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The following article is a summary of notable incidents at the amusement parks and water parks that are operated by Six Flags Entertainment Corporation. In some cases, these incidents occurred while the park was under different management or ownership, such as legacy Cedar Fair parks.

This list is not intended to be a comprehensive list of every such event, but only those that have a significant impact on the parks or park operations, or are otherwise significantly noteworthy. The term incidents refers to major accidents, injuries, or deaths that occur at a park. While these incidents were required to be reported to regulatory authorities due to where they occurred, they usually fall into one of the following categories:

1. Caused by negligence on the part of the guest. This can be a refusal to follow specific ride safety instructions, or deliberate intent to violate park “rules”
2. The result of a guest's known, or unknown, health issues.
3. Negligence on the part of the park, either by ride operator or maintenance safety instructions, or deliberate intent to violate park rules.
4. Natural disaster or a generic accident (e.g., lightning strike, slipping and falling), that is not a direct result of an action on anybody's part.

California's Great America

Breakers Bay

• On July 12, 2007, a 4-year-old boy drowned in a 2-foot (0.61 m) deep area of the wave pool (then called Great Barrier Reef). Lifeguards and emergency medical technicians tried to resuscitate him, but he was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.

Demon

• On August 12, 1976, a roller coaster train on Turn of the Century (later renamed Demon) stopped automatically on the track using its braking system after a wheel assembly guide broke loose and fell to the ground. The event occurred seconds after exiting the ride's double corkscrew element, and the coaster, which was in its inaugural year, had experienced the problem twice in 9 days. None of its 24 passengers on board at the time were injured.

Drop Tower

• On August 22, 1999, a 12-year-old boy fell from the Drop Tower and died. His family claimed the shoulder harnesses were not locked properly. An investigation was inconclusive and no charges were filed.

Flight Deck

• On September 7, 1998, a 25-year-old Spanish-speaking man was struck by the dangling leg of a 28-year-old woman riding Flight Deck. There were allegedly issues with his ability to understand the park's English warning signs, and he entered the ride's restricted area to retrieve his hat. He was pronounced dead an hour later at Valley Medical Center. The woman riding suffered a broken leg.
• On June 12, 2015, a maintenance worker was critically injured after being struck in the head by a moving train on Flight Deck. A passenger sustained serious hand and leg injuries in the incident.

Halloween Haunt

• On October 28, 2017, police reported that there were multiple witnesses where 20 teenage boys were assaulting and robbing park visitors. One person was arrested while others suffered minor injuries and some were taken to the hospital.
• On October 26, 2019, a group of teenagers sparked some firecrackers in the front gate causing guests to scramble, thinking it was a shooting. It was later determined to be due to a robbery. Concession stands within the park were also robbed by fleeing guests.

Independence Day

• On July 4, 2019, police were called near the entrance of the park where a woman was shot during the evening of the fireworks show. The victim was struck on the arm by a handgun. She did not suffer any serious injuries and was also treated at the scene. It was ruled as an altercation between two family groups.

Invertigo

• On August 10, 2009, 24 passengers on Invertigo were stuck on the ride 80 feet (24 m) up its lift hill after it malfunctioned. It took firefighters more than four hours to safely evacuate passengers down the staircase. No injuries were reported.

Logger's Run

• On July 4, 1989, two boys intentionally jumped out of the ride. One 9-year-old died and the other fell safely onto an emergency platform.

Rip Roaring Rapids

• In 1996, six people were injured when a raft on the Rip Roaring Rapids overturned.
• In 2005, a female park patron suffered broken ribs in an impact with the side of a seat after the raft came to a sudden stop.

Rue Le Dodge

• In 2005, a woman fractured her wrist while riding the bumper car ride with her son. Her lawsuit against the park was eventually lost in an appeal to the California Supreme Court, which ruled 6-1 in favor of California's Great America, stating that guests assume "an assumption of risk" when riding, similar to a sport activity.

