Tragic ride accident at Ohio State Fair

http://fox8.com/2017/07/26/governor-kasich-responds-to-fatal-ride-a...tate-fair/

Prayers out to all effected!

Warning Graphic: from Sandusky Scanner Live facebook

https://www.facebook.com/Sandusky-Scanner-Live-167797306707716/?hc_...1Ojo938KgI

Having seen the video of the accident...i'd like to ask rideman for his opinion on what the heck went wrong! Thoughts and prayers for all those involved and their family and friends!

XS NightClub said:
Warning Graphic: form Sandusky.....

Terribly immature and highly insensitive to post links to live video of someone dying on a ride. For goodness sake the body isn't even cold! Have some decency, man! Imagine if that was your mom/dad/son/daughter! Geez.

I would lean towards something failed unexpectedly and rather instantaneously due to metal fatigue or imperfection that would never be caught under any regular daily or annual inspection short of high tech, in-depth non-destructive testing. Seems like a pin or bolt hat held the gondola onto the arm failed. I can't find a good close up picture of one of these rides to get a better look at the way it is all held, I'm far from an expert so I could be very wrong.

I don't know, to me it looked more like the arm hit something first based on when and how the arm acted, rather than a non-contact freak accident where the arm just came off.

CodyR said:

I don't know, to me it looked more like the arm hit something first based on when and how the arm acted, rather than a non-contact freak accident where the arm just came off.

My question would be how did a railing get in the way that wasn't there just a second or two before?

That's why I think something failed, and the whole thing started giving way, then after it was out of place it made impact with the railing thus causing catastrophic failure.

https://imgur.com/gallery/4Y29z

It could be partly a bad angle but look at that clearance between the ride arm and the support. Almost zero.

I believe it hit the floor.

I believe the floor and/or railing came up while the ride was in motion, the ride clipped it, causing the row to act really strangely after being detached and also knocked off an extra restraint or two.

I didn't notice the ride hitting anything in the video, though in the picture that CodyR posted, it doesn't look like it could go back at all without hitting the base. Also, did an entire seat fly off? I saw a very large object, not the people, and some smaller pieces. I mean it looks like the seat just exploded. I don't understand how that could have even happened.

I was just watching the news and, no surprise, they are insisting that they inspected the ride countless times but you have to wonder how well. Watching that brutal video, it looks and sounds like it smashes into something just at the upswing right before the car detaches. I've ridden that ride before, and it's somewhat similar to Max-Air. The pressure when the pendulum reaches the bottom is extreme, I always feel it in my lower back. I expect most amusement places will be on high alert when doing daily inspections after this.

No, I don't have to wonder how well, because I know.
I'm sick of hearing from those who don't have a clue about the lack of safety in portable rides. I have worked at the fair for 18 years and I can assure you that each and every ride is inspected quite well. Ohio has a team of ride inspectors that are quite serious about what they do, are very knowledgeable, and adhere to the strictest of guidelines. They inspect every aspect and every part of each ride several times- while it's racked, while it's being erected, and while operating. No patron is allowed on the ride until the state is satisfied of the safety and signs off. Inspectors stay on the grounds during the entire run and conduct frequent, routine maintenance inspections on a daily basis.

And why wouldn't they? The outdoor amusement industry prides itself on supplying safe fun to millions of riders every season, not only at fairs and festivals, but at permanent installations as well. (The same team of inspectors is responsible for rides at CP, btw) Don't think for a second that the ride owner, the operator, the fair, or the state of Ohio is willing to put patrons at risk by allowing unsafe practices. There would be no good whatsoever from that, starting from a liability standpoint.

This particular KMG Afterburner/Fireball has played the fair and has toured the country every season since the ride was first introduced. I believe that just a few seasons ago it was rehabbed with new sweeps, seats, lights, and paint. The Ohio fair is a large show with rides owned by Amusements of America, and the midway consists of a combination of a couple of smaller units. As usual, first wave of rides came in last week and the rest of them rolled in on Monday. This Fireball was in the first batch and inspectors were already on the grounds to greet it. In other words, there was nothing hasty about it.

Trust and believe that the true cause of this accident will be determined. My expectation is that it won't be due to some sort of official oversight, but instead a freak accident or a malfunction that could never have been foreseen.

