Carrier Bumper Caught in Bullwheel, Causes Deropement

Location: Interior

Regulated industry sector: Passenger Ropeways – Above surface ropeway

Incident overview

At a local ski hill, a carrier bumper was caught in the bullwheel while passengers were unloading, causing the carrier to swing from side to side. Investigators found that this was not an isolated incident as similar incidents, tied to this particular chairlift, have occurred several times over the past years. While other chairlifts have a mechanism that prevents bumpers from being caught in the bullwheel, this chairlift did not. Additionally, a poorly maintained passenger unloading ramp and repeated delays of the operator to work with the equipment’s manufacturer may have contributed to this incident.