What Really Happened on Orlando FreeFall March 24th 2022?

[@CoasterCollege]

Thanks for watching everyone! This has been my biggest project ever. Let me know what you think in the comments!

[@Eggish3]

So happy this got coverage! I’ve never gotten a truly straight answer so thank you!

[@monkstandinglast]

Great job declining the news interview, all too often they portray what you say very diffently out of context

[@mtbshawn0]

Excellent video! Very well made. I have been looking on info for this accident and I can always trust your content ❤️

[@AmusementParkLife]

Awesome video! Thanks for making it!

[@TaijeyClawy]

Thank you for your continued work on these videos!

[@ButchJoestar]

I've seen awful comments about this kid and his weight...I'm really glad to finally see a respectful take and explanation on this accident. Insightful and informative as always.

[@BucketOfFuk]

Agreed! It's nice and respectful.

[@kurtbrigandi]

IDK why people would attack this kid over his height and weight, like he was a big dude, a lot of us are. The issue solely comes down to the fact that the rides system would not have cleared the ride to operate under the original settings and required the rides management to manually reset those sensors on select seats in order for it to dispatch. While its tough to just say something like premeditated murder, this really straddles that line as the operators knew for a fact that they took the ride out of its safety parameters on purpose.

[@CupheadCL]

Dont talk abouth other bodies all bodies are healthy karen

[@UFCandWeed]

@@kurtbrigandiThat’s not even close to premeditated murder lol. Manslaughter at best.

[@KYRSZ-gd1qt]

To be fair the kid was too big for the ride and should not have been able to get on it. Although it makes you wonder how that seat did not fail until that one moment. I imagine lots of kids had been in that seat before... skinny... fat... doesn't matter. It happened to fail on that kid specifically... unfortunately.

[@TKThemeParkReviewer]

I went on this three weeks before this happened and went here a few times prior to the accident. They NEVER check the restraints physically. I told the riders around me to check themselves pushing as hard as they could so and see if they can slip out . My first time was my last and I didn't recommend anyone going on because of the operators. It felt very unsafe with them there. Who ever trained them never worked in an amusement park.

[@SweetestHoney86]

I just got back from a WDW/UO trip last month and I can't imagine not having my restraints physically tested before something as intense as a drop tower.

[@ahluvdrums]

It's not uncommon in the Amusement park industry to not have the ride attendants touch the restraints to check them, it's more common to have the riders do it themselves. That's how they do it at Disney World. The kids running the drop tower were only trained to look at the lights, to them, if the seats were locked, then there was nothing to worry about since the ride wouldn't run without locked seats. They had no idea two of the seats had been widened.

[@OcarinaLink24]

@@ahluvdrums idk, my first thought was that both times I went to Disney world they gave a tug on the restraints even for stuff that didn’t need it. It’s been a while though so maybe that’s changed in the last few years.

[@ahluvdrums]

@@OcarinaLink24 No, at Disney, the CMs never touch the restrains. You, the guest, push on them, and they watch you do it, but they never physically touch it. But that literally has nothing to do with what happened here, the restraint itself never unlocked. The shoulder harness had been altered so it was able to be "locked" over a larger guest, leaving a wider opening then the manufacturer allowed. When the tower dropped, the forces were able to force him though the gap, which wouldn't have happened if the seat hadn't been altered.

[@Micegift]

@@SweetestHoney86 Sorry for being silly here but what does WDW/UO mean?

[@BikeThrottleOfficial]

“Known to accommodate larger riders” - so they made a fat person’s seat using their own adjustments and killed the guy?! 100% needs criminal charges.

[@michael7054]

Same here

[@EquestrianStrong123]

Agreed The park is completely negligent

[@dawnnburroughs]

A 14 year old boy😢

[@mr.fahrenheit7009]

Eh

[@Coasterlocity]

Basically.

[@gtickno2946]

I feel like having a seat thats known as the one more accommodating for larger passengers is not a good thing unless that seat is actually differently designed

[@CoasterCollege]

Completely agree!

[@kddhd9704]

I know this is late but this exact thing happened on a Superman coaster at a six flags. There was one car that was known for having a longer seatbelt and thus a man who had been rejected from the ride multiple times for being too big was let on by an operator. He was ejected and died

[@1stzard]

unless it was actually accommodating

[@VerticalLoop]

I believe Seatbelts in-between your legs should be mandatory. It makes it a lot easier to tell if a rider is too big. Also, it makes it impossible for the restraint to opening to grow.

[@Ellie-rx3jt]

Yep, and since the force is directly downward, even if the seatbelt did allow for some gap widening it would be incredibly unlikely for a rider to fall (although the wedgie probably wouldn't feel all that great).

[@elinorris1739]

@@Ellie-rx3jtid rather a wedgie than being smashed into the pavement

[@feline5056]

@@Ellie-rx3jtbetter to have a wedgie than be dead on the pavement though lol

[@Desugan69]

​@@Ellie-rx3jthonestly i rather get a wedgie that fells like being split than actually falling

[@Palliativcare]

@@Ellie-rx3jtthe seats are tilted- the force is not downward

[@boilercoasters8442]

I was unfortunate enough to see the video on Twitter after the accident, and it was awful. I couldn't believe a ride I rode 3 months earlier would be in the headlines for something this devastating. RIP Tyre Sampson.

[@phyllojoe5346]

Yeah seeing it was not fun

[@Floridafanatic28]

So why did you watch it then?????@@phyllojoe5346 I saw it on Twitter as well and I'm not in here saying I was "unfortunate" to see it or that it "was not fun". I chose to watch it - I own that decision. It didn't autoplay I simply chose to click the link. You two sound ridiculous!

[@elmomonster6043]

What happened in it? Blood?

[@phyllojoe5346]

@@elmomonster6043 No blood but uncensored seeing him hit the ground. Lack of gore doesn't matter, seeing the kid's life taken was horrible

[@elmomonster6043]

@@phyllojoe5346 There was no blood? Really?

