BURNS, Ore. -- Television personality and professional driver Jessi Combs died Tuesday in Oregon trying to break a land speed record in a jet car, according to local authorities. She was 39.

The Harney County Sheriff's Office said it was called to a scene of a fatal crash in the Alvord Desert about 90 miles south of Burns, Oregon, around 4 p.m. local time on Tuesday, Aug. 27. Combs, of Long Beach, California, was identified as the sole fatality connected to the accident.

The cause of the crash is still under investigation. According to Combs' family, the fatal crash occurred in a dry lake bed in the North American Eagle jet car. Jet cars are race cars propelled by jet engines.

Combs was widely known in the niche sport of jet-car racing and was attempting to break the Women's Land Speed Record of 512 mph set in 1976 by Kitty O'Neil when she died. Combs wrote on Instagram on Sunday: "People say I'm crazy. I say thank you."

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