RIP Colin McRae

granturismonut · Post by **granturismonut** » Sun Sep 16, 2007 2:00 am

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/t...9.ece

From The Sunday Times
September 16, 2007
Rally champion Colin McRae dies with son in helicopter crash
Tom Gordon for The Sunday Times
THE 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."

Additional reporting: Paul Lamarra

Police have said extensive damage was done to the twin squirrel helicopter and they were not immediately able to confirm how many people had been travelling in the craft.

There will be no formal identification of any victims this evening.

The air accident investigation team are en route to establish the cause of the crash.

The Scottish Ambulance Service confirmed that its own helicopter was despatched to the scene along with three ambulance crews and units from Strathclyde Fire Brigade.

Sky Correspondent James Matthews said: "My understanding is that the helicopter involved is registered to Colin McRae, the former world rally champion former world rally champion.

"He lives on an estate where this crash took place, the Jervis Wood estate just outside Lanark in the central belt of Scotland.

"All police will say it that they are in touch with the family to try to establish the identity of those on board the helicopter."

Gunmetal Si · Post by **Gunmetal Si** » Sun Sep 16, 2007 2:30 am

subygrl · Post by **subygrl** » Sun Sep 16, 2007 3:06 am

I am so upset to hear this. He was one of my favorite drivers and really got me into the WRC. This sucks!

Phate · Post by **Phate** » Sun Sep 16, 2007 4:37 am

GUNMETAL SI;67320 wrote:damn

+1. This is a bad deal.

xslickwhitetegx · Post by **xslickwhitetegx** » Sun Sep 16, 2007 4:51 am

Phate;67342 wrote:+1. This is a bad deal.

+2 dang he was a great driver and he will be missed!! reading that gave me goose bumps I hate that...

eh2_Erik · Post by **eh2_Erik** » Sun Sep 16, 2007 5:09 am

unbelieveable.

HondaChild · Post by **HondaChild** » Sun Sep 16, 2007 5:49 am

WoW, and of all the crazy shit he did racing he had to die with his son in a helicopter crash. That sucks. R.I.P

sharpie · Post by **sharpie** » Sun Sep 16, 2007 5:55 am

damn that sucks big time hes probally one of my top favorite drivers

Nat X · Post by **Nat X** » Sun Sep 16, 2007 8:12 pm

This is truely sad, watching that crazy mf'er rip thru the woods and mountains of Europe is what made me have a passion for cars and what they are capable of. I will miss the good ole days of WRC, when it was actually on tv.

R.I.P.
Colin

Yahl · Post by **Yahl** » Sun Sep 16, 2007 8:24 pm

I hate hearing of these incidents. Really sad. My prayers are with his friends and family. What a terrible thing.