Posted on 07/02/2022 2:05:43 PM PDT by DFG
A driver is dead after his jet truck was engulfed in flames when he released his parachute while racing planes going 300mphs.
The driver was killed during the 'pyrotechnic' event at the Battle Creek Air Show in Michigan shortly after 1pm on Saturday, police confirmed.
Witnesses say the Shockwave jet truck was racing two planes that were going 300 mph. When the driver deployed his parachute, the truck reportedly engulfed in flames and a large plume of black smoke.
'[The driver] was doing his show and going down the runway,' Suze Gusching, media relations for Field of Flight told the Battle Creek Enquirer. 'He passed by the explosion, and his truck had exploded.'
Video of the incident shows a large explosion happening right before the truck barreled into it. As the vehicle came flying out of the other side, it significantly slowed and was covered in thick smoke.
Chris Darnell is listed as the driver of the Shockwave Jet Truck on the company's website. His brother Neal, who pilots the Flash Fire Jet Truck, declined to comment when reached by Daily Mail.com
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Thanks for that comment. I watched it several times trying to figure out how the truck exploded off the track, which it didn’t.
It look like an aircraft crashed right in front of the truck...
What could possibly go wrong?
C’mon, man. “Top Gun: Maverick” showed me that you can survive a Mach 10 breakup of your vehicle and get to the coffee shop. How can he NOT survive a 300 mph crash?
In fact, it’s possible the jet engine broke free, and launched right through the truck cab and exploded.
...he pulled the shoots [sic] and probably filled his shorts at about the same time..wonder if his ‘chutes failed...?
As long as you don’t stop suddenly.
But, when you have 3 heavy jet engines rolling with you, its hard to keep at least one of them from hurting you.
That’s what it looks like but there are still pics at the Daily Mail showing both aircraft flying past the explosion.
The video is too brief and not the right angle to get the full picture IMO. It also doesn’t show the beginning of the explosion.
Too bad the author of the article is nearly illiterate or those questions might already be answered.
That would hurt.
The truck didn’t explode and the motors were shutting down... but the truck was going into a spin when it went off the runway.
If that wasn’t an aircraft exploding in front of the truck, the only explanation I can think of is the jet engine broke free of it’s mount, and blasted right through the cab, then exploded about 200’ in front of the truck...
He loved to get burned alive?
You all have never been to airshow.
The Explosion is a pyrotechnic and has nothing to do with the crash.
Here’s the video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NggkdO3Jdd0
There is a fire onboard the truck as it is spinning.
Pulling he parachutes will generally stop a spin, but if the shutes were involved in the fire, or were pulled too late, the truck is going to spin.
OK, PT Barnum Alert.
Nothing too useful to see here [assuming it works].
Witnesses say the Shockwave jet truck was racing two planes that were going 300 mph. When the driver deployed his parachute, the truck reportedly engulfed in flames and a large plume of black smoke.
‘[The driver] was doing his show and going down the runway,’ Suze Gusching, media relations for Field of Flight told the Battle Creek Enquirer. ‘He passed by the explosion, and his truck had exploded.’
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Is anyone here an editor?!
Wrong, I’ve been to multiple air shows, but never saw a 300 mph truck crash/explode directly in from of a pyrotechnic display.
You're probably correct, but I'd like to see more video from different angles before I'd come to that conclusion. The explosion occurred way before the truck got close, Is it possible the pyrotechnic explosion sent debris into the truck? I dunno..
You’ve never seen the shockwave Truck, then.
I’ve seen the show at least 10 times and there are fuel bombs all along the runway during the runs.
Btw, having a closer look at the video, you're correct, the truck lost control and started a right hand spin...Yep
that blows...
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