole ride tip over coming over a turn."
The ride is operated by Tri-Star Amusements.
Man, 48, drowns at Denver-area water park
(July 21, 2009) - A 48-year-old man drowned in the Captain Jack wave pool at Water World theme park in Federal Heights, Colorado.
Worker falls from Busch Gardens Skyride
(July 18, 2009) - A 20-year-old ride operator was injured in a 35-foot-fall from the Skyride at Busch Gardens
theme park in Tampa, Florida. The accident happened when the operator checked to make sure that gondola door was
locked as the car was leaving the loading station. He held on to the door as the car continued to move. He let
go after the car traveled about 50 feet and fell over the park's Jungala attaction.
The man suffered was hospitalized in fair condition, and is expected to fully recover. No one else was injured.
Park trains collide at Houston aquarium
(July 11, 2009) - At the Downtown Aquarium in Houston, Texas, two miniature trains collided at the ride's loading
zone. At least 27 people were evaluated at hospitals, but no one was seriously injured.
The trains sustained minimal damage.
Teen drowns in pool at water park
(July 10, 2009) - A 14-year-old boy drowned in the filtration system of a swimming pool in Pattaya, Thailand. It is believed that the
teen was searching for his goggles. He opened a grille at the bottom of the pool and was sucked into the piping. He was trapped in the
system for 30 minutes before staff – who refused to believe he was there – opened the pump room and discovered his body.
Thai police are investigating.
Carnival worker injured
(July 7, 2009) - A 41-year-old carnival worker suffered a serious injury while setting up a Ferris wheel at a carnival
in Taylorville, Illinois. His left arm was crushed when part of the ride's structure collapsed.
Richard told The Dallas Morning News that an "up-stop wheel" – which is supposed to help
hold running wheels down on the track – somehow failed on the train's last car.
The car "disengaged from its proper position" and was dragged 200 to 300 feet until the whole
train stopped, he said. It remained attached to the car in front of it by a bar and thick steel cables.
Six Flags continued to withhold details Monday of what went wrong and how it was fixed.
"On Friday, the ride was thoroughly inspected by Six Flags engineers and an inspector from the state Department of Insurance and has been cleared to reopen."
"We did not do any inspections. We do not have any inspectors."
(July 8, 2009) - The National Transportation Safety Board has developed the following factual information from its investigation of the collision of two trains on the monorail system at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, that occurred early Sunday morning:
At about 2 a.m. on July 5th, a Walt Disney World monorail train, designated the Pink train, backed into another monorail train, designated the Purple train, near the Ticket and Transportation Center (TTC) monorail station. The operator of the Purple train was fatally injured; the six passengers on that train were treated at the scene. The operator of the Pink train, who was transported to the hospital, treated and released, was the only one aboard that train at the time of the collision.
Prior to the accident, the Pink train had been instructed to detrain all passengers at the TTC station and then to operate without passengers past the station and a switch to a point where the train could be backed through the track switch from the Epcot loop over to the Magic Kingdom loop. The operator of the Pink train moved the train past the track switch and stopped.
The Pink train was then instructed to back through the track switch, towards the Magic Kingdom loop. At about the same time, the Purple train, which was inbound to the TTC station, was instructed to stop at the station to detrain passengers. For undetermined reasons that are currently under investigation, the switch had not changed position needed to allow the Pink train to be routed to the Magic Kingdom loop, which resulted in the Pink train backing down the same track it had just come from, putting it on a collision course with the Purple train. The Pink train passed through the TTC station and struck the Purple train while it was outside the station.
There are indications that the operator of the Purple train had brought the train to a stop and had attempted to put the train in reverse prior to the collision. To this point in the investigation, no anomalies or malfunctions have been found with the automatic train stop system or with any mechanical components of the switch or with either of the trains.
The on-scene phase of the investigation is expected to continue for several days.
The parties to the investigation are Walt Disney World, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Orange County Sherriff's Office, and the Transportation and Communications International Union.