Whizzer

• On March 29, 1980, a 13-year-old boy riding Whizzer was killed and eight other passengers were injured when two trains collided. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission charged the park with not reporting a possible defect in the ride's braking system. Marriott Corporation settled the civil penalty action brought by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission with a US$70,000 payment. The Commission found that eleven other incidents happened on the ride between 1976 and 1979, resulting in an unknown number of injuries.

Yankee Clipper

• In 1991, two couples sustained injuries after their boat hydroplaned and capsized, temporarily trapping them under the overturned boat. A bump was later added to the bottom of Yankee Clipper's splashdown to prevent hydroplaning.

Canada's Wonderland

• On May 11, 2003, two guests were involved in a fight over $10 worth of marijuana at the front gate of the park, which led to a shooting death. Metal detectors were added at the front gate, along with the implementation of bag checks for additional security following the incident.
• On October 26, 2014, two people were stabbed in the parking lot after the park had closed. One of the victims, a 21-year-old man, was pronounced dead at the scene. The other victim, an 18-year-old man, was taken to an area hospital with "life-threatening injuries" but was later released. Police arrested and charged an 18-year-old man in connection with the attack several weeks later. They believed the attack was part of a confrontation between two groups that began inside the park and escalated in the parking lot.
• On October 13, 2023, a police officer was patrolling the parking lot when he noticed a 17-year-old male behaving suspiciously and exited his vehicle. The teen then ran away from the officer and reached Jane Street between Norwood Avenue and Avro Road where he was fatally struck by a vehicle. He was rushed to hospital in serious condition. He died six days later on October 19 due to his injuries. The province's police watchdog Special Investigations Unit (Ontario) was notified of the incident.

Lumberjack

• On July 18, 2021, riders on Lumberjack were stranded upside down for 5 minutes due to a possible control malfunction. Nobody was injured. The ride reopened at 1:41 PM the same day.
• On September 23, 2023, during the park's Halloween Haunt event at approximately 10:40pm, the Lumberjack ride once again became stranded upside down with guests feet in the air and remained stuck for 25 minutes until the park's maintenance team brought it down by 11:05pm.

Splash Works

• On July 31, 2022, a small fire broke out at Splash Works shortly after a fireworks display destroying a section of the ‘Super Soaker’ water slide and a pump-house below it. Nobody was injured, but the water park remained closed the next day following the incident. It reopened one day later on August 2 with limited operations.

The Bat

• On July 20, 2004, 20 people were stranded on the coaster due to a malfunction.

Woodstock Whirlybirds

• On August 23, 2003, the Jimmy Neutron Brainwasher (later renamed Woodstock Whirlybirds due to Cedar Fair's (now Six Flags) contract with Peanuts) had a single unit fall from its mounting spindle. Two children and their mother were sent to a hospital with broken bones and lacerations.

Victoria Falls

• In 1988, an 18-year-old diver drowned in the pond below the waterfall of Victoria Falls. After swimming for 10 minutes, he approached the falls to retrieve a frisbee. His brother attempted to help but was pulled underwater several times. Resuscitation efforts by park staff failed. Wonderland's Director of Engineering denied the pond had an undertow, but the incident was later blamed on a whirlpool effect created by the waterfall.

Swing of the Century

• On July 11, 2024, a 17-year-old girl fell from Swing of the Century while riding and was taken to a trauma center at a nearby hospital. The Wave Swinger model from Zierer reaches a maximum height of 42 feet (13 m), and the extent of the rider's injuries was not revealed.

Carowinds

• On June 9, 2016, a transformer exploded nearby, causing a park-wide power outage. Riders were stranded on various rides, including 17 on WindSeeker and an unspecified number on Thunder Striker and Fury 325. Some guests waited over an hour before being evacuated. No injuries were reported, and the park reopened the following day in limited capacity.
• On September 5, 2016, around the time the park was closing, police were notified that a 22-year-old man allegedly shot a 14-year-old boy in the bus parking lot. It was reported that the altercation began as an argument inside the park before escalating outside. The man was arrested by police, and the boy was rushed to a nearby hospital to treat life-threatening injuries.

