Deadly accident on mountain coaster at Wisp. MD

[Ansley]

All,
I found out about this accident today, I have no idea how I didn't hear about it earlier as I work in MD, live in VA, and literally nobody seems to have posted on any of my Facebook groups. Funny, I see every accident halfway around the world usually the day it pappens! IT happened on Feb. 20. Here's the url:

https://www.wvnews.com/garrettrepublican/news/man-dies-from-wisp-mountain-coaster-accident/article_5a6113c8-3fa7-53fa-a866-245c815a8528.html

Ted

[s***@aol.com]

I hadn’t heard of this until now. Strange, usually the news is all over stuff like this.

[Marshall]

Post by s***@aol.com
I hadn’t heard of this until now. Strange, usually the news is all over stuff like this.

?!? How do you get thrown from a mountain coaster? There are no sudden lateral g's that could possibly cause someone to fall and they usually have at least a shoulder belt that holds you in.

[CanobieFan]

The news article I read -last week- said they believe he took his seat belt off and then fell mid-ride

[Ansley]

Post by Marshall

Post by s***@aol.com
I hadn’t heard of this until now. Strange, usually the news is all over stuff like this.

?!? How do you get thrown from a mountain coaster? There are no sudden lateral g's that could possibly cause someone to fall and they usually have at least a shoulder belt that holds you in.

Yes, he took off his seatbelt. This has happen a couple of times, also happened in Gatlingburg and at Wisp before. Funny, the two I rode in Pigeon Forge...I think they both had special tools to unlock the seatbelt? Do others remember that. Seems like a no brainer to me. Why would you let the rider be able to remove the primary, and only, restraint?

Ted

[s***@aol.com]

Of the 4 alpine coasters I’ve ridden (in late 2016, all in Tennessee), I only remember one having a shoulder strap (the one at Ober Gatlinburg). I don’t remember if the lap belts on any of them could only be released by an employee.

[Marshall]

Post by s***@aol.com
Of the 4 alpine coasters I’ve ridden (in late 2016, all in Tennessee), I only remember one having a shoulder strap (the one at Ober Gatlinburg). I don’t remember if the lap belts on any of them could only be released by an employee.

I dont really pay that close of attention, but I know at least one of the ones I've been on(I thought it was Goats) had a 5 point restraint and I remember a couple that need a special tool to release the belt or the cart had to be in the station to unbuckle. With all the crap going on underneath these things, you'd think the station release would be a default.