Chinese automaker Chery Automobile had a brilliant idea. To prove how adept their new SUV, the Fengyun (or Fulwin) X3L, is at climbing, they had it try to scale the 999 steps, known as the “Sky Ladder,” to Heaven’s Gate.

For the unfamiliar, Heaven’s Gate refers to Tianmen Mountain, located in the northwestern part of Hunan Province, China. It is also the location of a viral stunt performed in 2018 by Land Rover with their Range Rover Sport Plug-In Hybrid. It was the first and only time a vehicle ever completed the climb. With good reason.

This is how it is supposed to go…

There is a reason cars don’t drive up the ‘Sky Ladder’ in China

Unfortunately for Chery Automobile on Wednesday, its SUV had a wee bit more trouble making it up the long, steep grade. In fact, about halfway up, it started to lose traction and then slipped backward, crashing into part of the ancient wall.

Following the embarrassing marketing debacle, Chinese outlet NFNews reports that Chery Automobile issued an apology. “We sincerely apologize for the damage caused to the Tianmen Mountain test site,” the company wrote. They also promised to cover the costs of repairs to the iconic tourist site.

Industry analysts blamed the failure on insufficient tire grip. However, Chery blamed the accident and failure to climb the steps on a safety rope. They claim it unexpectedly detached and got wrapped around the right wheel. This then caused the engine to lose power.

“The outcome has exposed our insufficient assessment of potential risks and lapses in detail control during the planning and execution of this test,” the company added in its statement. “In particular, we deeply reflect on the public concerns caused by choosing to conduct the test in a public scenic area.”