Kicking Horse Gondola Incident

Investigation report, findings, and recommendations

Kicking Horse Gondola Incident

On March 10, 2025, a gondola cabin at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort fell approximately six feet from the lift line as it was leaving the loading station after its hanger arm broke. Eight passengers inside the impacted cabin were successfully evacuated, along with all other passengers on the gondola. Only minor injuries were reported. 

Our 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.  

Based on the findings of this investigation, we are sharing our learnings and recommendations to prevent a similar occurrence.


Report summary

The investigation found that the cause of the incident was an unidentified crack that developed from conditions introduced through the manufacturing process, coupled with short duration, high-magnitude forces that occurred during operation. Contributing factors include: 

  1. The selected material and manufacturing process resulted in low material toughness and brittleness; properties that were conducive to a crack initiating in the arm.
  1. Station setup allowed for impacts between the hanger arm and station structure.
  1. Major impacts to the hanger arm during operation very likely triggered the progression of the crack.
  1. The inspection regime intended to identify and respond to cracks before failure did not identify the crack prior to it reaching a critical size.

Based on the findings of this investigation, we’ve issued three specific recommendations aimed at manufacturers, owners, and operators of passenger ropeways to better understand and mitigate specific risk factors.  

Recommendation #1: To manufacturers of Ropeways and Ropeway Components 

It is recommended that manufacturers utilize materials with specified low temperature fracture toughness properties for the manufacturing of critical gondola components (such as hangers and grips), and that the procedures and guidelines established in ASTM A143 are used to ensure those properties are maintained in the final product. 

Recommendation #2: To manufacturers of above-surface passenger ropeways. 

It is recommended that manufacturers: 

  • Identify where critical carrier components were manufactured with cold bent, galvanized steel where adequate cold weather toughness properties and resistance to brittle fracture cannot be confirmed.
  • For all components manufactured in this manner, assess whether revised guidance for safe operation including NDT testing intervals and procedures is required. Shortened intervals between inspections should be considered to account for the possibility of cracks that may progress more rapidly than anticipated, and procedures updated to reflect additional scrutiny in cold bent areas where lower toughness is expected.

Recommendation #3: To owners and operators of passenger ropeways in BC. 

It is recommended that owners and operators: 

Respond to all carrier impact or miscapture incidents proactively. For any impact where there is reason to suspect the carrier has been subject to severe loading or there is reason to question critical component integrity, the affected carrier should be removed from service until all critical components are subject to additional nondestructive testing in accordance with up-to-date manufacturer’s instructions. 

Directive 

To further support the passenger ropeways industry in understating 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.

Download the Incident Investigation Report

The following appendices are referenced throughout the report and provide supporting information:

A - Jurisdiction and Role
B - Relevant Definitions
C - Applicable Code Clauses
D - Fatigue Testing Report
E - Proof of Non Destructive Testing_Redacted
F - Original Order Sheet
G - Applicable Service Bulletins
H - Additional Entry Guide Assembly Drawing
I - Correspondence between LPOA and KHMR_Redacted
J - Regulatory Inspection History
K - NDT Testing Records_Redacted
L - KHMR Documentation of Hanger Arm Damage
M - Acuren Report_Redacted
N - Steel Construction Guidance for the Prevention of Brittle Failure
O - American Gondola Arm Testing Report_Redacted
P - McElhanney Report
Q - Evacuation and Emergency Response

You might be interested in