Icon Park - Drop Tower (Orlando FreeFall) - Dismantled and Gone

[TEDodd]

4 hours ago, tndank said:

"Orlando drop tower operator adjusted sensors in seat teen fell from, making ride unsafe, report shows."

 

Well that would explain how it had a green light with it up so high.

Seems to tie back to their claims of no height weight limits.

[tanthonyam]

https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/04/18/watch-live-at-130-pm-florida-officials-provide-update-on-orlando-drop-tower-death-investigation/?fbclid=IwAR35ut3RGhsZOJ3wdDZGDzOtJtTwoeRaFR2hkbEnY9UJHRuEJZTEmQSaPPs

[CedarFlags]

So... someone's going to jail for this, right?  We don't yet know exactly why the proxy switch was adjusted, but if it turns out that it was an intentional decision by the park... that's criminal negligence in my book.  Not just being reckless, but doing so intentionally.  Not making a reckless mistake, making a reckless decision.

[JJLehto]

2 hours ago, tanthonyam said:

https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/04/18/watch-live-at-130-pm-florida-officials-provide-update-on-orlando-drop-tower-death-investigation/?fbclid=IwAR35ut3RGhsZOJ3wdDZGDzOtJtTwoeRaFR2hkbEnY9UJHRuEJZTEmQSaPPs

Wow, what?? Yeah that is at best a grave error and at worst, purposefully doing so someone can ride who shouldn't for safety reasons IDK how that wont end up with some valid lawsuits. 

[TEDodd]

2 hours ago, CedarFlags said:

So... someone's going to jail for this, right?

....

Not making a reckless mistake, making a reckless decision.

Sounds like at least involuntary manslaughter.

 

Then the civil suits against the company will likely put them out of business.

[Habreno]

That's damming.

[CoasterNerd87]

It will be interesting to see where the trail ends as to who is responsible for making those adjustments. I find it hard to fathom that a ride operator would be the one who did it.

[TEDodd]

1 hour ago, CoasterNerd87 said:

I find it hard to fathom that a ride operator would be the one who did it.

I can't either. The guys running the ride cycle to cycle wouldn't have the tools, time, and I doubt knowledge.

This would have been maintenance personnel. Was it an oversight or a directed change? If not on purpose was there some sort of testing to verify the adjustment following maintenance on the sensor? If not, why not?

I'd expect the manual from the manufacturer to include such tests/adjustment procedures. But do owners write their own versions like they do with operations manuals? If so was this left out or changed?
 

[BotanicalStig]

It's surprising to me that anyone could have the ability to adjust the restraint sensor system, other than the manufacturer. I wonder if the manufacturer signed off on that. 

 

I hope not, but I still have no clue how that could happen. Could have been some physical tampering? Modifying safety systems like this doesn't sound legit. I guess we'll see when more info comes out. Hopefully those responsible will be held accountable. 

[TEDodd]

30 minutes ago, BotanicalStig said:

It's surprising to me that anyone could have the ability to adjust the restraint sensor system, other than the manufacturer. I wonder if the manufacturer signed off on that. 

Granted I don't have direct knowledge of this system, but generally the sensor would be replaced by the owner's/operator's maintenance team. They don't have OEM reps come out for every bad part.

When replacing a part there would be adjustments so it triggers correctly (ie the harness in the correct position). That it could be that far out is surprising, but I still would expect a test with the harness in multiple positions to ensure it reads go and no-go correctly. 

[prozach626]

On 4/8/2022 at 3:56 PM, SoCalJasonland said:

The operator has some responsibility to know that it was unsafe whether his company trained him/her correctly or not. 

No. No, not really. No, not really at all. No. Nah. No sir. The ride operator isn't responsible for understanding how the ride functions. The safety authority trained that as long as the green light was on, it's gud-tah-go. The green light was on. The harness was down to an extent. The ride also said "gud-tah-go." Hit the flashing green button, as trained.

Keep those fingers a' point'n, though. As long as it makes you feel better.

"SoMe One NeEdZ 2 gO 2 JaLe" Because that will fix everything. Hell, lock em' away right now am i rite?

[CP_RULES]

On 4/18/2022 at 3:57 PM, dankeykang said:

So were any of the operators who were working at the time of the accident aware of the adjusted seats beforehand, or did the victim just coincidentally choose one of them?  Either way, terribly unfortunate.  

