# Six Flags closes 9 North American roller coasters after families watch man fall to his death **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Tags:** breaking-news\ **Created:** [October 14, 2026, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-flags-closes-9-north-american-roller-coasters-after-families-watch-man-fall-to-his-death/1033838 "2026-10-14T18:13:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2026, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-flags-closes-9-north-american-roller-coasters-after-families-watch-man-fall-to-his-death/1033838/21 "2026-10-14T23:16:53Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > Goliath doesn’t have any loops, so centrifugal force doesn’t apply. If the track is anything other than a completely straight line, centrifugal force applies. Most amusement park rides are passively safe: Even if all of the safety measures fail, a person just sitting there will still be safe. The safety measures are mostly just there to prevent people from doing actively stupid things. Every so often, though, ride designers come up with something new that isn’t passively safe, but it’s OK, because look, we built in all of these safety features! And then every so often, one of those rides kills someone, because the safety features do sometimes fail, and a design that depends on safety features not failing is not a safe design. ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2026, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-flags-closes-9-north-american-roller-coasters-after-families-watch-man-fall-to-his-death/1033838/22 "2026-10-14T23:22:26Z")
That’s a classic prank, though. Carnies the world over pull that one all kinds of rides. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2026, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-flags-closes-9-north-american-roller-coasters-after-families-watch-man-fall-to-his-death/1033838/23 "2026-10-14T23:24:46Z")
ETA: @Chronos 2 posts up. In this case they had a traditional old fashioned 1920’s style death ~~ray~~ roller coaster. Modern construction, but traditional in layout. Which was a train on two rails towed up a long straight hill, crested the top, then free-rolled = coasted straight ahead downhill to pick up enough speed / momentum to then coast through the rest of the twists and turns, rises and falls. At the top of that first 2D rise, the train crested the hill as normal. But as his car crested the hill he did not stay with the car; instead he was launched relatively upwards out of it. For whatever as yet unknown combo of reasons. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2026, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-flags-closes-9-north-american-roller-coasters-after-families-watch-man-fall-to-his-death/1033838/24 "2026-10-14T23:25:18Z")
It’s all fun and games until a customer freaks out and engineers her own death: > **[Panicked teen plunges to her death after unbuckling harness while parasailing](https://nypost.com/2025/06/02/world-news/panicked-teen-plunges-to-her-death-after-unbuckling-harness-while-parasailing/)** > > Tijana Radonjic, who was on vacation from Serbia at the time, died after falling more than 160-feet into the Adriatic Sea in Montenegro last Wednesday, local outlet Republikka reported. (Not the operator’s fault, I assume.) ---
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2026, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-flags-closes-9-north-american-roller-coasters-after-families-watch-man-fall-to-his-death/1033838/25 "2026-10-14T23:49:47Z")
I don’t see 6 Flags surviving this … That stuff is nightmare material - in a world that was built around FUN and THRILL, you now have **HORROR and TERROR**. Would you let your kids ride in something like that in the future? It is over (as 6F were somewhat circling the drain, financially speaking, IIRC - so no financial reserve to weather 6 months worth of storm) ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2026, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-flags-closes-9-north-american-roller-coasters-after-families-watch-man-fall-to-his-death/1033838/26 "2026-10-14T23:54:28Z")
> [@Al128](#): > > I don’t see 6 Flags surviving this … You would think…but a story like this seems to pop up like clockwork every two or three years. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2026, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-flags-closes-9-north-american-roller-coasters-after-families-watch-man-fall-to-his-death/1033838/27 "2026-10-15T00:04:58Z")
> [@Al128](#): > > Would you let your kids ride in something like that in the future? In the near term, probably not. But we hear of plane crashes all the time and I still would fly with my kid. This stuff is horrific when it happens, but it’s super rare. Think of how many people have been in the park riding rides all day every day until now. The odds had to be crazy small. I’d guess even lower than a plane crash. ---
**Author:** ![Disinfectus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/disinfectus/32/11085_2.png) [@Disinfectus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disinfectus)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2026, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-flags-closes-9-north-american-roller-coasters-after-families-watch-man-fall-to-his-death/1033838/28 "2026-10-15T00:11:07Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > You would think…but a story like this seems to pop up like clockwork every two or three years. It isn’t the only incident though. Magic Mountain (which is Six Flags) recently had to close another coaster for [an entirely different reason](https://apnews.com/article/six-flags-x2-roller-coaster-lawsuits-injuries-225c195a3549fee3637eed99318b62e6). > LOS ANGELES (AP) — Six Flags Magic Mountain said Tuesday that it is retiring its famous X2 roller coaster amid [lawsuits alleging serious brain injury](https://apnews.com/article/six-flags-magic-mountain-roller-coaster-lawsuits-d5607d6286c1173216bb565f2e8646b3) caused by the ride. > > The Southern California theme park said it is permanently shuttering the ride after nearly 20 years. Six Flags recently settled a wrongful-death lawsuit from the family of a 22-year-old man who died after riding the coaster in 2022, and three more lawsuits alleging traumatic brain injuries were filed last week ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2026, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-flags-closes-9-north-american-roller-coasters-after-families-watch-man-fall-to-his-death/1033838/29 "2026-10-15T00:11:16Z")
> [@Al128](#): > > I don’t see 6 Flags surviving this … I don’t think it’s that bad. They will survive. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2026, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-flags-closes-9-north-american-roller-coasters-after-families-watch-man-fall-to-his-death/1033838/30 "2026-10-15T00:13:38Z")
