Act goes awry, human cannonball dies

[Steely Dan]

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/europe/04/25/england.human.cannonball/index.html?hpt=P1&iref=NS1

Act goes awry, human cannonball dies
By Tom Watkins, CNN
April 25, 2011 5:24 p.m. EDT

(CNN) -- A man who was taking part in a human cannonball show in Detling, England, was fatally injured Monday when the event failed to go off as planned, Kent police said.

The incident occurred in the afternoon during Scott May's Daredevil Stunt Show at the Kent County Showground, southeast of London, police said.

The British Press Association, citing police, said a safety net failed to engage....

What doe it mean when it says it failed to engage? :waitasec: Why wasn't it just put in place at the beginning? :waitasec:

 

[Tuffy]

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/europe/04/25/england.human.cannonball/index.html?hpt=P1&iref=NS1

Act goes awry, human cannonball dies
By Tom Watkins, CNN
April 25, 2011 5:24 p.m. EDT

(CNN) -- A man who was taking part in a human cannonball show in Detling, England, was fatally injured Monday when the event failed to go off as planned, Kent police said.

The incident occurred in the afternoon during Scott May's Daredevil Stunt Show at the Kent County Showground, southeast of London, police said.

The British Press Association, citing police, said a safety net failed to engage....

What doe it mean when it says it failed to engage? :waitasec: Why wasn't it just put in place at the beginning? :waitasec:

Does the net work like a seatbelt maybe? Maybe there is more tension when he lands on it, and that is what didn't engage?

Otherwise, I don't know.