"We have increased the amount of verification required to switch tracks,
and we've communicated that to our monorail [employees]." - Disney spokesman Michael Griffin
(July 5, 2009) - Two monorail trains crashed at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, leaving a 21-year-old
man dead. The collision happened at 2:00am on the track near the Ticket and Transportation Center, where guests
board the monorail for transport to various Disney parks and properties. The victim was the operator of one of
the trains; he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Six people were examined by EMTs at the scene and released.
Witnesses said that the trains were carrying passengers from Epcot after a fireworks display.
The Orange County Sheriff's Office, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration,
and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating.
Islands of Adventure worker struck by roller coaster
(July 1, 2009) - A Universal Studios Islands of Adventure theme park in Orlando, Florida, a park worker
was injured while working at the Dueling Dragons roller coaster before the park opened to the public.
Another employee called 911 and reported that the victim was "hit by one of the ride vehicles at Dueling
Dragons" and was unresponsive.
The victim was rushed to a hospital.
The ride opened after park officials determined that it was operating properly.
(June 29, 2009) - At a carnival in Buchanan, Virginia, three teenagers fell 15-20 feet when an Octopus ride malfunctioned and their car fell to the ground.
Inspectors discovered that a bracket had broken, apparently due to excessive wear. The bracket cracked in a place that was not visible during routine
inspections and would have been discovered only if the ride had been disassembled.
One of the teens suffered minor injuries.
The ride is owned and operated by Magic Midway of Georgia.
"I could have died."
- 11-year-old Tyler Maloney, who flipped 40 feet into the air when an inflatable ride went flying in the wind
“They were blowing end to end — over a car, over fences."
“That could have been anyone’s child in there."
- Linda Tucker, witness
Linda Tucker via Middletown Journal
Another inflatable ride accident sends boy flying; several injured
(June 27, 2009) — In Middletown, Ohio, an inflatable ride went flying 40 feet into the air with
an 11-year-old boy inside, who escaped serious injury by hanging on until bystanders stabbed
the ride with knives, deflating it.
Several other children suffered minor injuries when they were bumped or scraped by the ride
as it flipped several times during its flight.
Massachusetts inflatable provider charged with manslaughter
(June 25, 2009 ) - A Massachusetts-based company has been charged with manslaughter in the death of a woman who fell from an inflatable climbing wall
and died from her injuries several days later. The company, Just for Fun Rentals, operated the device at a festival in May, 2005.
According to the Massachusetts Department of Public Safety (DPS), the company did not operate the attraction properly, did not properly train the attendant,
did not keep proper records as required by state, and did not have a permit to operate the attraction. The DPS also says that its inspectors were unable to inspect
the wall because Just For Fun Rentals did not notify the state of its intention to operate the attraction, as required by law.
A spokesman for the company denies criminal wrongdoing and said that he expects the company to be fully exonerated.
(May 25, 2009) - At the Palm Beach International Raceway in Jupiter, Florida, a 7-year-old boy
was seriously burned when his go-kart tipped over and caught fire. He was airlifted to a hospital
where he is being treated for second-degree burns on nearly half of his body.
The go-kart is owned by the victim's family.
Park worker killed in roller coaster accident
(May 18, 2009) - At PortAventura theme park in Tarragona, Spain, a 55-year-old maintenance worker was struck by a train
of roller coaster cars and killed. The victim was carrying out routine maintenance on the Tomahawk, a wooden roller coaster.
The ride was shut down temporarily, but reopened hours later after investigators determined that the ride itself had not
malfunctioned.
Teen drowns at Wet 'N' Wild Waterworld
(May 15, 2009) - At Wet 'N' Wild Waterworld in Anthony, Texas, a 14-year-old boy was found
at the bottom of a swimming pool. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital after revival attempts
by lifeguards and emergency responders failed.
An autopsy is planned.
Associated Press
Boy, 2, killed by roller coaster after climbing onto track
(May 12, 2009) - At the Ducketts Common funfair in north London, England, a 2-year-old boy was killed
after he climbed onto the track of a kiddie roller coaster and got struck by the
oncoming cars. Witnesses said that the boy exited a bouncy castle where he had been playing,
then made his way to the adjacent Go-Gator roller coaster, which was only a few yards away.
