Rally Legend Colin McRae killed in helicopter crash - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

QuasiMondo · 09-15-2007, 02:01 PM

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/spo...cle2461339.ece

Rally champion Colin McRae dies with son in helicopter crash click to show

former rally driving champion Colin McRae was killed and his five year-old son feared dead in a helicopter crash yesterday afternoon. The aircraft came down in Jerviswood, Lanarkshire, half a mile from the family's home and burst into flames just after 4pm.

Jean-Eric Freudiger, McRae's agent, said the 39-year-old driver had been piloting the helicopter himself. Also on board were believed to be his son Johnny, another adult and another child. Police said there were no survivors.

McRae's wife Alison and their daughter Hollie, 9, were not on board, friends said.

McRae became Britain's first World Rally champion in 1995. He was one of the country's most successful sportsmen, achieving 25 wins in World Rally events and 42 podium places. He was a flamboyant driver, inspiring one the world's best-selling computer rally games.

The helicopter came down within half a mile of McRae's home, Jervis House, a 16th-century tower house, which has an adjacent helipad. The weather had been overcast, with a light breeze, but visibility was good.

Strathclyde police said the extent of the fire damage was making identification a problem.

McRae's wife, a childhood sweetheart and his former co-driver, was taken back to the house under police escort shortly after 6pm. She looked calm, but neighbours gathering outside the house looked shaken with grief.

McRae's friend the rally journalist Jeremy Hart who flew with the champion several times described him as a "very good, very measured pilot whose natural ability with machinery was second to none". "Colin regularly flew all over the UK and into Europe," said Hart. "He knew the terrain and conditions at Jerviswood very well. It was the place he flew into most regularly.

"As a driver Colin was misunderstood slightly as being reckless but everything you saw with him came from pure raw talent as opposed to being learnt. He was the Michael Schumacher of rally driving.

"It's so ironic that he should die in a helicopter crash when he had competed and had brushed with death so many times as a rally driver."

A sad day for rally enthusiasts indeed.

ChrisJericho · 09-15-2007, 04:11 PM

Very sad.

laconic1 · 09-15-2007, 05:43 PM

Oh man this is the first I had heard of this. What a shame, he was one of the best.

MexicanOnABike · 09-16-2007, 03:06 PM

that's too bad. I bet you they'll now make a final rally game called Legends. all the history of his racing till now as the final game.

desal75 · 09-17-2007, 07:21 AM

First Richard Burns and now Colin. Fans of Subaru and fans of WRC in general are running out of heroes.

kurty[B] · 09-17-2007, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by desal75

First Richard Burns and now Colin. Fans of Subaru and fans of WRC in general are running out of heroes.

Definitely sad sad news. Lost a great for sure.

There are still heroes and excellent drivers (I enjoy watching Sebastian Loeb), and RallyAmerica is getting more and more interesting to watch now that they are pulling together more money and sponsors. It has been fun watching Tanner Foust go from grassroots racing to where he is now. I personally am not a big fan of Travis Pastrana, but he is a very nice guy and American Rally Racing needed a poster boy.

Cynthetiq · 09-17-2007, 08:20 AM

awwww.. damn I enjoyed watching him race.

Shauk · 09-17-2007, 08:52 AM

his 5 year old son died too

what a horrific tragedy.

09-15-2007, 02:01 PM	#1 (permalink)
QuasiMondo Wise-ass Latino Location: Pretoria (Tshwane), RSA	Rally Legend Colin McRae killed in helicopter crash http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/spo...cle2461339.ece Rally champion Colin McRae dies with son in helicopter crash click to show former rally driving champion Colin McRae was killed and his five year-old son feared dead in a helicopter crash yesterday afternoon. The aircraft came down in Jerviswood, Lanarkshire, half a mile from the family's home and burst into flames just after 4pm. Jean-Eric Freudiger, McRae's agent, said the 39-year-old driver had been piloting the helicopter himself. Also on board were believed to be his son Johnny, another adult and another child. Police said there were no survivors. McRae's wife Alison and their daughter Hollie, 9, were not on board, friends said. McRae became Britain's first World Rally champion in 1995. He was one of the country's most successful sportsmen, achieving 25 wins in World Rally events and 42 podium places. He was a flamboyant driver, inspiring one the world's best-selling computer rally games. The helicopter came down within half a mile of McRae's home, Jervis House, a 16th-century tower house, which has an adjacent helipad. The weather had been overcast, with a light breeze, but visibility was good. Strathclyde police said the extent of the fire damage was making identification a problem. McRae's wife, a childhood sweetheart and his former co-driver, was taken back to the house under police escort shortly after 6pm. She looked calm, but neighbours gathering outside the house looked shaken with grief. McRae's friend the rally journalist Jeremy Hart who flew with the champion several times described him as a "very good, very measured pilot whose natural ability with machinery was second to none". "Colin regularly flew all over the UK and into Europe," said Hart. "He knew the terrain and conditions at Jerviswood very well. It was the place he flew into most regularly. "As a driver Colin was misunderstood slightly as being reckless but everything you saw with him came from pure raw talent as opposed to being learnt. He was the Michael Schumacher of rally driving. "It's so ironic that he should die in a helicopter crash when he had competed and had brushed with death so many times as a rally driver." A sad day for rally enthusiasts indeed. __________________ Cameron originally envisioned the Terminator as a small, unremarkable man, giving it the ability to blend in more easily. As a result, his first choice for the part was Lance Henriksen. O. J. Simpson was on the shortlist but Cameron did not think that such a nice guy could be a ruthless killer. -From the Collector's Edition DVD of The Terminator

09-15-2007, 04:11 PM	#2 (permalink)
ChrisJericho eat more fruit Location: Seattle	Very sad. __________________ "A casual stroll through the lunatic asylum shows us that faith proves nothing." - Friedrich Nietzsche

09-16-2007, 03:06 PM	#4 (permalink)
MexicanOnABike Location: up north	that's too bad. I bet you they'll now make a final rally game called Legends. all the history of his racing till now as the final game. __________________ - Movie Reviews - Ratings-

09-17-2007, 07:21 AM	#5 (permalink)
desal75 Psycho Location: Western New York	First Richard Burns and now Colin. Fans of Subaru and fans of WRC in general are running out of heroes. __________________ The Man in Black fled across the desert and the Gunslinger followed.

09-17-2007, 08:20 AM	#7 (permalink)
Cynthetiq Tilted Cat Head Administrator Location: Manhattan, NY	awwww.. damn I enjoyed watching him race. __________________ I don't care if you are black, white, purple, green, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, hippie, cop, bum, admin, user, English, Irish, French, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, indian, cowboy, tall, short, fat, skinny, emo, punk, mod, rocker, straight, gay, lesbian, jock, nerd, geek, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, driver, pedestrian, or bicyclist, either you're an asshole or you're not. What's the best nation in the world? DO-NATION!

09-15-2007, 05:43 PM	#3 (permalink)
laconic1 Junkie	Oh man this is the first I had heard of this. What a shame, he was one of the best.

09-17-2007, 08:52 AM	#8 (permalink)
Shauk Confused Adult Location: Spokane, WA	his 5 year old son died too what a horrific tragedy.