[@betterlooking120]

As a fan of El Toro Ryan, seeing the footage of him actively on the ride while talking about the accident gave me such shivers down my spine. I know that roller coasters are built to be incredibly safe and I trust the engineering and technology behind them. However, human error is never entirely unavoidable.

[@crackthefoundation_]

Human error is guaranteed over time

[@steamyninja8881]

@@crackthefoundation_No, this is only true if the ride is operational for an infinite amount of time. There is no guarantee human error will occur. Sure, as time goes on it becomes more probable but never certain.

[@kittyb275]

People are insulting this kid for no reason. He was turned away from rides he didn't fit on. This is the only one that let him on. So he thought it was safe. This is criminal.

[@christopherswanson1628]

The ride should have had seat belts that were the length of the maximum allowable gap size. If you can't click it, you can't ride it. Needs to be standard on all drop towers and 360 pendulum rides

[@jonb7700]

100% correct. And why was it even possible to adjust the proximity sensor to an unsafe point? Major design flaws.

[@ScreamingAllTheTime]

Or at the very least, the kind of over the shoulder restraints that have to latch onto the horn in some way.

[@andrewtaylor940]

Not having those belts was a deliberate albeit tragic, decision in order to provide for faster loading/unloading/cycle time. Having the belts adds time to each ride cycle as the rider needs to click them in place themselves, the operators need to physically check each rider, and the rider needs to release the belt at rides end. Modern "Ride Safety Engineering" has striven to eliminate belts wherever possible.

[@Ellie-rx3jt]

​@@andrewtaylor940I'm not sure you can call it "ride safety engineering" at that point. It's more "ride marginally less safe in order to reduce wait times engineering" 😬

[@andrewtaylor940]

@Ellie-rx3jt it could have been done without belts. But the botton of the shoulder bars needed to come all the way down and touch or better yet lock to that post between the legs.

[@MondoCoasters]

Gonna echo everyone else's opinion and say this is your best video yet. However, there is one crucial detail in the Orlando Freefall situation that everyone who's covered this seems to have overlooked: Icon Park was not advertising or enforcing the ride's maximum height restrictions as dictated by the manufacturer. The Funtime Skyfall has a maximum height restriction of 190cm or 76", whereas Tyree was reported to be 77", a whole inch above the safety limit. When Shawn of Theme Park Worldwide did his vlog at the Orlando Freefall, he briefly filmed the ride's height restriction board, and it only showed the minimum height restriction of 50". Not a word about a maximum height restriction anywhere. This doesn't really change too much in the grand scheme of things, but adds a significant extra layer of negligence to Icon Park's operations and is another way this accident could've been prevented. Had these "people" done the bare f-ing minimum, like not tampering the ride's restraint system and actually enforcing the manufacturer's restrictions, Tyree Sampson would still be with us. Just another item to add to the long list of reasons why Slingshot Group deserves to cease its existence.

[@CoasterCollege]

The maximum height limit isn't mentioned in the manual delivered to slingshot group by Funtime.

[@nathonizamboni875]

A one inch difference should not cause someone to die. I am an op and I know for a fact that many people get sent on rides who are not quite tall enough or are a little too tall (the park I work even has a policy that explicitly allows a rider who is 1.5 in under the height requirement to ride under certain circumstances). If one inch is enough to enable someone to slip the restraint I have a hard time putting much fault on the ops/park for that particular aspect of this. Sometimes an op does not height check properly, misses a kid who is slightly under, etc. It should always result in a writeup for the ops but one inch over/under should never be a significant factor in a death. If it is something needs to change on the manufacturers side.

[@MondoCoasters]

@@CoasterCollege I found the manual online after you posted the reply, and you're right, it's not there. That's incredibly messed up, because the 76" max height restriction has been stated on the Funtime section of Ride Entertainment's website at least since 2021 (which, oddly enough, contains much more thorough and up to date technical details than Funtime's own website, which hasn't been updated since 2015 🚩🚩🚩 Also, I checked the Wayback Machine, so it's not like they've added it post-accident to cover themselves). Either this was a major oversight on Funtime's end, or Ride Entertainment's website includes incorrect information. Judging by the outcome, I'm very inclined to believe the former, but I'd love to hear more insight. EDIT: Sentence structure

[@MondoCoasters]

@@nathonizamboni875 That's quite a large margin... In Europe they'll turn people away for being less than a centimetre off the mark, let alone a full inch and a half... I would guess your park has slightly higher posted ride restrictions compared to the manufacturer's specs, which would justify that large of a margin, but I really would love to hear more about what the actual reason is. The thing with Orlando Freefall was that due to the tilted position, the rider's forces are exerted onto the bottom of the restraint, I. E. right where the gap between their body and the restraint is. As such, I'd imagine that any excess of the size restriction would be extra precarious, especially considering the lack of a secondary restraint, like seat belts. Maximum size restrictions I feel are quite overlooked, which is alarming considering there's been several fatal accidents in the past decade where they're one of the root causes, NTAG being another one of them.

[@nathonizamboni875]

@@MondoCoasters We'll turn people away if they are more than a few mm under the mark. The policy that lets people that short on is the height wristband policy. If a kid already has a height wristband for the height requirement of our ride we cannot take it away unless they are 1.5in or more below the requirement, and they can ride any ride of that height requirement. How do they get incorrect wrist bands? Sometimes someone who is new will give one to them. We had an issue with someone at the mine train giving them out this year. Front gate has a wristband stand and is the source of many incorrect ones (not rides department). Sometimes a guest steals one. Management decided that it was better to allow these through than have operators create a scene over it. Any engineering project has tolerances for all of the parts. Height requirements are no different. You shouldn't push it when possible of course, but thinking ops will catch every single kid that is even slightly below is wishful. We certainly try, but this is real life we're talking about. A maximum size restriction should be enforced simply by the restraint mechanism. With adults there is such a wide variety of body types that posting a strict height limit isn't fair to many people who could otherwise ride just fine. The rides where they work well are rides with specific envelope requirements. Inverted, floorless, and kiddie rides, where a rider with really long legs could breach the ride envelope. On traditional rides people who are tall can sometimes breach the envelope as well, but that is actually quite difficult on most modern rides. Easiest way to do it is to the side, and at that point it is purposeful. Additionally checking someone's height who is much taller than you is difficult (there are a few ops on my crew who are near 5ft). Additionally adults will sometimes throw a fit if they are made to do something "for kids." They are being irrational, but people are stupid. The confrontation isn't worth it if the size requirement can be checked in other ways.