There was a barrier between the two attractions, but investigators believe that the boy
either slid through them or underneath them.
Emergency workers rushed the boy to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
A spokesman for the carnival told reporters that the ride operator activated the emergency
stop, but that "nobody saw the little boy until the train hit him," and it was too late.
The Health and Safety Executive is investigating. The carnival has been shut down.
The carnival was operated by JEA Manning and Sons.
Accident closes flume ride at Hersheypark
(May 9, 2009) - At Hersheypark in Hershey, Pennsylvania, a pipe break on the Coal Cracker log flume ride
caused several boats to bump into each other. One woman was evaluated at a local hospital and released.
The ride was shut down after the incident but was expected to reopen later in the week.
"We can preliminarily say it was a mechanical issue," said a spokeswoman for the Pennsylvania
Department of Agriculture.
“I want people to know that we take safety very seriously, we always have.
I want people to feel comfortable that I operate and maintain all my attractions
with safety in mind... I cannot stress enough, the ride was properly registered
and permitted. I went to the state and pulled documents (the inspection and maintenance
history of the ride) when I bought it." - Harry Mason, owner of Midway of Fun / Brass Ring Amusements
(May 2, 2009) - An 8-year-old suffered minor injuries in a fall from a mechanical swing ride at a carnival
in Orangeburg, South Carolina. Investigators believe that the child was began to come out of the swing
as the ride was slowing to a stop.
“There was no apparent malfunction of the machinery,” said a fair spokesman, and the child's size was
not thought to be a contributing factor in the accident.
The ride passed a state inspection two weeks ago.
KIRO 7 Eyewitness News
Carnival ride tips over; 6 injured
(April 17, 2009) - At the Puyallup Spring Fair in Puyallup, Washington, five children and one adult suffered
minor injuries when a kiddie ride called the Lolly Swing tipped over. Fourteen children were on the ride at
the time of the accident, most of whom suffered minor cuts or bruises.
The ride was manufactured by Zamperla of Italy and is operated by Funtastic Traveling Shows of Portland, Oregon.
It passed a state inspection on Wednesday.
Inspectors said it could take weeks before the exact cause of the accident is determined. Some have
suggested the possibility that the ground, which had become saturated with rain, may have collapsed under
the weight of the ride.
According to the Seattle Times, a Lolly Swing tipped over in Hollywood, Florida in 1997, injuring five
people. That accident was blamed on metal fatigue.
"Bhargava did the bungee jumping, thinking that all the instruments are strong and safe...
But it was his fate that the clasp wrenched off the string and he plunged to death." - Abhishek Pesala, relative of 25-year-old V. Bhargava
Safety cord snaps during bungee jump; 25-year-old killed
(April 11, 2009) - In Bangalore, India, a 25-year-old man was killed in a 150-foot-fall when a safety belt snapped during a bungee jump.
Police said that the event organizers did not have a license to operate a bungee jump. Two event organizers have been arrested and charged with negligence.
(April 10, 2009) - A 27-year-old woman was injured when an amusement ride car collapsed at the Chapelfield Gardens Easter fair in Norwich (UK).
The woman suffered a fractured lumbar vertebrae and was hospitalized.
The accident happened on a ride called Jumpin' Frog, which consists of rotating hydraulic arms that rise and fall as they rotate through the air.
The victim stated that the accident happened as the ride was coming to a stop. She said that the cars had just begun to slowly lower to the ground
when hers collapsed suddenly.
The ride passed subsequent safety checks and was reopened.
WOIO-TV
Woman struck by amusement ride suffers serious injuries
(April 10, 2009) - At a carnival inside the International Exposition Center in Cleveland, Ohio, a woman
was struck by a ride that had started before she exited to the platform. The woman had boarded the Hurricane
ride and been secured into her seat, but then changed her mind and asked to leave the ride. A ride operator
unlatched her safety bar and and allowed her to exit the car. The ride started before the woman left the
ride's path. She was struck and knocked to the floor. She suffered a broken pelvis, wrist, and collarbone;
4 broken ribs, and a punctued lung. She was hospitalized in intensive care and was listed in serious condition.