Agree. This is no big deal at the corporate level. Unless … It turns out they’ve been systematically lying about maintenance, lying about inspections, and the whole machine was a slowly falling apart accident waiting to happen. And especially if investigators find similar issues at other parks owned by Six Flags. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2026, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-flags-closes-9-north-american-roller-coasters-after-families-watch-man-fall-to-his-death/1033838/31 "2026-10-15T00:13:43Z")
> [@Disinfectus](#): > > It isn’t the only incident though. Magic Mountain (which is Six Flags) recently had to close another coaster for [an entirely different reason](https://apnews.com/article/six-flags-x2-roller-coaster-lawsuits-injuries-225c195a3549fee3637eed99318b62e6). This to me is a whole other kettle of fish, because it’s not a mechanical failure, it’s that the ride itself is inherently dangerous. Which means they are getting so extreme in coaster design that safety is the lesser consideration. That’s like a systemic issue. This case seems more like a freak accident. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2026, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-flags-closes-9-north-american-roller-coasters-after-families-watch-man-fall-to-his-death/1033838/32 "2026-10-15T00:16:17Z")
Agree w this too. X2 was an inherent _major_ design problem. Although whether that means the company that made the ride is screwed or the operator six flags is screwed depends a lot on who had how much input into the requirements for that design. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2026, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-flags-closes-9-north-american-roller-coasters-after-families-watch-man-fall-to-his-death/1033838/33 "2026-10-15T00:18:36Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Agree w this too. X2 was an inherent _major_ design problem. And honestly that’s the one that makes me never send my kid to Six Flags. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2026, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-flags-closes-9-north-american-roller-coasters-after-families-watch-man-fall-to-his-death/1033838/34 "2026-10-15T00:20:08Z")
They aren’t going to stop making these rides until insurance companies stop insuring them. ---
**Author:** ![Disinfectus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/disinfectus/32/11085_2.png) [@Disinfectus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disinfectus)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2026, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-flags-closes-9-north-american-roller-coasters-after-families-watch-man-fall-to-his-death/1033838/35 "2026-10-15T00:28:49Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > This case seems more like a freak accident. I agree that it’s a totally different type of incident. I was responding to the comment about Six Flags not surviving this. It’s a lot of bad publicity in a short period of time. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2026, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-flags-closes-9-north-american-roller-coasters-after-families-watch-man-fall-to-his-death/1033838/36 "2026-10-15T00:32:15Z")
Yeah I didn’t know about that situation (or forgot about it) and I agree it’s not going to help matters. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2026, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-flags-closes-9-north-american-roller-coasters-after-families-watch-man-fall-to-his-death/1033838/37 "2026-10-15T01:43:34Z")
I’ve been on both X2 in Cali and Goliath in GA. X2 was a unique experience and a very uncomfortable ride. What seemed like a lot of random stresses put on the rider and the vehicles. Goliath was a really smooth large metal coaster. No loops. Just one steep dive then a lot of large hills and sweeping turns. Designed I’m sure to give you maximum “air time” or that weightlessness feeling when cresting those hills. The lap bars were pretty much the only thing keeping you from lifting right out of your seat. From the sound of it that restraint failed for whatever reason and lifting out of his seat over a hill is exactly what happened. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2026, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-flags-closes-9-north-american-roller-coasters-after-families-watch-man-fall-to-his-death/1033838/38 "2026-10-15T14:19:21Z")
Is it possible that the victim contributed to his own death? Maybe he circumvented the safety features in some way or was trying to do something like grab his dropped sunglasses and came loose. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2026, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-flags-closes-9-north-american-roller-coasters-after-families-watch-man-fall-to-his-death/1033838/39 "2026-10-15T15:06:33Z")
Nearly anything is possible. We’ll probably find out what really happened later. Assuming a competent investigation and no evidence tampering, the absence of mechanical faults would suggest either operator error when latching the securing mechanism or the user trying to circumvent it. Whether deliberately or inadvertently. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2026, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-flags-closes-9-north-american-roller-coasters-after-families-watch-man-fall-to-his-death/1033838/40 "2026-10-15T15:44:20Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > I had a classmate who on a trip to Disney World stood up on the Space Mountain ride-and suffered a severe wound to his mouth and jaw from a crossbeam, they basically had to rebuild his entire lower face. How he avoided getting killed I still don’t know. They try to idiot-proof these rides (not saying the guy in the article was such note), but idiots will find a way if one exists [/Murphy’s Law]. Last time I was there we were on one of those sky rides towards the end of the day, and you could see into Space Mountain (which was closed) through the roof, and they had the lights on so we could see the configuation. The tracks ([there are two](https://coasterpedia.net/wiki/Space_Mountain_(Magic_Kingdom)#/media/File:WDW_space_Mt_2nd_fl.jpg)) are _really_ crammed into and make use of every inch of the space inside the building, so you’re constantly going under something. Standing up is, needless to say, a _really_ bad idea. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-flags-closes-9-north-american-roller-coasters-after-families-watch-man-fall-to-his-death/1033838.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-flags-closes-9-north-american-roller-coasters-after-families-watch-man-fall-to-his-death/1033838.md?page=3)