Rider recounts being stranded upside down on Kennywood's Aero 360

Coraopolis resident Alexandra Schneider said it felt like an eternity — the five minutes that a Kennywood spokesperson said the Aero 360 was stuck upside down at the West Mifflin park.

She could feel a headache coming on as the pressure from being upside rushed to her head. The 33-year-old was on the ride Monday with her aunt, cousin and her cousin’s former roommate.

“We were like, ‘holy crap this is actually happening. We are stuck. Hopefully our harnesses won’t come off,’” she said. “I was trying to keep calm.”

Schneider said her uncle, who watched from the ground, told the group it seemed like more than just five minutes. She said she texted her mother and husband about the incident at 4:30 p.m., a half an hour after it happened.

“It is a story you can joke about, and once you think about it, it is a little scary,” Schneider said.

Riders at Kennywood were stuck during a ride stoppage, officials said.

“Maintenance staff responded, quickly brought the ride back to its designated rest position, and safely evacuated the riders,” Mark Pauls, the park’s general manager, said in a statement.

The incident occurred around 4 p.m. Spokesman Nick Paradise said there were 21 people on the ride, and they were “stopped upside down for a short period of time.”

“First Aid staff met with the guests, with three briefly visiting the First Aid Center as a precaution before being released back into the park,” Pauls said. “Safety is our first and foremost priority. The ride remains closed while a review of the incident is conducted.”

People stuck on the Aero 360 at Kennywood earlier today. pic.twitter.com/1oPfgG09v9

— Ken ???? (@KennethCW3) May 30, 2022

It was not Schneider’s first time on the ride, but Monday was her last. Being stuck upside mid-air was a new story for her to tell. After her experience, she has no plans to ride the Aero 360 again.

Kennywood on its website describes the ride as a way to “travel upside down.”

“With legs dangling, riders swing back and forth attached to a familiar yellow symbol — the Kennywood Arrow! The arrows swing higher and higher with each pendulum motion, culminating in a 360 degree over-the-top experience.”