The ride operator is on administrative leave.
The ride was passed state and city inspections prior to the opening of the fair. It was temporarily closed until state inspectors deemed it safe for operation.
(Monday, March 24, 2009) - After two days of testimony in a wrongful-death civil trial, the parents
of 7-year-old Jon-Kely Cassara, who died at Playland Park in 2005, have agreed to settle their lawsuit
against the park's owner, Westchester County, for $1.25 million. Westchester County also agreed to established
a scholarship in the boy's name.
Cassara fell from his boat as it was traveling through Ye Old Mill, an indoor boat ride. The boy, who was allowed
to ride without an adult, exited his boat during the ride, and fell. He died from a blunt head injury. His
body was found in the channel.
The County was accused of negligence in the boy's death because the ride was understaffed at the time he died.
Joseph Montalto, the director of Playland at the time of the accident, testified that the ride should not have
been operating with only two operators, and that only one of the two workers operating the ride was licensed to
do so. Montalto also acknowledged a statement he made in a 2007 deposition that "Jon-Kely Cassara should not have
been permitted to be on that ride."
KCRA, Sacramento
Yo-Yo owner faulted for "serious maintenance deficiencies" in ride collapse
(Friday, March 13, 2009) - The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health has issued a
report that faults the owner of a Yo-Yo amusement ride for its collapse. Brass Ring Amusements, also known
as Midway of Fun, operated the ride at a fair last May. The company is owned by Harry Mason, who is faulted
by investigators for operating the ride with significant maintenance deficiencies. Twenty-one riders were
injured when the ride suddenly collapsed.
Among OSHA findings:
The sweeps of YO-YO C#3041 "collapsed" because the spider bearing assembly slipped off of the
cylinder rod, thus losing the power to pull down the sweep's top ends. This happened because the
two lock nuts that were holding down the spider bearing assembly rotated off and disengaged
from the threaded end of the cylinder rod.
Failure analysis performed by Anamet concluded, as did the Division, that at the time of the
accident, the lock nuts had disengaged from the threaded end of the cylinder rod of the spider
assembly. Further results of the Anamet study have lead the Division to make the following conclusions:
The lock nuts loosened and rotated off because of the failure of a lock washer designed to hold
the lock nuts in place and keep them from rotating. The lock washer had 19 outer tabs and one inner tab.
As designed, one of the outer tabs was bent 90 degrees upward and fitted into a slot in the upper
lock nut. The inner tab of the lock washer was bent 90 degrees downward and fitted into a keyway
in the cylinder rod. The lock washer failed because the inner tab fractured and broke off of it.
The accident occurred on YO-YO C#3041 because it was operating with a lock washer that had
lost its ability to prevent a loosening rotation of the lock nut when the inner tab broke away
from the lock washer. Examination of the fractured tab under magnification indicated that it failed
suddenly in a manner that could only have occurred during service on the spider assembly when
the lock washer was rotated clockwise with the upper lock nut while the lock nut was being
tightened. The inner tab that was fixed in the cylinder rod keyway broke away from the lock
washer inner face as it followed the movement of upper lock nut during the tightening of the lock
nut. Thread imprints on the fracture face indicate that the lock washer rotated clockwise about
1/2-inch while the inner tab was kept captive in the keyway of the shaft onto which the nut was being
tightened.
It is evident through statements and documentation... and by observation of the physical
state of disrepair the ride was in at the time of the accident, that this attraction had not
been properly maintained... prior to the accident. Furthermore, Mr. Mason, as a ride owner,
failed to become familiar enough with the YO-YO attraction to establish, implement and document
a comnprehensive safety program of inspection and repair in accordance with Chance specifications
and applicable Title 8 regulations, in order to safely operate the YO-YO.
While conducting the accident investigation, the Division observed significant maintenance
deficiencies on Yo-YO C#3041.
More than 14 electrical deficiencies were found, involving loose and exposed electrical conductors.
Most of these electrical wiring problems could be observed without the removal of scenery panels.
