Former Technician Alleges Safety Issues Ignored at Orlando FreeFall Ride Before Teen’s Fatal Fall
A former maintenance technician who worked on the now-defunct FreeFall ride at Orlando’s ICON Park has filed a lawsuit alleging that significant safety issues were overlooked and disregarded in the weeks leading up to the tragic death of 14-year-old Tyre Sampson in March 2022. The lawsuit, filed on Wednesday by former technician Austin Campbell-Alexander, claims that he observed alarming safety problems concerning the ride’s seats and the overall structural integrity of the FreeFall Drop Tower around January 2022, just a couple of months before Sampson’s fatal fall.
The lawsuit names Orlando Eagle Drop Slingshot, the owner and operator of the FreeFall ride, as the primary defendant, along with other affiliated companies. ICON Park itself is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit.
Campbell-Alexander’s legal action brings forth serious accusations of negligence and disregard for safety protocols, potentially contributing to the circumstances that led to Sampson’s death. The suit aims to hold the responsible parties accountable for their alleged actions or inactions.
According to the lawsuit obtained by FOX 35 Orlando, Campbell-Alexander alleges that he discovered that operations managers were manually bypassing the safety sensors on the FreeFall ride seats after the ride initially opened. The lawsuit contends that a replacement sensor was being used on two seats to override weight and height restrictions, specifically to accommodate larger riders who exceeded the manufacturer’s specified limits.
The lawsuit explicitly states that such an override was inherently dangerous to the public, as the FreeFall ride manufacturer established specific weight and height limits to ensure rider safety. This deliberate manipulation of the safety system, as alleged, disregarded established safety protocols and put riders at risk.
Fox News Digital had previously reported that the operating manual for the FreeFall ride stated that the maximum passenger weight was just over 286 pounds. Sampson, at 6-foot-5 and approximately 360 pounds, exceeded the ride’s weight limit, a factor state investigators identified as contributing to the accident.
Campbell-Alexander claims that he reported the "illegal and unsafe practice" to his supervisor, yet the FreeFall ride continued to operate outside of the manufacturer’s guidelines. This alleged disregard for established safety protocols, even after being reported by a technician, raises serious questions about the operational priorities of Orlando Eagle Drop Slingshot.
Further intensifying the allegations, the lawsuit states that Campbell-Alexander received no formal training for his position as a maintenance technician. He believes the lack of training was pervasive among employees responsible for patron safety and the safe operation and maintenance of the ride. This lack of adequate training would make recognizing potential safety issues or performing proper maintenance procedures extremely challenging.
The lawsuit outlines other instances when safety concerns arose with the FreeFall ride. It states that the ride was not closed during those times, when it should have been to protect patron safety. In March 2022, Campbell-Alexander and another employee allegedly found that a metal cylinder responsible for securing riders in their seats was "too hot." This could have caused the seats to not be properly locked. The pair also noticed cracks in the joints of the gondolas, which hold and transport all seats on the ride, a few days later.
According to state investigators, Sampson’s death occurred on March 24, 2022, because his height and weight exceeded the ride’s limits. This caused his seat to not be latched when the ride plunged 400 feet at speeds exceeding 75 mph.
Following Sampson’s death, during the official investigation, Campbell-Alexander said he was asked to "back-fill blank maintenance logs and sign off on certain maintenance tasks" as if he and a coworker had completed them. He refused to "fraudulently affirm" that he performed certain tasks. As a result, he was placed on paid leave and removed from the premises. Campbell-Alexander remained on leave while the defendants attempted to resolve a civil lawsuit with Sampson’s family. He was then fired on March 31, 2023, after that lawsuit was settled.
The law firm representing Orlando Eagle Drop Slingshot issued a statement to FOX 35 regarding Campbell-Alexander’s lawsuit. The firm alleges that Campbell-Alexander was the one who adjusted sensors on the ride, which resulted in his firing.
"Our clients promptly investigated the tragic accident that resulted in the death of Tyre Sampson. Upon discovering that Mr. Campbell-Alexander adjusted the sensors that resulted in the accident, he was suspended and relieved of any further involvement or access to any rides," Trevor Arnold and Brian Bieber of GrayRobinson, PA, said in the statement.
The statement continued, "Upon learning of Mr. Campbell-Alexander’s and other employees’ conduct, we proactively notified investigating authorities. At all times, we cooperated with the investigators. We worked diligently to resolve the litigation and claims with Tyre’s family as well as the administrative agencies involved. Mr. Campbell-Alexander’s claims are in direct conflict with statements he provided following the accident, which will no doubt be demonstrated in Court."
The conflicting accounts presented by Campbell-Alexander and Orlando Eagle Drop Slingshot are now set to be examined and scrutinized in court. They seek to determine liability for Sampson’s death and the validity of the allegations of safety violations and subsequent cover-up.
