BATTLE CREEK, Mich. — The accident that resulted in the death of a jet truck driver over the weekend is believed to have been caused by a blown tire, according to the city of Battle Creek.
The driver, 40-year-old Chris Darnell, was killed in the accident at the city’s annual Field of Flight festival on Saturday, July 2.
Police investigated the incident, saying debris from a tire could be seen flying from the truck several seconds into an initially successful run.
Darnell activated his parachute after the tire blew, suggesting Darnell may have been aware of the issue, the city explains. That was when the truck exploded from the back, which the city speculates was started by tire debris and a rupture in the fuel tank.
We’re told the Battle Creek Executive Airport, where the event took place, conducted an inspection before the show started and uncovered no problems.
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