Carolina Harbor

• On June 7, 1987, five people were arrested for allegedly shooting two people inside Carolina Harbor with an unregistered machine gun. A 16-year-old girl playing in the wave pool was killed after being shot by a large caliber bullet. The other victim was a 6-year-old girl who was shot in the abdomen but survived after hospitalization.
• On July 5, 1989, an 11-year-old boy drowned in the wave pool. Lifeguards pulled the unresponsive victim out of the water and unsuccessfully tried to resuscitate him. He was pronounced dead at Charlotte Memorial Hospital.

Copperhead Strike

• On August 18, 2019, a guest was taken to the hospital after injuring his hand while riding Copperhead Strike. The ride was shut down temporarily for investigation.

Drop Tower

• On May 17, 1996, one of the cars on Drop Tower failed to ascend to the top of the tower after the safety control system locked the brakes. Park maintenance was unable to manually release the braking system. Three riders were stranded 160 feet (49 m) in the air for nearly three hours before being rescued.

Fury 325

• On June 30, 2023, a park guest reported that a support column on Fury 325 had suffered a crack that caused it to separate from the track. The ride was closed that day and remained closed while repairs were pursued. All trains and guests made it safely back to the station without injury or derailment. The ride has since reopened after the support column was replaced.

Hover & Dodge

• On June 4, 2018, a bumper car on the ride caught fire but was quickly extinguished by the ride attendant. There were no injuries. The ride passed inspection and resumed normal operation.

Mountain Gliders

• On July 11, 2021, an empty stroller remained in the ride's surrounding area and got caught between the ride's seats. Once the ride started moving, it was snagged and spun through the air until eventually being thrown off. The attendant maintaining the ride quickly pressed the emergency stop button. Once the issue was addressed, all passengers were safely evacuated from the attraction. There were no injuries and the ride continued to operate that same day.

Nighthawk

• On March 17, 2007, seven park employees sustained minor injuries during a test run of BORG Assimilator (later renamed Nighthawk) when the seats changed position during the ride. The ride operator accidentally pressed a button releasing the seat locking pins after the train departed, which were responsible for keeping the seats in a fixed position. The ride was later modified to disable the button while trains are in motion.

Rip Roarin' Rapids

• On May 8, 1982, eight people were injured when two boats jammed up, resulting in a collision with other boats moving down the ride. One was knocked over by a guardrail. All were treated for minor injuries.

Thunder Road

• On July 25, 1979, a malfunction brought a coaster train on Thunder Road to a sudden halt when the wheels became slightly dislodged. The train stopped abruptly on the tracks approximately 12 feet (3.7 m) above ground. A total of 27 passengers were lowered to the ground by a lift from the back of a truck. The coaster's track was damaged, but there were no injuries reported. A park spokesperson later referred to the incident as a "freak occurrence".
• On April 5, 1999, a roller coaster train failed to stop on the final brake run, leading to a collision with another train parked at the station. Seven of the 16 passengers involved were taken to a local hospital and treated for minor injuries.

WhiteWater Falls

• On September 16, 1987, during construction for the new water ride, a sewage pipe collapsed off its supports which trapped and killed a 49-year-old male construction worker underneath 2 feet of dirt inside a 10-foot trench for almost 25 minutes before his body was recovered. An autopsy conducted by the York County Coroner's Office revealed that the victim's pulse had stopped once his body was found, then he was pronounced dead due to suffocation.

WindSeeker

• On July 28, 2013, 65 passengers were stuck on Carowinds' WindSeeker for over an hour, when a safety mechanism halted the ride.
• On April 11, 2015, a safety mechanism halted the ride, stranding 60 passengers 150 feet (46 m) in the air for approximately 15 minutes.
• On March 6, 2019, a third-party contractor critically injured a hand while inspecting the WindSeeker at Carowinds prior to its seasonal opening. He was treated at a nearby hospital.

