The Harney County Sherriff’s said Monday that an examination of the wreckage has led investigators and Combs’ team to conclude that the front wheel of the vehicle suffered a failure, likely from striking an object on the dry lake bed at approximately 550 mph. The report added that Combs, 39, died from blunt force trauma to her head before the vehicle caught fire.
Combs was trying to break the women’s land speed record of 512 mph set at the same location by Kitty O’Neil in 1976. According to the team, prior to the accident, she completed the two runs in opposite directions at an average speed of 531.889 mph, which has been submitted to Guinness World Records for verification in her honor.