Technical Safety BC Releases Investigation Findings on Kicking Horse Gondola Incident

New report reinforces safety requirements and provides clear recommendations for manufacturers, owners, and operators of passenger ropeways.

Vancouver, BC (February 18, 2026) –Technical Safety BC has published its investigation report following a gondola incident at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort on March 10th, 2025, where a cabin hanger arm broke, causing the cabin to fall approximately six feet from the lift line while leaving the loading station. The investigation report offers critical safety learnings for the passenger ropeways industry in British Columbia, providing important recommendations for manufacturers, owners, and operators.  

The investigation found that the primary cause of the incident was an unidentified crack that progressed within a brittle area of the hanger arm after experiencing significant abrupt forces, such as striking the station structure during operation. Contributing factors included low material toughness in the bend of the hanger arm, the gondola station setup, and the intended inspection processes not identifying the crack before the hanger arm fractured. 

The eight passengers inside the impacted gondola cabin as well as all other passengers on the gondola were successfully evacuated, and only minor injuries were reported.  

“Gondolas and other passenger ropeways operate safely every day, but in this instance, several factors converged to result in this unlikely failure.” says Ryan Hazlett, Technical Safety BC’s Leader, Incident Investigations. “Regardless, we understand one incident of this severity is too many and that’s why we’ve issued specific recommendations to the industry to further reduce the risk of this happening again.” 

Though the report is being published during the 2025/2026 ski season, the investigation found no immediate safety concerns that would have required advance communications to gondola operators across the province. The detailed findings and recommendations offer important learnings for all operators, manufacturers, and testing companies to better understand and mitigate specific risk factors and further improve the safety of passenger ropeways throughout the province.  

Based on the findings of the investigation, Technical Safety BC has issued three specific recommendations aimed at manufacturers, owners, and operators of gondolas. Full details of these recommendations are included in the investigation report.

1. For Manufacturers of Ropeways and Ropeway Components: It is recommended that manufacturers select and process materials so that the final product will have appropriate cold weather fracture toughness properties. 

2. To manufacturers of above surface passenger ropeways: The investigation identified that the material selection and processing made the hanger arm vulnerable to occurrences like impacts. It is recommended that manufacturers identify where their process could have increased this risk, and where mitigations for continued safe operation may need to be implemented.

3. To owners and operators of passenger ropeways in BC: When serious carrier impacts occur, like the ones leading up to this incident, we’re recommending that owners and operators of passenger ropeways be proactive by removing the carrier from service to thoroughly inspect all components in accordance with the most recent manufacturer’s instructions. 

To further support the passenger ropeways industry in understanding and implementing any changes, we have issued a Directive that outlines how existing inspection and testing requirements apply to gondola and chairlift carriers and clarifies the actions to be taken when a defect is discovered.
 

The full incident investigation report and recommendations are published on Technical Safety BC’s website.  

About Technical Safety BC

Technical Safety BC is an independent, self-funded organization that oversees the safe installation and operation of technical systems and equipment. In addition to issuing licences, certificates, and permits it works with industry to reduce safety risks through assessment, education and outreach, incident investigations, and enforcement. For more information, visit www.technicalsafetybc.ca.

Media contact:
Technical Safety BC
media@technicalsafetybc.ca