Disneyland had a death due to poor management at one point, probably others. The one I’m referencing the Columbia on the Rivers of America. It’s not in the story, but my recollection was that it was a new manager (who shadow each attraction for a day or two when they’re promoted) that directed the cast to tie down when it was going too fast. The momentum ripped up the cleat which practically amputated the leg of the cast member and flew into a guest’s face, killing them.

Just flexing my useless Disney info, but kinda making the point that the ship itself was well built/designed, but management was shit.

I watched the one about the waterslide (at Schlitterbahn) that decapitated a 10 year old kid in front of two women. It was the tallest waterslide, was built in like 1/3rd of time, and the guys who built it had never made a waterslide before. Their safety testing was trial and error, which showed the raft fly off the ride at the first hill multiple times. Their solution was to put a net with hoop supports, which is what cut the kid's head off.

Don't forget they are staffed by one teenager when the operating manual calls for 2 adults and a supervisor.

I don't ride amusement park rides for exactly that reason. The motion and speed and such don't bother me, and it's not that I get dizzy or nauseous or anything. It's that I'm hyper-aware of the fact that all it would take to kill me is for one little mechanical part to fail or be incorrectly installed.

I actually fixate on specific parts - the whole time the ride's going, I'm looking around and thinking, "If that pin shears, I'm dead. If that bolt wasn't tightened down, I'm dead. If that flange twists, I'm dead."

There's nothing even vaguely fun about that.