Gravitron - Incidents

Incidents

On August 20, 1991, a Gravitron spun itself apart at the Missouri State Fair, injuring seven children. The accident led to a class-action lawsuit against Murphy Enterprises, the operator of the ride, and Wisdom Manufacturing, resulting in modifications to the rides and stricter safety standards.

In April 2004, an accident occurred at the Dade County Youth Fair in Miami, Florida when a panel came off and threw a girl out of the ride. As a result, DCYF strengthened their safety guidelines and removed the ride from the park.

On September 8, 2007, a teenage boy was injured while riding a Gravitron amusement ride at the Spokane County Interstate Fair in Spokane, Washington. The boy hit his head on a metal part of the ride, and needed two staples in his scalp to close the wound. Witnesses reported that the boy ignored safety warnings and climbed the walls of the ride while it was in motion. State investigators determined that the ride was safe and that the accident was the result of the victim's behavior.