Cedar Point

• On May 28, 2018, Cedar Point suffered a park-wide power failure, caused by a car hitting a nearby utility pole outside the park. Guests were stranded on multiple rides including Millennium Force in 90-degree heat, and it took up to two hours for power to be fully restored. No injuries were reported.
• On June 11, 2024, two camels from the park's petting zoo escaped and roamed on the paths near the petting zoo, leading to guests jumping fences to avoid the animals. Park spokesman Tony Clark stated that the camels had "decided to take an unplanned stroll" and nobody was injured, and that the camels were quickly returned to their enclosure.

Blue Streak

• On the afternoon of August 24, 1980, five people were injured and treated for superficial injuries in a collision on Blue Streak. Park spokesmen said the incident occurred when an irate customer "interfered with a roller coaster operator", resulting in an incoming train colliding with a departing train.

Cedar Creek Mine Ride

• On May 24, 1984, a 5-year-old boy riding Cedar Creek Mine Ride suffered a fractured skull and bruises after falling from the train's front seat during its 30 feet (9 m) drop. The ride had a 48-inch height restriction when it opened in 1969, but this was later relaxed to 48 inches or accompanied by a parent, so the boy may have been too small to ride. The park reinstated the original 48 inch height restriction and added thicker lap bars after the incident.
• On July 30, 1988, injuries were reported after an empty train was released from the station and collided with a train full of passengers stuck on the coaster's second lift hill. Twelve people filed lawsuits against the park, eight of them passengers and four of them parents. On February 5, 1991, one of the plaintiffs was awarded $35,000 after the jury deliberated for about four hours. The victim suffered nerve, knee and back injuries.

Cedar Point and Lake Erie Railroad

• On June 28, 1970, a train bumped into another train at the main depot. 14 guests were treated at a local hospital for minor bruises, but none needed to be admitted.

Corkscrew

• On August 25, 1981, two people were injured on Corkscrew when one of the cars on a train suddenly disengaged.
• On August 29, 1999, during the time of its operation, the chain lift used on the ride broke with riders being stranded on one of the coaster's cars. Although none of those on board were seriously injured in the accident, four were taken to the park's first aid station as a precaution.

Disaster Transport

• On June 7, 1990, three people suffered injuries while riding Disaster Transport when a prop fell from the tracks onto them.

GateKeeper

• On July 13, 2013, a man riding GateKeeper was found unresponsive when one of the trains returned to the station. He was given CPR on-scene by Cedar Point police officers, then hospitalized at Firelands Regional Medical Center. A park spokesman said the man survived a medical condition unrelated to the ride, which reopened about six hours later after passing a mechanical inspection.
• On June 12, 2019, a strong gust of wind caused a train to stall and fail to return to the station. Safety mechanisms engaged, stopping the next train on the lift hill. All riders on both trains were evacuated safely.
• On June 12, 2021, one of the trains got stuck on the lift hill due to a broken chain.

Gemini

• On June 22, 1986, four people riding Gemini suffered injuries and were taken to a nearby hospital when two trains collided.

Magnum XL-200

• On June 28, 1989, 33 passengers on Magnum XL-200 were rescued from a stuck train that stalled 80 feet (24 m) above ground due to a gust of wind.
• On May 26, 2007, a train moving at 10 mph (16 km/h) hit a parked train, causing minor damage to both and injuring at least three passengers. Two were treated on scene, and a third, who had an asthma attack, was taken to a local hospital. The ride returned to single-train service the next day. The park said the accident was caused by wet tracks from early morning condensation.

Mean Streak

• On August 1, 1992, a 20-year-old man injured one of his hands when it was caught between the coaster train and loading platform as the ride was ending its run. He was taken to a nearby hospital where he underwent surgery for lacerations on his right wrist. The ride was temporarily shut down and reopened after inspections verified the coaster was operating properly.