[@linkmaxwell]

As a big guy who has a crippling fear of falling, this is one of my worst nightmares come to life. I cannot imagine the pain that kid's family has been left with because of a negligent company.

[@seankingwell3692]

obese people elderly people pregnant women and small children AND ADULT MIDGETS can't ride roller coasters for a reason. Fat people under G forces are multiplied their weight so the harness can't handle it, small people slip out of the harness, old people have strokes too easily and the ride can't stop in time for them, do I need to say why its bad for pregnant women to? Am I in trouble for forgetting pregnant men now since your all fat woke and inclusive?

[@phyllojoe5346]

This really sucks. Its a tragedy when theme park rides lead to death, way more so when its just a kid who died. Tyre deserved to have the people in charge of the ride protect his safety and life.

[@Rvger1]

I really like the visual representation you used that respected the victim of the incident and you were clearly unbiased throughout the video.

[@willlima1297]

This all could've been prevented if the restraints had a seatbelt like most drop towers do. The fact that the seats tilt forward means there will be force applied where the seat horn and bottom of the restraint are instead of just to the seat bottom. Like the report said, there were so many other things found off.

[@dindog22]

Whomever adjusted the sensor had to have been told to do so by someone above them. I can't imagine someone just doing that on their own, unless they are some sort of psycho. I think you presented everything very clearly and the animation is spot on. Why did you decline going on the news to discuss the accident?

[@yasu3d]

I'm not CoasterCollege, but my best guess is just to avoid that "media frenzy" and wave of speculation. News outlets are somewhat known for taking statements out of context or cutting interviews down to be as controversial as possible. That plus a lack of concrete knowledge about the accident around the time they were invited probably led CC to decline.

[@dindog22]

@@yasu3d that's a good point about statements being taken out of context

[@saturnhex9855]

Yeah, especially because the adjustment was done on only 2 seats, seats known to accommodate larger riders. Someone was instructed to make the adjustments to accommodate them. I also think that the sensors shouldn't have even been able to be adjusted that much...

[@LowPolyPigeon]

Agreed, the owner stating 'he knows he did it' feels like an attempt to throw a minimum-wage scapegoat under the bus, instead of admitting that someone further up the management chain gave the order to make the adjustment. Because if he admits it, he's basically admitting the whole park may well have similar safety issues due to mismanagement and other attempts to circumvent safety features and regulations. I'm glad to hear that the investigators didn't fall for it.

[@michael7054]

Same here I can't imagine someone just doing that on their own

[@GlutzahnLP]

Tbh after seeing the video, I agree with the Statement of the family. It looks to be way to easy to modify the seat restraint magnet. And I didnt see any marking on a "safe range" or anything. Also what Bugs me is that you said that these restraints normally barely move and these all moved a lot under the force. Which sounds a bit scary for a ride that tilts you towards the ground imo.

[@CoasterCollege]

I agree 100%

[@YolandaPlayne]

They should've been finding out why the restraints were so loose even in the locked position

[@seankingwell3692]

@@YolandaPlayne they did he weighed too much is physics to hard for you to understand? Math is not racist, infact if people were aware enough of the math of the situation they never would of made those adjustments and never let fat people on the ride. Don't forget the biggest vulnerable group on rides like this are people are are just too small and slip right out of the harness. WE ARE NOT PICKING ON DAM FAT PEOPLE GET OVER YOUR EGO;S.

[@rhiabloom12]

The mount for the magnetic sensor looks like they were designed to be adjustable. If the intention was for them to stay put, why the design? Were the manufacturers using the same part for different uses? Was the design to avoid some sort of stress on the part/bolt? The design doesn’t seem very idiot-proof.

[@CoasterCollege]

Completely agree, wish a further investigation was completed.

[@spinningpeanut]

Could be why there is still a criminal investigation happening for the two separate manufacturers.

[@Good_Boy_Red]

I was noticing the same thing. The part was designed to be adjustable, probably due to slight variations in magnetic sensors and other components, but it seems to have a too large of a window for adjustment. Being that the manufacturer designed this into the ride, I would assume that the company operating the ride is allowed to adjust the bracket within the range of what the bracket allows. But I'm also assuming that the manufacture has a stated open gap allowed between the seat restraints. I would be interested to see what the manufacture says about these adjustments in the rides operating and maintenance manual. I'm doing a lot of assuming here biased on my experience as an engineer.

[@Fox_on_a_Rollercoaster]

We can only speculate for now. It could be that they are adjustable for different climates, since metal expands in the heat and funtime ships them all around the world. Might be enough to change the minimum and maximum rider size. It could also be because of cheaper manufacteuring costs or even for easier maintinance (changing faulty sensors, etc.) Just because a bolt is there does not mean you're supposed to unscrew it. The manufatuerer will have their reason on why they chose this approach.

[@Ellie-rx3jt]

My bet is that it's easier to get the maximum gap allowance correct that way, as all parts have some manufacturing tolerance.

[@tyler1783]

the worst part is imagining what's going through his head not just right as he fell, but on the way up, when it started to tilt, and when it dropped... rip

[@christinapapahristu325]

That's the heart breaking thing he knew it was bad at the top he said as much to the person he went on with an passed a message on to his mum ❤😢

[@JustLookHowDusty]

@@christinapapahristu325 what was the message?

