A March note on bushings may shape Six Flags Georgia death investigation focus, according to roller coaster inspection experts

Investigation examines several possibilities

Ride inspection experts expect investigators to consider maintenance, design and human error in examining the man’s fall from a roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia. King said the team would not “cut corners, rush to conclusions, or leave questions unanswered,” according to the commissioner.

The park said its thoughts were with the family and loved ones affected by the incident. It also described safety as central to its operations and said rides receive documented inspections before opening each day, alongside maintenance programs and operator training.

March report noted bushings

A March inspection of Goliath found no violations or deficiencies, King said. But the report included a note that staff “need to replace bushings,” a detail experts said investigators are likely to examine.

Bushings reduce friction and absorb shock in mechanical assemblies. On roller coasters, they help keep parts in restraints, chassis joints and wheel bogies correctly positioned through repeated bumps and friction. Goliath records dating back more than a decade show 20 violations that were resolved quickly between 2016 and 2021, with none recorded since, CBS News reported.

Maintenance schedules under scrutiny

Richardson, founder and CEO of MIT Experts, said even a small bushing defect can create a major problem. He said the coaster manufacturer likely specified maintenance and replacement schedules in an operations manual, making adherence to those instructions a key question for investigators.

Coaster history and past concerns

Six Flags has opened five Goliath coasters at parks across North America over the past 25 years. The Georgia ride opened in 2006, was designed by Swiss-based manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard, and reaches speeds of up to 70 miles per hour on tracks rising 200 feet.

Daniel, who described himself as a roller coaster enthusiast and operates a Goliath at another park, said staff use a control panel with buttons and a screen to run the ride. After Christopher Hawley, 22, died following a ride on X2 at Six Flags Magic Mountain in California in 2022, attorney Timothy Loranger said he had concerns about maintenance workers’ competence and training there. He said he would not be surprised if similar issues arose at Six Flags Over Georgia.