The recent report I saw led me to believe they knowingly adjusted these seats to be the “larger guest” seats (like B&Ms have designated seats) and directed him to that seat. I don’t have a source to cite though, I’ll find it if someone calls me out. Yuck, it makes me sick to think it was someone’s manual adjustment.

[805Andrew]

I wonder if this tower will ever run here again after this incident or if it will end up being dismantled and sent somewhere else, especially since it looks like manual adjustments were made to make it unsafe and it wasn't operator error nor a manufacturer defect. 

[boldikus]

Didn't see this coming...

https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/25/us/icon-park-amusement-park-death-family-lawsuit/index.html

Quote

A month after a 14-year-old plummeted to his death from a Florida amusement park ride, his family is suing a bevy of defendants, saying a series of mistakes put visitors in danger and led to their child’s fatal fall.

Defendants in the lawsuit, filed Monday in state court, include ICON Park; SlingShot, which owns and operates the Orlando FreeFall; the ride’s manufacturer, Austria-based Funtime Handels; and the manufacturer of the seats and harnesses, Germany-based Gerstlauer Amusement Rides.

 

[bert425]

Since Gerstlauer didn't do the adjustments to the seat, I'm guessing they will immediately be removed from the Suit by the courts.

I'd also guess that Funtime Handels will be in a similar situation. . . . unless there's some info showing they were involved in the adjustments (ie: okayed them, or suggested them, or something).

we'll all just have to wait and see how this shakes out, but I strongly suspect that Icon Park is gonna be the only defendant on the hook here.

[teacherkim]

Lawsuit news was all over the local news here today. I was a little behind as I had jury duty all day and didn't see much news but when I got out of the wifi black hole that is the St Louis County Courthouse my phoned started pinging like mad with texts people had sent me asking about the situation since they know we "do amusement parks and stuff".....

[TEDodd]

13 hours ago, bert425 said:

we'll all just have to wait and see how this shakes out, but I strongly suspect that Icon Park is gonna be the only defendant on the hook here.

I think you meant Slingshot, I don't see how ICON is responsible at all.

 

[bert425]

28 minutes ago, TEDodd said:

I think you meant Slingshot, I don't see how ICON is responsible at all.

 

It’s in the park they own. 
 

but yeah. Slingshot group too

[TEDodd]

1 hour ago, bert425 said:

It’s in the park they own. 

They have little/no control over the running or operations of anyone they rent space to.
 

[SharkTums]

Yeah, it's common to name everyone remotely related to something, but also common to have most of that thrown out.  Like if someone chokes and dies while a server looks on at Outback Steakhouse are you going to sue Icon Park?!!? Maybe, but they don't have direct culpability. 

[rachelmadcow]

Yea Icon Park is TOAST. 

 

https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/13/us/tyre-sampson-autopsy-icon-park-orlando/index.html?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=news_tab

 

ICON park as the lessor has the duty to ensure their lessees aren't killing people. That's like Ford saying they have nothing to do with their dealerships. 

[TEDodd]

6 minutes ago, rachelmadcow said:

ICON park as the lessor has the duty to ensure their lessees aren't killing people. That's like Ford saying they have nothing to do with their dealerships. 

So if someone gets food poisoning (and dies) at a restaurant leasing space the park is responsible?
Or slips in a shop leasing space there, the park is responsible?

I just don't buy that.  

A dealership has a special relationship with the OEM and represents the OEM.
Quite different than just leasing space.

In this case the park had no reason to suspect the ride was improperly modified.
If not for that modification he never would have been on the ride.

It's not like the park let someone build a ride without proper engineering and approvals. It was purchased from a major ride manufacturer and the installation was approved by the state regulators.

[jarmor]

The article mentions nothing about ICON park being shut down forever, just the drop tower is closed indefinitely.

[Jew]

On 6/14/2022 at 5:57 PM, rachelmadcow said:

Yea Icon Park is TOAST. 

 

https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/13/us/tyre-sampson-autopsy-icon-park-orlando/index.html?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=news_tab

 

ICON park as the lessor has the duty to ensure their lessees aren't killing people. That's like Ford saying they have nothing to do with their dealerships. 

Unless they knew the drop tower was being operated outside of manufacturer guidelines, it is out of their control.

[tndank]

The current plan is to reopen the slingshot soon once they get state approval.