Author Topic: Any news on what caused the North American Eagle F104 - Jessi Combs crash?  (Read 26573 times)

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Offline Stainless1

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Re: Any news on what caused the North American Eagle F104 - Jessi Combs crash?
« Reply #15 on: November 05, 2019, 09:57:11 PM »
If your team lost their car and driver you would not be quick to spread the word.  It is not our right to know what happened.  Nor is it our right to criticize how the car was built.  At the time it conformed to the FIA requirements. 
Racing is not safe
Car building is not easy
especially if you are trying to go 650 to 750 MPH. 
Craig Breedlove told us you can't build a Lear Jet that the pilot can survive a crash into a mountain.... there is a risk when racing.....
So let's stop bagging on the team, the car and why anyone would do it that way. 
Unfortunately it is what it is... I hate that Jessie was killed, but nothing changes that now... there is not blame to level, it happened.
Stainless
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Offline tortoise

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Re: Any news on what caused the North American Eagle F104 - Jessi Combs crash?
« Reply #16 on: November 05, 2019, 10:24:12 PM »
Nor is it our right to criticize how the car was built....
Say what?
Quote
there is not blame to level, it happened.
If not blame to level, how about lessons to be learned?

Offline Stainless1

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Re: Any news on what caused the North American Eagle F104 - Jessi Combs crash?
« Reply #17 on: November 05, 2019, 11:06:04 PM »
Tort... if a car built in compliance with the rules why would we question it's safety.  Even now I think the rules only suggest roll structures. 
550 MPH in a very heavy car carries a lot of inertia and force.  If it crashes in all likelihood it will not be pretty. 
They said the car hit something and broke a front wheel, causing the suspension to collapse... leading to loss of control and totally destroying the car.
The lesson to be learned.... Newtons law of motion.... and racing is not safe... those of us that do it accept the risk because we want the reward...
   
Stainless
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Offline racergeo

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Re: Any news on what caused the North American Eagle F104 - Jessi Combs crash?
« Reply #18 on: November 06, 2019, 12:39:10 AM »
    Ed and his pardner and there team, 20 years chasing a dream. All the time they spent together, the camaraderie,all the beer they swilled,and then Ed lost to cancer. Jessi,  with all the hope associated with the dream of Worlds fastest woman, or even American. The rewards, endorsements, potential sponsors, world wide recognition and fame. She had to go for it. Then it's all lost to an unimaginable crash. Their wonderful and fearless driver gone, the car they held such high hopes for destroyed. 
   
     They clearly have a form of PTSD. They probably don't even care to talk about it. It's to upsetting. It's gone :-(

Offline tallguy

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Re: Any news on what caused the North American Eagle F104 - Jessi Combs crash?
« Reply #19 on: November 06, 2019, 01:04:47 AM »
    Ed and his pardner and there team, 20 years chasing a dream. All the time they spent together, the camaraderie,all the beer they swilled,and then Ed lost to cancer. Jessi,  with all the hope associated with the dream of Worlds fastest woman, or even American. The rewards, endorsements, potential sponsors, world wide recognition and fame. She had to go for it. Then it's all lost to an unimaginable crash. Their wonderful and fearless driver gone, the car they held such high hopes for destroyed. 
   
     They clearly have a form of PTSD. They probably don't even care to talk about it. It's to upsetting. It's gone :-(

I was on the NAE team, but not present on the lakebed when Jessi crashed.  There is something to be learned
from this.  Maybe a more-thorough "fodding" (pre-inspecting of the race course) is in order, perhaps using
something like sonar to "look" for rocks several inches below the surface of the lakebed.  Thanks for reading.

Offline racefanwfo

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Re: Any news on what caused the North American Eagle F104 - Jessi Combs crash?
« Reply #20 on: November 06, 2019, 02:52:40 PM »
When jessi had her accident in the NAE just about every news service had a story about the crash. I wonder if ed had been driving the car when it crashed would any of the news services have reported it.
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Online jl222

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Re: Any news on what caused the North American Eagle F104 - Jessi Combs crash?
« Reply #21 on: November 06, 2019, 05:15:42 PM »
Tort... if a car built in compliance with the rules why would we question it's safety.  Even now I think the rules only suggest roll structures. 
550 MPH in a very heavy car carries a lot of inertia and force.  If it crashes in all likelihood it will not be pretty. 
They said the car hit something and broke a front wheel, causing the suspension to collapse... leading to loss of control and totally destroying the car.
The lesson to be learned.... Newtons law of motion.... and racing is not safe... those of us that do it accept the risk because we want the reward...
 

  What kind of rules don't require a roll bar?

 You don't question the safety of a race car without roll bars?