[@christinapapahristu325]

@dustinb9777 he told his friend / cousin at the top along the lines of he knew something was wrong an didn't think he was gonna make it down .. an if he didn't tell his mum he loves her 😢😢 that's what I saw of a few other videos anyway not long after it happend

[@JustLookHowDusty]

So Sad. poor guy! ty for the reply@@christinapapahristu325

[@janita851]

@@christinapapahristu325oh my god this completely took me out 😢😢😢😢 im crying my eyes out. i can not believe this.. this poor poor boy, 14 years old, just a child still, he must have felt so alone. Its so tragic that it had to be a child..

[@SunnylandProds]

I had actually contemplated going and riding this drop tower the night of the accident. Obviously, the main issue was the modified sensor and letting someone who couldn’t safely ride be allowed to ride, but I also think a different restraint design with a seatbelt would’ve been a good idea, since the unique tilt function of this drop tower made it so that the deceleration force would push riders *forwards* instead of straight down into the seat. Great video as always!

[@VelocityRides31]

This is by far the best what really happened video you've ever made, I recently rode sunset walk slingshot which is owned and operated by the slingshot group and noticed their operations seems much safer than what is explained in this video, great animation, great explanation, great video!

[@CoasterCollege]

Thanks so much!

[@Coasterlocity]

It's cos they use IROC now. Since the accident. At all the properties.

[@VelocityRides31]

yeah, I noticed on their nametag, it says "iroc certified"@@Coasterlocity

[@princesskristan]

Thank you for uploading this. I remember seeing the actual video on accident on TikTok, and I couldn't sleep for days. And the gross part is that one lady who pretended to be a family member for clout, but Im glad its being torn down. RIP Tyre

[@bingdinggold1877]

Im really really sorry you had to see that and Im assuming you were no where near a hashtag where NSFW death would be... My niece around like 9 seen the vid of the guy waxing his bum and Im a grown ass 21 year old bi gay and don't see NSFW stuff like that unless I go searching AND THATS HOW IT SHOULD BE And then there was another vid but I don't remember Idk how the fugg Tiktok lets stuff like that stay up so long. It gets so many likes there's no fuggin WAY, N OT A SINGLE MODERATOR SEEN IT???? Honestly I have. Conspiracy they know and keep it up for some reason because how else?? And then cousin told me about hearing people see the Ronnie Mcnutt Suisice vid on Tiktok too. It has a gun and you see his dog and he's on a phone call right before if you've ever seen it without specifically searching im SO sorry

[@Clay3613]

The video is very tame disregarding the dead body. The fall looked like a cheap digital effect you'd see in a TV movie, it's just so sudden and undramatic. Nobody is screaming hysterically.

[@princesskristan]

@Clay3613 Well I didn't want to see it. And I don't think saying that footage of someone literally falling to their death is "tame"

[@bingdinggold1877]

​​@@Clay3613you say it's Tame then proceed to last things that make it more disturbing. I've seen pics of a jail with bodies and parts PILED high but to say this is tame compared is Wrong imo aanf about it looking movie like ...movie dummies were literally MADE to look human. This is just as tragic and freaky as the worst things I've seen. It's a human no matter the death imo unless they're the biggest aPos ever. And To me the jail I seen felt fake as well. But Life Imitates Art they say and Death is rarely tame. Even in comparison

[@bingdinggold1877]

​@@Clay3613unless the screams make things worse for me. I'm the same. Screams stick in my head easily and 911 calls

[@lauravturner]

I know people say it often but I have to thank you myself for you pointedly choosing NOT to use footage of an actual death. I feel ill and troubled just imagining it, but the comment section is flooded with people saying it was shared on social media... a kid died and people are just sending that video to each other. Thank you for always respecting the victims by using representations or older fully functioning rides or literally anything that isn't a human being's death being exploited for views. As a fun-fair ride enthusiast and a mechanics enthusiast, I love understanding the workings of the machinery... but obviously it's impossible to look at ride operations without finding discussion of horrible accidents. I appreciate that you have chosen to do the best thing you could; satiate the people who want accident details whilst not fear mongering or clickbaiting or sharing gratuitous gore. Just give those curious onlookers the details of the accident, whilst those of us here for the ride function discussions a space to understand, all whilst being unbias and tasteful. Thank you sincerely for your content.

[@CoasterCollege]

Thanks so much, glad to see more who understand why I do things the way I do!

[@SamsonSilvo]

I'm just gonna go ahead and say it. As far as how much their operations truly "care" for guest safety is concerned, Slingshot Group is the new Action Park.

[@EquestrianStrong123]

I agree They just want to make a quick buck without actually caring about rider safety

[@andrewtaylor940]

Oh hell no! Action Park was weirdly up front with just how insanely dangerous their shit was. It was a feature not a flaw. People wore their Action Park scars like badges of honor. It was a different time. Albeit a much more battered, bloody and bruised time. Action Park in the 70's and 80's was akin to eXtreme Sports of the 90's and 00's. The same people that think Snowboarding is a sane idea would have been ACtion Parks prime target market in 1982. The actual better comparison for Slingshot Group would be Great Adventure circa 1984. Look up the Great Adventure Haunted Castle Fire if you want to see real callous disregard for human life and basic safety.

[@jalapeno1119]

​@@andrewtaylor940 regular people weren't doing extreme sports tho. Those were done by trained professionals. It's time to take those rosey glasses off.

