DARIEN, N.Y. — An investigation is under way into a roller coaster accident in upstate New York that killed a U.S. Army veteran who had been trying to rebuild his life after losing both legs in Iraq.

Teams of inspectors on Saturday were examining the Ride of Steel coaster at the Darien Lake Theme Park Resort, about 30 miles east of Buffalo.

Sgt. James Thomas Hackemer, 29, was ejected from the 208-foot-tall ride early Friday evening, after climbing aboard during an outing with family and friends.

The wounded veteran was missing all of his left leg and most of his right one, as well as part of a hip, and had been living at his parents’ home in Gowanda following years of rehabilitation.

It wasn’t immediately clear whether attendants at the theme park had given any thought to barring Hackemer from the ride because of his missing limbs.

People without legs are barred from at least one other coaster at the park, the Predator. Rules posted on the resort’s website for the Ride of Steel say that guests must be 54 inches or taller, but add that people with “certain body proportions” may not be able to ride. The website also suggests that guests try using a test seat at the coaster’s station house.