        JL222

Offline ski123

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Re: Any news on what caused the North American Eagle F104 - Jessi Combs crash?
« Reply #22 on: November 06, 2019, 05:29:51 PM »
Ed would have got some coverage as it is a quite unique sport, 550 mph?  But yes it was Jessi, her knowledge, exposure, influence and yeah her good looks is what fueled the media a bit more then Ed, sorry.  One would think part of the investigation would be to go back and inspect the track.  Follow the cars tracks, if it hit something I think it would be sort of easy to find.  The car had all sorts of GPS and tracking they should be able to find the exact moment and location of the failure.  I'm sure the NAE team is shocked and broken.  This is harsh, this is racing. Only racers race.  Watching the Bloodhound and how they are going about things is quite amazing, and expensive.  What will the Aussie bring to the table?

Offline tortoise

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Re: Any news on what caused the North American Eagle F104 - Jessi Combs crash?
« Reply #23 on: November 06, 2019, 06:58:00 PM »
  What kind of rules don't require a roll bar?

 You don't question the safety of a race car without roll bars?

        JL222

And didn't the original chassis come with an ejection seat?

Offline Stainless1

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Re: Any news on what caused the North American Eagle F104 - Jessi Combs crash?
« Reply #24 on: November 06, 2019, 09:07:34 PM »
  What kind of rules don't require a roll bar?

 You don't question the safety of a race car without roll bars?

        JL222

Same question I had for Craig Breedlove back in 94? when he was testing at the salt.... I've posted the answer multiple times... "you can't build a Lear jet to survive a crash into a mountain"
Would I drive one?... Hell ya

And didn't the original chassis come with an ejection seat?

Yes it did, probably not a zero/zero but do you have any idea what it takes to maintain one of those seats... they also come with a danger to everyone working around it. 
 
Stainless
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Offline tortoise

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Re: Any news on what caused the North American Eagle F104 - Jessi Combs crash?
« Reply #25 on: November 06, 2019, 10:26:38 PM »
And didn't the original chassis come with an ejection seat?

Yes it did, probably not a zero/zero but do you have any idea what it takes to maintain one of those seats... they also come with a danger to everyone working around it.
I should probably have paused and thought a bit before posting that. Thanks for a serious reply to a silly question.



Offline MX304

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Re: Any news on what caused the North American Eagle F104 - Jessi Combs crash?
« Reply #26 on: November 07, 2019, 12:00:12 AM »
  What kind of rules don't require a roll bar?

 You don't question the safety of a race car without roll bars?

        JL222

Same question I had for Craig Breedlove back in 94? when he was testing at the salt.... I've posted the answer multiple times... "you can't build a Lear jet to survive a crash into a mountain"
Would I drive one?... Hell ya

And didn't the original chassis come with an ejection seat?

Yes it did, probably not a zero/zero but do you have any idea what it takes to maintain one of those seats... they also come with a danger to everyone working around it.

Depending on how old that particular air frame was, it could have been one of the early models that used a downward firing seat.

Offline PorkPie

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Re: Any news on what caused the North American Eagle F104 - Jessi Combs crash?
« Reply #27 on: November 07, 2019, 02:13:19 AM »
Did this speculation starts again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We got an accident report on the web, who creates more question that he gives answers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No sense to start again a discussion, wait for that we see a proper report with facts and answers.....but be aware that it can be that a so one will never show up.....

And for ALL, before making comments and asking unnecessary comments about this racer, Ed documented all very well, the history and the built, of this racer on his webpage.
Take time to read them and take time to read about Alvord Desert, what a place it is......it will give you all the answers.....and you will figure out that this was in fact a very famous bird.....

And please, stop now this senseless discussion and bashing the team and driver.....R.I.P. Jessi....and to the team, hope you can overcome that shock.
« Last Edit: November 07, 2019, 02:18:34 AM by PorkPie »
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Offline TrickyDicky

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Re: Any news on what caused the North American Eagle F104 - Jessi Combs crash?
« Reply #28 on: November 07, 2019, 08:06:05 AM »

...

 BUT how about a 500 mph crash or less?

  What's Bloodhound's roll bar system like. Hard to tell from what i've seen.

   JL222

See attached photo of Bloodhound?s carbon fibre/fiber "tub" / "safety cell" as it was in 2014.  The cockpit is surprisingly spacious.

Offline J79

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Re: Any news on what caused the North American Eagle F104 - Jessi Combs crash?
« Reply #29 on: November 07, 2019, 12:14:22 PM »
Tall Guy. Did the car hit an object that was above or on the surface or hit an object that was unnoticeable beneath the surface? Compared to the level of the surface, where was the object they hit and how big was it?
[/quote]
I was on the NAE team, but not present on the lakebed when Jessi crashed.  There is something to be learned
from this.  Maybe a more-thorough "fodding" (pre-inspecting of the race course) is in order, perhaps using
something like sonar to "look" for rocks several inches below the surface of the lakebed.  Thanks for reading.
[/quote]
« Last Edit: November 07, 2019, 03:32:41 PM by J79 »
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