[@Bogarttherideop]

This has by far been the best wrh video. As a ride op I am actually disgusted by what these ride ops did that day. I got trained 2 days after the accident and the training took longer than expected due to this accident. Now I don’t know if this is true but I had heard from a maintenance worker at my park not too long ago that some of the operators had switched while the ride was in motion. If that’s the case it makes it even worse in my opinion. But disregarding that this was another great video Brennan keep up the amazing work

[@andrewtaylor940]

I'm not sure exactly how accurate this is, bu th eway that I heard it is he attempted to ride it earlier in the day, but was turned away due to his size. He tried again towards the evening, the ride operators had changed from earlier in the day. And someone on that shift apparently knew to put plus sized guests in seats #1 and #2.

[@Bogarttherideop]

@@andrewtaylor940 Ive heard that one too. I really don't know which one is true or not, but both are terrible and my thoughts and prayers go out to the family.

[@Bxyzfnf]

after a whole year we finally have all the information we needed

[@RedHotMessResell]

I had the opposite yet same fear when I was suffering from an ED. I never fit tightly in my restraints at that tim, and I thought often what if I'm too skinny and I slide out? Seeing this poor boy obviously not fitting right into the restraint is so sad. It's so obvious he didn't fit in it properly. But the light did turn red so... that shouldn't have happened either. and they should've had seatbelts as a backup in case the shoulder bars failed.

[@VickieGallantvgallant0427]

I feel the same. I weigh 105lbs and 5’1. I feel like I’m going to slip out of every restraint

[@nanananananananana00]

well most of them can hold children.. if you’re meeting the same requirements that literal children can, you’re probably safe

[@aaronswords404]

This right here is why many amusement parks turn away very large riders from some attractions. It is not some kind of bigotry. It is for safety reasons as restraint systems are designed with specific height, weight, leg, and abominable dimensions in mind. When these safety guidelines are overlooked, the result is a family losing their loved one.

[@agoo7581]

No one ever said it was "some type of bigotry". That's just yet another thing you right-wingers make up.

[@James-Alai]

Years ago a friend and I went on a spinning dice ride that flipped us upside down and around in circles. My friend was "big boned" and when we went upside down her locked vest started opening with a "thump thump thump". She was fine but I will never forget how scared she looked.

[@iamontda]

Orlando locals already tend to avoid Icon Park thrill attractions, in part because the standards and procedures don't nearly reach the standards of parks like Universal and Disney. The slingshot tends to break at least once a month due to cable snapping. Proper maintenance and technical checks would avoid this. Many people were grilling the ride operators when it came to this accident, but in reality it comes down to bad management taking things into their own hands. Ride ops just do as they're told, including bad training. It's quite clear that someone high up in the chain told a tech to loosen a seat or two so that guests with larger proportions could ride (more money for them), and it's sad to know that this is the result.

[@Astralapparitions]

The slingshot at icon park? I was looking if it had ever snapped before but couldn’t find any articles. Only ones owned by slingshot group and old town that’s just down the road

[@iamontda]

@@Astralapparitions Ah, sorry, yes, the one in Old Town is what I was referring to, I just forgot to mention where it was. Old Town is similar in terms of temporary-feeling rides

[@5nak_music]

I remember this, I worked at SeaWorld Orlando as a ride op and had to go to work the next day, I was so scared to work. I always took my job seriously but this event made the whole Infinity team tense up and get much more serious.

[@MusicLeeSarah]

Thanks for covering this. The victim was from st. Louis. Condolences to his family and friends 🙏😔

[@SirGameChanger]

I was working at Yardhouse right there in ICON Park just a few hundred feet from where it happened and the general manager (still there, Philip Le) was so cold-hearted and nonchalant about the entire ordeal. Some of my coworkers working the patio section heard the thud from Yardhouse and the general manager was getting angry at anyone who wanted to either go home for the night or needed a moment before serving tables again. He could not care less about anything else that night except the restaurant's numbers to make his insane bosses at Darden happy. Darden Restaurants (owner of Yardhouse) did not acknowledge anything about the incident at all and they even told managers to relay to us servers to avoid talking about the situation with our customers EVEN IF THEY SPECIFICALLY ASKED ABOUT IT. It was like a psy-op within Darden Restaurants, specifically Yardhouse there to not bring it up in order to "protect their whole image" and keep the line out door to make sales. Some other managers even made rude and inhumane comments about the weight of the victim Tyre Simpson. Needless to say, I quit working at that horrible restaurant last year. There was some dark, secretive stuff going on.

[@skylinegtr4045]

Such a tragedy, one oversight is all it takes

[@JustHereForCats]

Thank you for not showing it. The first time I saw the video there was absolutely zero indication that the footage would be used, and I couldn’t finish the video after the clip was played. So thank you

[@CoasterCollege]

That's something that really upset me about most coverage of this accident, glad you enjoyed!

[@JustHereForCats]

@@CoasterCollege victims and their families deserve to be treated with more respect than that. Thank you for being one of the good ones

[@lolnaw3411]

I've been a ride operator for several years and hearing about the procedures for this drop tower, i was cringing the whole way through. Visual checks only, no physical seatbelt, restraints only checked by one person, seat with unauthorized modifications for larger guests? Horrifically negligent and i feel bad for the operators at the scene and everyone affected. At the drop tower I worked at, there were no larger seats, each seat was checked physically once and visually up to 4 times by 3 different people, a minimum of 3 times by 2 different people, and it had seatbelts as a backup and as a measure of whether a guest fits. At rides with seats for larger guests, the seats had two seatbelts instead of one and the physical check was done twice. Safety was always drilled into us as the number one priority and even incorrectly doing the paperwork for the safety checks could get you an infraction.

[@saturnhex9855]

Your coverage is the only one I've seen mention the tilt. I didn't know about that feature, so that changes a lot of what I thought had happened. And the G Forces during deceleration...there was no way he couldn't have been ejected from the seat., due to the gap but also his weight adding significantly to the forces that would eject him. I read that he was way over the weight limit, so if the ride ops were trained properly, they should've known he was too big to ride, regardless of the seat modifications. And with the poor training, modifications, even the manufacturing allowing such a dangerous level of modification to happen in the first place, seems like a whole storm of negligence and error that led to this incident. It's just really sad, and I hope his family can rest with resolution from this terrible incident.

