THIS is the horrifying moment eight acrobats plunged 20 feet to the floor and suffered broken bones and spine injuries.

Eight aerialists were suspended by their hair during a 2014 Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey circus performance in Providence, Rhode Island, when the frightening fall took place.

The acrobats' stunt equipment failed to work when a metal clip broke during the show.

This prompted eight women to drop more than 20 feet to the ground - landing on a dancer, the New York Times reported.

All nine performers were rushed to the hospital after suffering "life altering" injuries.

Video footage of the "hanging hair act" - which has been shared to YouTube and viewed more than 2.4 million times - shows the moment the performers abruptly crash to the indoor arena's floor.

Just moments after a colorful curtain unveiled the hair act - people gasped with amazement at the sight.

Eight women appeared to be hanging by their hair in a circle above the circus ring.

As the show's announcer welcomed the performers, he began to say: "Suspended only by the strength of..."

However, he was unable to finish his sentence as the equipment and the performers came crashing to the ground.