The investigation into Joshua Smurfett's death at Great America's Drop Zone yielded a 900-page incident report citing poor training procedures and other park safety violations.
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Less than a year after the Top Gun tragedy, Great America faced another fatality, this time with no reckless behavior on the victim's part. Joshua Smurfett, 12, rode the Drop Zone free-fall tower with his family in August 1999. An attendant checked and confirmed every harness before the car ascended. At the 207-foot mark, Joshua slipped out and fell 20 stories while his family watched helplessly from below. Investigators could not determine how he escaped a properly functioning harness, but the 900-page incident report exposed deep systemic problems: the ride attendant that day was 14 years old and the one who had checked the harnesses was 16. Joshua's mother Tammy chose not to sue, asking only that parents treasure every moment with their children. His father hired a lawyer but ultimately the family did not pursue civil action, leaving the exact cause of the harness failure unresolved.
When 12-year-old Joshua Smurfett slipped out of his harness and fell 20 stories to his death from the Drop Zone at Great America, investigators found the ride attendant was 14 years old and the harness checker was 16. A 900-page report found poor training procedures throughout the park.
The Drop Zone ride attendant at Great America was just 14 years old when 12-year-old Joshua Smurfett fell to his death, with the harness-checker being only 16.
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