[@micycles1200]

As a ride op, I don't entirely blame the ride ops for what happened that day. Yes, screening is the most important part of our job, but I have worked at and currently do still work at rides that have accomodated seating for larger guests. It's how I was trained, it's how I train my new hires, and it's never been an issue for the rides I ha e worked at. Though, I have gotten the question before: why are those seats larger - and are they any less safe? The short answer is no. They are not any less safe than the other seats on the vehicle. However, I now have to wonder if maybe that information is wrong. I trust my maintenance team with all my heart. They allow me to have a job. It's clear though, that the maintenance team at this park either wasn't doing their job or had something else up their sleeve. I'm sure these ride ops followed all correct procedure - except maybe screening as thoroughly as they could have. However, they also must have been trained that these particular seats were okay even if they didn't quite know why. To me, this is on whoever modified those seats. You can't blame the ops for that. They were doing their job. It's a real shame and a tragedy - but this was done by someone behind-the-scenes, not these poor kids who didn't know any better. I've seen ride op negligence firsthand and from everything I've heard about this incident, this isn't ride op negligence. This was them being given wrong information.

[@SamAndFam311]

It was 100 percent the operators fault. Point, blank, period. They failed horribly that day and killed that young man

[@VeroMaxis]

@@SamAndFam311 Im not sure if you can say that this easily, especially the 100%. The ride ops are not the ones who modified seat 1 and 2, and since we dont know how they train their own employees so who knows if they knew about the modified seats and bigger gap that day? We can assume thought that they are trained badly since they only checked if the safety light was on and did not check by pressing and pulling the restraints like the manufactor said. They are certainly to blame yes, but not 100%

[@SamAndFam311]

@@VeroMaxis umm no I'm sorry but they are 100 percent to blame. They is literally no way they couldn't see that his seat was WAY off and didn't look secure. Even Tyree himself was saying it and telling them and they didn't bother to recheck or anything. So yes, they are 100 percent to blame. They should have been more vigilant instead of just shrugging him off. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to have seen his seat wasn't secure

[@maryannkoretoff1023]

Whilst I will say it isn't 100% their fault, they should've done the physical pull test. It was their job to make sure the ridere were able to be safely dispatched and they passed that job off to sensors instead of relying on sensors, and their own test. I can't imagine how any of them feel and how horrible this expierence was for them. I would never wish it upon anyone. But they did have a hand in this

[@thesurlywombat]

@@SamAndFam311 That doesn't mean it's 100% their fault. If nobody had modified the seat in the first place, the light wouldn't have turned on, so the ride wouldn't have been able to start. Obviously the ride ops are partially to blame, but the only reason a problem existed initially is because someone modified the restraint.

[@danielsdimension2003]

I've been to this park before, but never went on that ride. Seeing how tall the tower was in real life was way different than seeing it on video.

[@Clovieon]

I really enjoy the way you format videos, i find it easy to get lost in all the details bc of my adhd brain. The way you go over each point and how it all ties together makes me feel like i actually understand whats going on Also RIP tyre, he was just a kid trying to have a good time with his friends. He trusted those ride operators and it cost him his life

[@CoasterCollege]

Thanks so much!

[@jgower310]

One of your best videos ever. Thank you. Tasteful and informative - getting to be crux of the accident and the aftermath.

[@CoasterCollege]

Thanks so much!

[@dogbear140]

it’s kind of sad a seat belt could have had an impact on the survival of the victim

[@matthewzepess5721]

Saw the original video and many of these explanations thus far and this is the most conclusive and well thought out/researched. As a local I must say it was a beautiful ride especially on a busy night, they’d time the slingshot perfectly while it was going up and dropping. Never rode it because… slingshot group owned them. Too many horror stories, they may have more then most companies combined.

[@Phoenixhunter157]

At some point , it needs to be accepted that rides are not built for all bodies. It’s safer to just reject certain riders than to rig the seats like this.

[@zigzack54]

If you are fat. Don't ride rides. If you are a ride operator, read the manuals, get the training, and personally check restraints. Peoples lives are in your hands.

[@MeiklesAndDimes]

Excellent video and analysis. Those animations were great.

[@joen8529]

Thank you for the great video. So unbelievably sad. That’s all on the operator. They 100% should’ve stuck with banning the operator from operating in the state, their track record is TERRIBLE.

[@Connor-kz5tx]

I worked at a park with a B&M invert. Similar set up with lights on control panel to confirm restraints were locked. A row would show all seats locked but one restraint would still be fully open... I was afraid of exactly this situation happening on my ride. I would shut down and the engineers didn't really seem too bothered and told me to reopen. I was younger and didn't stand up for myself which I should have done. Imagine a larger guest being in that seat and the ride shows as locked but it wasn't... they wouldn't come back!

[@flannelmanjim8062]

Thanks for putting time into this video. The many points you bring forward span a few other industries as well.

[@CoasterCollege]

Glad it was helpful!

[@MatecaCorp]

I have to ask; why was it even possible to adjust the restraint sensors? It seems like the manufacturer was almost asking for ride owners to be negligent

[@QDude24]

Technically speaking, any ride can be modified by someone with enough knowledge about engineering

[@Robbedem]

Why shouldn't it be adjustable? It's a machine. Everything can be changed on machines by someone determined enough to do so.

[@staringcorgi6475]

@@Robbedemit should not be adjustable because adjusted seats are not safe if the g forces are a certain amount and stuff like basic physics

[@luma4902]

​@@QDude24obviously who did it didnt care about people safety. Also thank you after this information im much less inclined to ride anything extreme

[@Robbedem]

It's not that they are adjustable by the users. It's adjustable by a technician. Which almost anything is anyway.@@staringcorgi6475

[@jongarfield6508]

Been waiting for your video on this incident, I was in Florida visiting Universal Orlando when this happened. We were driving out to the ocean the day after and I was looking out the window at icon park in the distance and my mom just casually said "I think that's the park that kid died at last night" kinda messed with me a bit to think while we were all having fun just a little bit further away someone had died.

