It’s almost science fiction. Three jet engines are attached to a typical truck. Although it sounds fun, it is also a recipe for disaster. The vehicle, called the Shockwave Jet Truck, was racing two planes when it crashed at a Michigan Air Show.
The race truck could top 350 miles per hour due to its jet engines. During the pyrotechnic portion of the Battle Creek Field of Flight Air Show and Balloon Festival in Battle Creek, Michigan, the 36,000 horsepower truck crashed with driver Chris Darnell inside. Mr. Darnell and a member of the air show business for years.
“Chris had a crash, and the jet truck flipped over, and, unfortunately, he did not live,” said Barbara Haluszka, executive director of the festival, in a phone interview last week. “All other details are 100 percent under investigation.”
Darnell Racing Enterprises owned the Jet Truck. The website for the Enterprise describes the truck as being able to top at 350 MPH. It also claims that it is “the most powerful truck in the world,” with three engines providing 21,000 pounds of thrust.
“This is truly an assault of all your senses with huge flames coming out of the three after-burning jet engines, fire shooting out of the smoke stacks, intense heat, deafening noise, and SPEED!” reads the website.
Chris Darnell’s father, Neal Darnell, had stated that the accident was “a result of mechanical failure on the Jet Truck.” According to Neal Darnell, his son loved the air show business and was “living the dream.”
Videos sourced from bystanders caught the truck racing down Battle Creek Executive Airport with flames coming from its back. The announcer had shouted excitedly, “He is coming fast! He is coming really fast!”
Ryan Traver, a board member of the festival, said that the two airplanes that Chris Darnell had been racing were a Zivko Edge 540 and an MXS-RH, piloted by Bill Stein and Rob Holland, respectively. Luckily the pilots of the aircraft were not injured.
The Federal Aviation Administration said that since the accident involved a truck and not an airplane, the agency would not be investigating the case. The Battle Creek Police Department, however, would be investigating. They confirmed the death of Mr. Darnell on Facebook but provided no more information.
The race truck could top 350 miles per hour due to its jet engines. During the pyrotechnic portion of the Battle Creek Field of Flight Air Show and Balloon Festival in Battle Creek, Michigan, the 36,000 horsepower truck crashed with driver Chris Darnell inside. Mr. Darnell and a member of the air show business for years.
“Chris had a crash, and the jet truck flipped over, and, unfortunately, he did not live,” said Barbara Haluszka, executive director of the festival, in a phone interview last week. “All other details are 100 percent under investigation.”
Darnell Racing Enterprises owned the Jet Truck. The website for the Enterprise describes the truck as being able to top at 350 MPH. It also claims that it is “the most powerful truck in the world,” with three engines providing 21,000 pounds of thrust.
“This is truly an assault of all your senses with huge flames coming out of the three after-burning jet engines, fire shooting out of the smoke stacks, intense heat, deafening noise, and SPEED!” reads the website.
Chris Darnell’s father, Neal Darnell, had stated that the accident was “a result of mechanical failure on the Jet Truck.” According to Neal Darnell, his son loved the air show business and was “living the dream.”
Videos sourced from bystanders caught the truck racing down Battle Creek Executive Airport with flames coming from its back. The announcer had shouted excitedly, “He is coming fast! He is coming really fast!”
Ryan Traver, a board member of the festival, said that the two airplanes that Chris Darnell had been racing were a Zivko Edge 540 and an MXS-RH, piloted by Bill Stein and Rob Holland, respectively. Luckily the pilots of the aircraft were not injured.
The Federal Aviation Administration said that since the accident involved a truck and not an airplane, the agency would not be investigating the case. The Battle Creek Police Department, however, would be investigating. They confirmed the death of Mr. Darnell on Facebook but provided no more information.
