Six Flags Magic Mountain is a fantastic place for people who love rollercoasters and other amusement park rides. Unfortunately, Six Flags parks also have a high rate of accidents and injuries. Some accidents happen because individuals do not listen to theme park staff guidelines and instructions. Others are the result of negligence on the part of the park. Here are five recent Six Flags Magic Mountain Accidents you should know about before you head out for a day of theme park fun.
- Woman Dies From Brain Aneurysm During Goliath Ride (2001)
A woman who suffered from high blood pressure-related heart disease and who had a brain aneurysm died on the Goliath roller coaster in the summer of 2001, when the aneurysm ruptured. While the ride could not be attributed to the formation of her aneurysm, it did likely play a role in the rupturing. The speed and dynamics of the roller coaster ultimately may have caused the aneurysm to burst, but other activities like sleeping and sitting have also led to ruptured aneurysms.
The ride was thoroughly investigated after the incident, and ultimately concluded the theme park could not be held liable for the accident. However, many riders have since reported a blackout-like feeling on the roller coaster. If you suffer from any health condition, this ride may not be the best idea.
- 109 Reports of Injuries (2006)
In 2006, the park received 109 complaints regarding injury-causing incidents. Among those were heat-related injuries, whiplash-type injuries from rides, and nose bleeds. Others included complaints of distracted park staff members not paying attention while operating potentially dangerous rides like roller coasters. While none of these are particular incidents, they stand out in the history of the park because there had only been 80 injury notices from 2001-2006. 109 in one year is a significant difference.
- Man Hit by Ninja Roller Coaster (2008)
In late summer 2008, 20 year old Carlos Ibanez was hit by the Ninja roller coaster after moving into a restricted area to retrieve his hat. The accident caused a traumatic brain injury, and the man sued the park for negligence. Ultimately, the court ruled in favor of Magic Mountain LLC, because the man climbed two fences and ignored park staff warnings to retrieve his cap. The accident is notable because it raised the question of whether the park had done enough to reasonably prevent park guests from traveling into restricted zones.
- 22 Guests Left Stranded on Ninja Roller Coaster (2014)
When a tree branch fell on the tracks, the Ninja coaster derailed and was left stranded. Guests were left on the ride, 40 feet off the ground, for hours, and four suffered injury as a result of the accident. Only two ended up going to the hospital for evaluation. Park guests who witnessed the accidents claim to have heard the leaves rustling and sharp cracking noises followed by the screams of riders. The ride reopened two weeks after the incident. As of that time, there had been four Ninja coaster incidents in the last decade.
- Young Girl Dies After Riding Revolution Roller Coaster (2015)
Jasmine Martinez lost consciousness on the ride in summer 2015. The 10 year old was still breathing when the ride stopped, she and was airlifted to the hospital on a Friday. She died the next day. Although she died from natural causes, the incident highlighted the potential for underlying conditions to come to the surface on extreme amusement park rides. The amusement park was not aware of any underlying conditions Miss Martinez may have had, as the family objected to an autopsy for religious reasons.
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