[@Naiobia]

The way this traumatized a whole generation shocked me, I refused to view the video after hearing the kinds of memories it left people with. I looked into this incident a bit myself before this video dropped and needless to say it shocked me. Very tragic and it should not have happened. Believe me when I say I'd rather someone be turned away than put at risk. May Tyree rest in peace ❤️

[@AMoondee]

Ill never forget waking up on my birthday and seeing that poor child fall from that ride. it was traumatizing for so many and I hope he rests in peace

[@junetrooper]

I'm glad to hear there was a full investigation, because that tower was dismantled and disappeared fast.

[@Alkaline7y]

so sad to see that no one has yet to have been held responsible for this

[@EquestrianStrong123]

Whoever modded the restraint and all involved need to be help criminally responsible for manslaughter Their negligence and carelessness caused this tragic accident Rip tyre Samson

[@jenb5792]

I love your videos! Please keep it going!

[@CoasterCollege]

As long as people watch them I'll keep making them!

[@jenb5792]

@@CoasterCollege well you’ve got my support!

[@timpaxew712]

I feel so bad for the operators, they’re always young highschoolers, and you bet those kids are traumatized as hell

[@allenhuffman]

Thanks for compiling all of this.

[@ballbag]

Whats interesting is the KZbinr / Ride Mechanic "Midway Mayhem" got exclusive access to record videos and climb to the top of this ride during construction. He made TONS of videos about it. As soon as the incident happened he deleted all his posts referencing it. I wonder if he worked on the ride in a mechanical capacity.

[@partytimer1776]

Wow, never been this early! and it's cool to see your opinion on what happened, rest and peace and prayers for the family

[@Bxyzfnf]

it's not his opinion, it's what actually happened

[@partytimer1776]

​@Bxyzfnf I more meant what he had to say on the facts since I've seen others talk about the accident and what caused it. I should have said it differently, sorry about that

[@summerbrotman4925]

I always think that even if they adjusted the seat, that a secondary seatbelt probably could’ve kept him tied to the seat. I know some of these rides have multiple locks and safety measures, but I always feel a seatbelt should just be there anyway.

[@Nasty4rea]

Let me say this, I saw the uncensored video of the incident and it’s disgusting. You got 1 person trying to record his body while he was on the ground unconscious. You got others just looking around even those who worked for the controls of the ride that was just pure disgusting. Now I understand people were scared and probably shocked but I mean someone could’ve done something instead of just watching and recording. I feel for the ppl who was on the ride and had to watch that happen in real time. Because if I was on it and saw that. I would’ve had a full fledge panic attack. Condolences to the family as well. He came here for fun and ended in tragedy.

[@scottcook2568]

Every park I worked I took a test to be an operator or attendant, six flags and clementon Park, I was even a trainer at six flags great adventure and a ride lead

[@RGL.]

Its crazy that I had planned to ride this a week after the accident months ahead, but had to cancel due to the tragic event.

[@Alexander-yx7ye]

if someone is too fat and did not fit to lock

[@SamAndFam311]

​@@Alexander-yx7yewhat a disgusting comment. He was trying to enjoy himself like everyone else. It's the operators fault for not going to him and telling him it wouldn't be safe at this time for him to ride. He was overweight some yes but there are nicer ways to tell someone that and that for their safety, certain rides aren't safe for them. And also he was a football player and still very young. More than enough time to have lost his baby fat and turn into an amazing linebacker. Rethink your comment and try again

[@saturnhex9855]

@@SamAndFam311 I agree that there is a more tactful way to talk about this. But he was severely overweight based on the manufacturing limit. Like 100lbs over the limit, so not just some. The operators, if trained properly, should've known that right away. I think people should be given pamphlets of the rides and their specs/limits so that they know what rides they can and can't ride.

[@CSReed]

The one who adjusted the sensor should’ve 100% been brought up ok manslaughter charges.

[@LVA119]

It’s terrible that the ride ops let this happen. Ive always wanted to go to icon park.. but since this incident I’ve completely changed my views on the park and hope to never go.

[@michael7054]

Great video! I really enjoyed watching!

[@CoasterCollege]

Thanks!

[@michael7054]

@@CoasterCollege You're very welcome!

[@PeggyKitch]

GREAT breakdown and explanation!

[@CoasterCollege]

Thanks!

[@sabagecabage7828]

The government: you killed someone? Pay us a quarter of a million dollars and this all goes away

[@frederalbacon]

Having seen the video, the response from the ride ops was.....well, non-existent. No comments to remain calm to the riders, no instructions regarding anything, the op appeared to be on the radio instead of on the phone while approaching the victim, slow restraint release....dismal. I worked EMS for 7 years high volume urban 911, that poor victim was gone the second he hit the ground, thankfully not suffering due to the force of the impact, but SOMEONE needs to be charged for this, given the restraint modification.

[@anza2]

this is actually crazy, it sucks that this happens.

[@estebang4538]

This was so devastating to see on the news, because we went to Orlando pretty soon after it happened, and went by the ride on or trip there.

[@original_demonic]

I don’t usually trust rides that have a designated “fat person” seat that’s not physically bigger. If it’s the same seat with wider openings, it isn’t a designated seat for someone who is slightly heavier. It’s a seat that has been modified, possibly illegally, to keep more people in the seats. Even if the reason for modifications were so that more people can enjoy the ride, I’d much prefer being turned away than being put in danger.

[@sebastianllaurador4636]

Keep it up! You should cover the Star City incident!

[@erikawilliams9558]

The ride operators failed him. This did not have to happen and shouldn't have

[@charlottepaigeee]

I have been here before and I’m so thankful the ride was closed when I was here.

