now this was a truly thrilling drop ride for all its innocent look. no harness, no restraints, just gripping onto a cage. every time i went as a kid i would crouch down and grip the bars and scream bloody murder. good times.
No one ever committed suicide on this ride, that's an urban legend. Six Flags over Texas is removing their version this year, only one will remain in the US at Six Flags Great Adventure, it doesn't have stand-up baskets though. I miss it.
i did some digging and it seems it did happen. via UPI: BUENA PARK, Calif. -- Terror came to life at an amusement park Halloween celebration when costumed ghosts and goblins witnessed a teenager climb out of the 'parachute ride' gondola and leap 200 feet to his death. Donald Day, 18, of Glen Avon, Calif., made the apparent suicide plunge Sunday night at Knott's Berry Farm during its annual 'Knott's Scary Farm' weekend party. It was the first death at the amusement park. Police said Monday that Day climbed over the ride's safety rail and fell 200 feet to his death. A 16-year-old friend was in the gondola when Day fell, officers said. An autopsy showed the cause of death as a skull fracture and multiple injuries. Further tests were to be performed to determine if Day was under the influence of alcohol or drugs. 'We're listing the death as accidental,' police spokesman Terry Branum said, 'but we have a few unanswered questions we're looking into.' He added that there were indications it may have been a suicide. Branum said Day had given his friend the keys to his motorcyle, money to buy gasoline and the key to a locker, which police found to contain only the vehicle's registration. Park spokeswoman Robin Anderson said there was 'no operational problem, no malfunction' with the ride. Knott's closed the attraction and some rides around it while police conducted an investigation Sunday. All of the park's rides were operating Monday.
I went on this ride as a teenager. So crazy those open cages with no harness. Crazy. Sometimes for work I do maintenance on the huge cranes that unload shipping containers at ports. I think the parachute drop is taller.
I remember when Knott's changed the colors on the sky tower, which I didn't like. The Parachutes were removed in 1999 n the support structure was removed in 2002. CF needs 2 revive them.
That big area with all the trees, that's where Surf City is now right? It's crazy to see how much Buena Park has changed in a short time; like there was breathing room.
Wow that's amaing! My parents talk about that ride sometimes. I wish I could have been alive to ride it. But the baskets. Yikes! No wonder people died, or you know, chose to die.
Actually that is incorrect, I went to Knotts for my birthday on February 22, 2001 and the parachute ride was still there and operational and I rode it with my friend William.
I remember the parachutes very well.I wish they could bring this ride back it was sooo much fun and so memorable.A true Knott's classic ride.
SoCal Laid Back Guy same I wish it came back they abandoned That ride:(
now this was a truly thrilling drop ride for all its innocent look. no harness, no restraints, just gripping onto a cage. every time i went as a kid i would crouch down and grip the bars and scream bloody murder. good times.
Oh how I miss this ride and the old classic knott's. I with they would bring the parachutes back.
This ride was one of my favorites when I went to Knotts. so glad there is a video that I can show my kids the rides I went on. (:
No one ever committed suicide on this ride, that's an urban legend. Six Flags over Texas is removing their version this year, only one will remain in the US at Six Flags Great Adventure, it doesn't have stand-up baskets though. I miss it.
i did some digging and it seems it did happen.
via UPI:
BUENA PARK, Calif. -- Terror came to life at an amusement park Halloween celebration when costumed ghosts and goblins witnessed a teenager climb out of the 'parachute ride' gondola and leap 200 feet to his death.
Donald Day, 18, of Glen Avon, Calif., made the apparent suicide plunge Sunday night at Knott's Berry Farm during its annual 'Knott's Scary Farm' weekend party.
It was the first death at the amusement park.
Police said Monday that Day climbed over the ride's safety rail and fell 200 feet to his death. A 16-year-old friend was in the gondola when Day fell, officers said.
An autopsy showed the cause of death as a skull fracture and multiple injuries. Further tests were to be performed to determine if Day was under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
'We're listing the death as accidental,' police spokesman Terry Branum said, 'but we have a few unanswered questions we're looking into.' He added that there were indications it may have been a suicide.
Branum said Day had given his friend the keys to his motorcyle, money to buy gasoline and the key to a locker, which police found to contain only the vehicle's registration.
Park spokeswoman Robin Anderson said there was 'no operational problem, no malfunction' with the ride. Knott's closed the attraction and some rides around it while police conducted an investigation Sunday.
All of the park's rides were operating Monday.
I went on this ride as a teenager. So crazy those open cages with no harness. Crazy. Sometimes for work I do maintenance on the huge cranes that unload shipping containers at ports. I think the parachute drop is taller.
That ride was awesome! That sucks they took it down.
I was 8 when they closed this ride. I remember being terrified by this ride lol
I remember when Knott's changed the colors on the sky tower, which I didn't like. The Parachutes were removed in 1999 n the support structure was removed in 2002. CF needs 2 revive them.
No restraints. It was a kick in the butt.
That big area with all the trees, that's where Surf City is now right? It's crazy to see how much Buena Park has changed in a short time; like there was breathing room.
thats the north parking lot (off western and la palma). soak city is further west across from knotts on beach blvd.
Wow that's amaing! My parents talk about that ride sometimes. I wish I could have been alive to ride it. But the baskets. Yikes! No wonder people died, or you know, chose to die.
Yes I do. They will be posted shorly
Did you know no one ever died or fell off of this ride. Its one of the only rides that people havent
that's a pretty good record for any ride. I wish they hadn't taken it down
That is suprising since there were no forms of safety restraints featured here.
Yes they did. A boy jumped out in 1983 and died.
Actually that is incorrect, I went to Knotts for my birthday on February 22, 2001 and the parachute ride was still there and operational and I rode it with my friend William.
Windjammer surf racers!
First there was parachute ride, then the boomerang, and now hangtime
sky jump was attached to sky cabin and thats still operational today. hangtime took over space where boomerang and riptide/hammerhide were at
windseeker
I went to school with a girl whose brother did :(
Been there- done that👍
Me too...NEVER AGAIN...
I rode this Omfg I still can't believe it😕😕😬😬😬