The hydraulic system had leaks, and several pressure gauges were missing on the main hydraulic unit.
A separate and temporary hydraulic unit was being used during the assembly process.
A large amount of oily residue was found throughout the attraction.
Seven of the chairs were out of service, and many of the recent welds still contained slag
that prevented employees from performing proper inspections.
5-year re-build as per Chance Service Bulletin #B376R1077-0 (Effective Date: May 16, 1990).
Records supplied by Mr. Mason did not indicate that this re-build had been performed.
Chance Bulletin #B376CRM146-A (Effective Date: March 21, 2006) was not performed.
The required tag on the hydraulic cylinder containing all the necessary information that
is required by Chance was missing at the time of the accident.
The information that is steel-stamped into the barrel of the cylinder and identifies the
cylinder and part number was covered and not able to be identified at the time of the accident.
Midway of Fun's maintenance training program in place at the time of the YO-YO accident failed
to follow the ASTM F770-06 as required by the California Labor Code section 7916(a). ASTM F770-06
section 6.1 requires each Owner/Operator of an amusement ride or device to read and become familiar
with the contents of the manufacturer's recommended maintenance instructions and specifications,
when received.
Midway of Fun's Owner/Operator (Mr. Mason) did not read and become familiar with all of the YO-YO
ride's instructions and specifications when he received the attraction and, as a result, failed to
implement a program of maintenance based on the manufacturer's recommendations. Furthermore, the
maintenance program in place was not maintained.
Had Midway of Fun's maintenance program been sufficient, the YO-YO would have been inspected
and maintained to conform to all of Chance's specifications. On inspection that would have been
performed was the inspection called for by CRM Bulletin B#376CRM146-A, dated March 21, 2006.
That bulletin advised all owners immediately and annually thereafter to inspect the sweep lift
cylinder bearing assembly and its connection to the sweep lift cylinder rod to ensure that the parts
are functioning properly and that the lock nut connection is secure. According to Mr. Mason,
this inspection was never performed while Midway of Fun operated YO-YO C#3041. If the inspection
had been performed as called for by the bulletin, it is possible that the loosening of the lock nut
would have been detected before it led to the lock nut spinning completely off the assembly.
Mr. Mason had previously worked with and operated another YO-YO attraction (C#17371) for
Midway of Fun in 2001 at the Sacramento County Fair, and was familiar with YO-YOs enough to have
known that a 5-year re-build was required. In 2001, while inspecting YO-YO C#17371, the Division
discovered that the YO-YO's hydraulic cylinder 5-year certification had expired. Mr. Mason was
instructed to correct the situation and was instrumental in calling Chance to receive a one time
extension, for a short number of days, to operate before sending the cylinder back for its re-build.
The manufacturer of this attraction does not have a record of any inquiries or requests from
Midway of Fun for updated operating manuals, attraction bulletins, or maintenance records.
... The Owner/Operator, Harry Mason of Midway of Fun, failed to ensure that his YO-YO attraction was
safe to operate when he first received the attraction. As a result, he operated an attraction that
did not have all of the required inspections, certifications, and documentation in place to ensure
its safe operation.
Infant critically injured after fall from kiddie train ride
(Tuesday, March 10, 2009) - At a mall in Cutler Bay, Florida, a 12-month-old boy suffered severe head injuries when he fell 2-3 feet
from a mechanical kiddie train. He landed on his head, then was partially run over by the train before it could be stopped. Rescue
workers arrived to find the child unconscious and unable to breathe on his own. They began CPR, revived him, then transported him
via helicopter to Miami Children's Hospital, where he was listed in critical condition.
The Miami-Dade Police Department is investigating the accident and the ride has been shut down.
UPDATE: The boy died from his injuries on March 17, 2009.
(Sunday, March 8, 2009) - At Jeepers amusement center in Albany, New York, several children suffered minor injuries after
a wheel of a kiddie roller coaster car broke, causing the ride to stop abruptly in the middle of its run. Two children were
treated for cits and bruises at a hospital; the others were treated at the scene.
The ride was shut down, pending repairs and an inspection.
