Makeshift Bungee Tragedy
Makeshift Bungee Equipment Caused Two Teen Deaths in 1993 Atlantic Beach Tragedy
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Key Points
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Zachary Steinke was 17 and Michael Nash was 19 (an employee at the venue described as the attraction's 'bungee jump master') when the tragedy occurred.
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The incident took place on August 10, 1993.
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The Beach Bungee attraction was located in Atlantic Beach along the Grand Strand in the North Myrtle Beach/Atlantic Beach region of South Carolina.
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Reporters note that the operators replaced the broken chain-driven hoist with a makeshift commercial shrimping winch paired with a wire rope, described in some accounts as not fit for purpose.
Two teenage boys plummeted 150 feet to their deaths at a bungee cage attraction in Atlantic Beach, South Carolina, on August 10, 1993. Zachary Steinke, 17, and Michael Nash, 19, were killed when a makeshift shrimping winch snapped under their weight, sending their cage crashing to the asphalt below — all in front of Steinke's parents, who were watching from the ground. Daily Star
The owners of Beach Bungee had replaced a broken chain-driven hoist with a commercial fishing winch never designed to lift people. That single decision, made to avoid downtime during peak tourist season, cost two young men their lives. Manchester Evening News
A Shrimping Winch Stood In for Safety Equipment
The 175-foot steel arch ride, known as the "Adrenaline Rush," relied on a chain-driven hoist to lift its passenger cage. When that hoist broke in early August 1993, owners William and Sandra Lowder did not shut the ride down. Instead, they swapped in a commercial shrimping winch — equipment built to drag fishing nets through water, not lift people into the sky. Lancs Live
At around 9:15 PM on August 10, the cage carrying Steinke and Nash reached a height of 150 to 160 feet. A 3/8-inch wire rope — too thin and not rated for the load — gave way. The cage fell 15 stories in seconds. Nash was pronounced dead at the scene. Steinke died shortly after at a local hospital. The ride had zero secondary safety cables, a standard feature on certified thrill rides. Head Topics UK
Wet Conditions and Worn Cable Sealed a Fatal Outcome
The night was rainy and windy, cutting visibility at the site. Investigators later found the wire rope had been "severely abraded" by the winch's drum, which was the wrong size for the cable. Mechanical engineers testified that the setup was "mathematically certain to fail." The winch had no fail-safe braking system — a requirement on any certified amusement hoist. Daily Star
Steinke's parents stood below as the cage fell. Witnesses said they rushed to the wreckage and attempted CPR. Emergency crews arrived within minutes but could not save the boys. Atlantic Beach Police and state investigators shut the site down the following morning. Manchester Evening News
Operators Blamed Equipment, Prosecutors Said Profit Came First
The Lowders initially told investigators the shrimping winch was "heavy-duty" and that they believed it was safer than the slipping chain drive it replaced. They called the failure an "unforeseen equipment failure." Prosecutors pushed back hard. Attorneys argued the owners knew the winch was not rated for human transport but kept the ride running because the attraction brought in thousands of dollars each night. Head Topics UK
The Lowders faced involuntary manslaughter charges. They ultimately pleaded to lesser charges tied to safety violations. The Steinke family filed a civil suit, reaching a settlement of roughly $5.2 million — though much of it was reportedly uncollectible because the owners lacked sufficient insurance and assets. Lancs Live
South Carolina Rewrote Its Ride Safety Laws After the Deaths
At the time of the accident, South Carolina had little oversight for temporary or freestanding thrill rides. The bungee craze had swept the Grand Strand faster than regulators could keep up. Critics said the state's Department of Labor had been "toothless" when it came to inspecting high-risk attractions. The Atlantic Beach town government also faced scrutiny but said it lacked the technical expertise to evaluate the rides. Daily Star
The deaths pushed the South Carolina General Assembly to overhaul its Amusement Ride Safety Act. New laws required all bungee-style attractions to pass daily inspections and use only manufacturer-certified parts. The Beach Bungee case is now cited in legal and engineering courses as a defining example of the "duty of care" owed to the public by thrill-ride operators. Manchester Evening News
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