[@friendlyporkchop]

excellent video. just commented on your poll about who is to blame here, but this situation is truly such a mess. i feel so bad for the rider and his family. small note: the title lists the event as march 26th, but in the video you state that it occurred march 24th. not sure which one is correct

[@CoasterCollege]

Thanks for the catch, fixed!

[@robcoasters]

This is the best what really happened video you've done

[@CoasterCollege]

Thank you so much!

[@kimberlyhall7610]

The person who messed with the magnetic mechanism of the ride needs to be criminally charged and be in jail!

[@RanHam]

I did a video on this when they tore down the tower. I think there's equal blame on the designer and operator. The sensor design was bad, but they designed it that way so one sensor could do two functions, check the restraint and check that the seat was in the upright position. Also the seat should have had the bump in the middle be an actual part of the seat and not just a molded cushion part. Then the operator is blamed for moving the seat sensor, although in the manual there is no guidelines on how to properly adjust that sensor. Another thing that isn't talked about is the slingshot group is actually owned by the ride manufacturer.

[@hkcinyahoe]

you cant blame the op on things that they shouldve been trained on, the manual says no alterations yet they claim theyve never seen that

[@londonnight937]

The people who employed the operators should be criminally charged.

[@iamcristiannn]

I hate working at Falcon’s Fury and constantly hearing “I don’t want to be like that kid in Orlando”

[@MrKornnugget]

Damn, why would they adjust the safety mechanism just to accommodate people in an unsafe condition. That is insane.

[@CoasterCollege]

I can see them not understanding the consequences of such an action.

[@SpeedBird6780]

I personally think that the barring of Slingshot Group from operating was appropriate as this was not their first accident in similar circumstances.

[@nanosum1]

Early! (Thanks for the upload!)

[@Ghostlydustup]

Florida has low regulations when it comes to safety. In fact, a lot of regulations were cut in 2017-19. During that time, we started to see an uptick in chemical spills from trains (Ohio) airplanes falling apart, midair (everywhere). Regulations exist for a reason.

[@AnotherGeek....]

When i unfortunately saw the accident footage i was shocked, it happened so fast. You'd only realize what happened when you heard the kid hit the ground, i hope for that kid that the impact was instant. I feel sad for the family and friends too sinds they were with him when this happened, i hope they can find closure in this and that someone will be punished

[@IJustHaveABlackPfp]

It wasn’t instant it was not until he was in the hospital when he passed. RIP

[@epicon6]

This is why there should be a regular seatbelt around the waist and a second seatbelt connecting to the restraint, because you can never fuly trust the personnel to do everything perfectly. This should have been designed with back up systems in case of this.

[@ZeldaTheSwordsman]

Florida's courts need to stop being soft on Slingshot Group. They need to be shut down. But Funtime and Gerstlauer also share blame. The flag plate is far too easy to move beyond a safe range, and the hydraulics are clearly inadequate given how easily they were overpowered in Quest's testing. It's good that people are suing the manufacturers; Quest dropped the ball by not further investigating after their tests. My guess as to why the sensor was adjusted is: someone in the company is of large build or has a friend or business associate of large build, and the ride was tampered with to accommodate them.

[@CoasterCollege]

Quest will only investigate what the state contracts them to.

[@ZeldaTheSwordsman]

@@CoasterCollege Ahhhh

[@skyrushfanboy3060]

Did you use hangtime thrills video as inspiration, you guys both have fantastic and detailed videos on this incident but his came out a couple months ago I think

[@UserSJ71]

my dad did a cctv recovery for this accident, and it captured the whole thing he said he's become sort of numb to these sort of things because of how many he's done, but he said it was horrible, i feel so bad for the kid.

[@1976P]

All they had to do was tell the kid "no."

[@TransformersFan1991]

But I actually heard that they were going to get sued if they didn't let him get on a ride.

[@IGotAll2]

why a lawsuit against the manufacture company. It is in no way theirs fault the midification was made.....

[@SmashynHogg]

That kid operator murdered that poor precious angel,it makes my blood boil, sadly a friend was there that night and I heard that angel hit the ground. That kid operator needs serious consequences for murdering that precious baby. RIP TYRE,I know you are walking by your parents side everyday and I'm beyond words so sorry that you were shown such ugly ugly actions and no humanity.

[@eggsaroni]

March 24th is my birthday! I haven't watched the video yet but I thought that was interesting

[@gingerizard3262]

wasnt this all captured on video too??

[@CoasterCollege]

Unfortunately yes

[@jonb7700]

Why was seat 1's proximity seat sensor ABLE to be adjusted to an unsafe point? Why did a seatbelt not exist providing a secure mechanical connection between the seat and harness once closed? Sounds like major design flaws to me.

[@Twistashio]

Because unfortunately seatbelts are usually just a placebo held in by one bolt . They are not technically required on any coaster since anything with enough force to break or pop open ur restraint will also break and pop open the seatbelt. Which is the main reason most rides don’t have any sensor that checks if the seatbelt is clicked in. However seatbelts do help and identifying to large guest as they won’t be able to buckle the seatbelts with out extreme force. Restraint are made to be adjustable as over time wear and tear happens and weathering from the outside elements can occur. The sensor can also just over a long usage period fall out of alignment or need to be replaced in the future. So normal adjustment occur all the time in the theme park industry, however when adjusting a seat to create an “accommodation seat” the park must contact the manufacturer to do a full reinspection and approval before allowing riders back on. I worked at a park that wanted to adjust a heigh requirement for a ride but when asking the manufacturer they said no and had to keep the original height requirement.

[@215rodsquad2]

I like how he says theirs always an impact on the industry yet it keeps happening

[@mfrunyan]

I had no idea the negligence was this bad, thought it was just a normal restrain’t didn’t go down far enough issue that is typical in roller coaster fall accidents