I happen to love our fair and like most of you here have a love for and deep interest in the amusement industry. I would ask each of you, in your discussions today with others about this terrible tragedy, to try to keep rumors to a minimum. Nothing is known yet.
The fair will not be closing, and the governor will be in attendance today. All rides will remain closed until more can be determined and until each and every part of every device has been re-inspected.
Sadly, there will be a general pall cast over the fair and many vendors and business owners are wondering how their businesses will fare for the rest of the run.

RCMAC said:

This particular KMG Afterburner/Fireball has played the fair and has toured the country every season since the ride was first introduced. I believe that just a few seasons ago it was rehabbed with new sweeps, seats, lights, and paint. The Ohio fair is a large show with rides owned by Amusements of America, and the midway consists of a combination of a couple of smaller units. As usual, first wave of rides came in last week and the rest of them rolled in on Monday. This Fireball was in the first batch and inspectors were already on the grounds to greet it. In other words, there was nothing hasty about it.

Seems like you're fairly familiar with the ride, so I've got a question for you.

One report from a witness said the operator saw one of the seats begin to come loose, then hit the emergency stop button. Could the loud noise we heard have been whatever mechanism stops the ride?

I don't know. I've watched the video and my supposition from the timing and the sound is that the tub is somehow hitting the diamond plate. I also supposed that the car came loose, but once again we'll have to wait and see what the official findings are.
Interviews from observers and riders are that the ride was "shaking" prior to the accident, but we all know that could mean a variety of things.
I don't know how an e-stop works on a ride like this. There's a braking mechanism, surely, but I don't know how effective it is when the ride is in full swing. Which it clearly was.

To be clear, I am not a ride professional. My long time involvement with the fair has never had anything to do with the rides or the show. I am, however, a fan. My partner is in agriculture and we are good friends and are acquainted with several in the ride safety department for the state. A very good friend of ours was employed in that department for a long time so I know how things work. As you can imagine, my interest and curiosity has caused me to learn more and pay attention to more than the typical fair goer, so anything I can add is based on that "expertise" alone.
One thing for sure, I'm more level headed than most about these matters, and in the wake of this terrible tragedy some of the comments I've read and some of the media coverage rings unfair and untrue until the official findings are announced.

All of a sudden everyone seems so quick to trounce the industry when nothing is known at this time. It makes me very sad and angry. Those that claim carnival rides are inherently unsafe and prefer the rides at amusement parks clearly don't realize how things really work. It's all pretty much the same.

RCMAC said:

Those that claim carnival rides are inherently unsafe and prefer the rides at amusement parks clearly don't realize how things really work. It's all pretty much the same.

Think the main difference tho is carnival rides are constantly setup/taken down quickly while the other is setup/staying in same spot. Obviously inspections and everything should be the same on each end, but the more variables in setup/take down so often make carnival rides bit more scary to some.

No one can say exactly what caused the accident at this point, but some are saying you can see it start breaking apart as it was swinging to the right, the operator hits the emergency shut off and the tragedy occurred as it swung to the left. I watched the video again and was horrified to see the two people who fell to the ground actually tumbled across a couple of the other rows of people before the fall. I will definitely be curious of their final findings.

Sealedseven -
Try to look at it the other way. Perhaps when a ride is taken down and reassembled every two weeks it gives all parties involved a closer and more frequent look at the mechanics of the ride and how things are put together. If a bolt doesn't seem right? Now's your chance to replace it. As noted, inspectors by regulation are required to attend to the process.
I would never presume to proclaim one side of the industry safer than the other. Both traveling shows and amusement parks know that the number one thing they must provide, without exception, is safety. The consequence of ignoring that basic law can be catastrophic to all involved, to say the least.

Thank you RCMAC, for a level headed perspective. We all pray/wish the best for those affected and for recoveries of those still suffering.
I sincerely hope the governor allows for some statement from inspectors regarding this today or soon to help alleviate the speculation.
I also hope they can find the resulting cause and then it can be addressed to prevent another situation. Unfortunately mechanical malfunctions happen across all types of machinery, we all hope it is during a testing and no one is injured.
Again, thoughts and prayers to those affected.

One thing a visual inspection can't do is find metal fatigue like non-destructive testing can do. I wonder how often the carnival rides are stripped down and tested like CP does every off season. This sure seems like everything was assembled right to pass inspection but some hidden crack or fatigued area gave way. I was certainly impressed at the Winter Chillout by the way maintenance strips down, tests and rebuilds everything.