Millennium Force

• On September 2, 2001, the cable used to haul trains up the lift of Millennium Force broke during a morning test run, resulting in the stranding of 30 park employees at the top of the coaster's lift hill 275 feet (84 m) above ground. There were no injuries, but the ride was temporarily closed for a week.
• In July 2023, a duck flew in front of a moving train and reportedly became trapped between a seat and a portion of the ride train. The duck was removed by a guest, who turned it over to Guest Services, and the duck was later turned over to wildlife rehabilitation services.

Raptor

• On June 21, 2015, a 37-year-old man injured his right leg when the gates in the ride's loading platform closed on him as he was boarding the ride. The incident resulted in a 4-inch-long gash (10 cm) on his lower-right leg, and he was taken to a nearby hospital where he received 11 stitches.
• On August 13, 2015, a 45-year-old man attempting to retrieve a dropped cell phone in the ride's restricted area was killed after being struck in the back of the head by a passing roller coaster train. Park emergency crews attempted to revive the man, but he was eventually pronounced dead on scene. The ride was temporarily closed for inspection and reopened the following day.

Scamper

• On June 29, 1963, a 17-year-old boy suffered fractures to his wrists while riding the coaster. He was treated at Good Samaritan Hospital.

Shoot the Rapids

• On July 19, 2013, a boat on Shoot the Rapids rolled back down the ride's lift hill and flipped over, injuring seven riders on board. Six were treated by park medical staff, and one was taken to a nearby hospital and later released. The ride was closed for the remainder of the 2013 season and reopened in 2014.

Skyhawk

• On July 26, 2014, a cable on Skyhawk for one of the carriages that attaches to the pendulum snapped, injuring two riders. One was treated on scene, while the other was taken to a local hospital and later released. Skyhawk reopened on August 1, 2014.

Snake River Falls

• On July 3, 2013, a boat on Snake River Falls failed to generate a splash at the bottom of its descent, causing it to become dislodged at the track's first turn. Cedar Point later determined that the water level was too low. No injuries were reported.

Space Spiral

• On May 18, 1985, ten people were stranded on Space Spiral for several hours inside its cab. The device responsible for raising and lowering the cab had partially failed, preventing the cab from returning to ground level. It had to be raised to the top of the tower, with its passengers being evacuated either by ladder or winch and harness.

Steel Vengeance

• On May 5, 2018, opening day for Steel Vengeance, a train returning to the station lightly bumped into another train that was parked in the station. Four riders were examined by the park's first aid team and released. The ride reopened later that day with only one train in operation. Normal operation resumed the following month.
• On July 21, 2018, a 17-year-old boy threw a packet of hot sauce at a train, which apparently exploded and hit some people in the face and eyes. The 17-year-old boy was charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct. A Sandusky officer responded to a call from Cedar Point police at about 4:20 p.m. about riders being hit by hot sauce, according to a Sandusky police report. Seven Steel Vengeance riders were treated by Cedar Point EMS, the report states. One woman had to get her eyes flushed out after being exposed to the hot sauce. Seven people were treated at the park.
• On August 11, 2018, a tire from the drive system, located near the brake run, became detached and landed near the queue. The ride was evacuated and reopened later the same evening with no injuries reported.

Top Thrill Dragster

• On July 14, 2004, four people riding Top Thrill Dragster were struck by metal debris that sheared off the coaster's launch cable during launch. They were treated at the park's first aid station, and two sought further treatment at a nearby hospital. The metal pieces came from a cable that pulls trains on Top Thrill Dragster to speeds of 120 mph. The coaster train completed its route and then was shut down for the evening.
• On August 7, 2016, a launch cable became detached on the ride. Two passengers were evaluated at the park's first aid station and later released, resuming their visit in the park. The ride remained closed through the next business day.
• On August 15, 2021, a guest waiting in line was struck in the head by a piece of metal after it became dislodged from the ride by a passing train that was nearing the end of its run. She was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment and then transferred to an intensive care unit, where it was determined that she had suffered a brain injury. The ride was shut down for remainder of the 2021 season. In September 2022 Cedar Point announced they were retiring the ride. The ride has now reopened for the 2024 season as Top Thrill 2.