The 13th Ride of the Day Killed Disneyland Rider
Improper maintenance and inadequate operator training are being blamed for the death of the rider of the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad roller coaster at Disneyland on 5 Sep 2003. The lead car lost its rear-wheel assembly and hit the tunnel roof, causing the following passenger car to go underneath it. The train had just been returned to service after routine maintenance three days earlier. Unusual noises were noted on the first 12 trips of the day, and operators had planned to take the train off line after the 13th ride -- which never finished. Subsequent analysis showed that two screws had not been properly tightened.