92TripleBlack
12-08-2006, 08:21 AM
September 2006 car crash
Richard Hammond injured in jet-powered car crashAt approximately 5:45pm BST on 20 September 2006, Hammond was seriously injured in a car crash while filming for Top Gear at the former RAF Elvington airfield near York. He was piloting a jet-powered Vampire car, which is theoretically capable of travelling at 370mph.[7]
According to some sources[8], he was not attempting to break the British Land Speed Record, however this contradicts a statement given by the owner of 'Event Fire Services' which was hired to provide safety cover. [9] He was said to be travelling at 288mph at the time of the crash. He was taken to the specialist neurological unit of the Leeds General Infirmary. [10]
Sky News and BBC News report that he was driving a Vampire jet car powered by a Rolls Royce Orpheus Turbo-Jet Engine, one of a pair built by then driver, Keiran Westman; the very same car that currently holds the British landspeed record at 300.3 mph. [11] [12] Primetime Land Speed Engineering have now denied reports that Hammond was making an attempt to break the land speed record, although telemetry on one of the runs did suggest that he had reached 300mph.[9]
According to witnesses, Hammond was completing a final run to collect extra footage for the programme when "One of the parachutes had deployed but it went on to the grass and spun over and over before coming to a rest about 100 yards from us." When rescuers arrived at the car it was upside down and "dug in" to the grass. Rescuers felt a pulse and heard Hammond, who was unconscious, breathing before the car was turned right way up. Hammond was cut free, put in a neck brace and placed on a stretcher before the air ambulance arrived. "He was regaining consciousness at that point and said he had some lower back pain".[13]
ITV News reported that Hammond had broken the British land speed record and was on a last run, filming extra scenes for Top Gear, when the accident took place. Hammond's family stayed with him at the hospital, along with Top Gear representatives who were there when the accident took place, as well as Top Gear co-presenters James May and Jeremy Clarkson. Jeremy Clarkson is quoted by the BBC as saying "Both James and I are looking forward to getting our 'hamster' back.", referring to Hammond by his nickname.[12]
A quote from Dave Ogden from Event Fire Services, present at the scene of the accident, as broadcast on Sky News that evening: "He was just doing the final run of the day - I don't know quite what happened - but the parachute deployed. There was quite a lot of smoke and the car veered off to the right and on to the grass, and it overturned several times and it came to a halt a couple of hundred yards in front of us."
[edit] Treatment and recovery
BBC reports suggest that he was air-lifted from the crash scene drifting in and out of consciousness.[9] North Yorkshire Police said that they "received a report via the fire service of a male person trapped in an overturned jet car which had been driven on the airfield." [14]
The doctor treating Hammond announced on 21 September that he had a "significant brain injury" but he was reasonably optimistic he would make a good recovery.[10]
Hammond was visited several times in hospital after the crash by co-presenter Jeremy Clarkson and responded well to conversations with him. He even managed a smile after Clarkson jokingly said the reason he crashed was because he was such a 'crap driver'. It also became clear that Hammond's co-presenter James May was originally supposed to be driving the car[15]. May explained later that a leaked shooting schedule made weeks before the incident was changed due to scheduling conflicts. After visiting Hammond in the hospital, May remarked: "I was chuffed to see him and although he's muttering, he seems much like the irritating little sh1t I know and love. Even when he can't say much, he seemed to make as much sense as he does when he can talk normally...Having seen him today I do believe Richard will make a full recovery from this awful crash and, when he's back on his feet, I'm looking forward to going down to the pub with him."[16].
Hammond's condition was downgraded from "serious but stable" to "stable" on the morning of 22 September, when he was moved out of intensive care.[10] On the same day ITV News reported that Hammond was conscious and was talking to friends and family. In the early hours of 22 September, Hammond took his first steps (he got up and went to the toilet), just 30 hours after the crash, according to Jeremy Clarkson, and was moved to a general ward on 23 September. His severe injury reduced him to a "child-like state" in which he became obsessed with LEGO bricks, which he said helped him recover. [17]
On 26 September and 27 September Hammond was reported to be improving so well he would be moved to a hospital nearer his home in Gloucestershire.[18] On 28 September he was airlifted from Leeds General Infirmary to the BUPA hospital in Clifton, Bristol, to be closer to his home in Gloucestershire. His neurologist, consultant Stuart Ross, estimated a full-recovery time of 6 months.[19]
It was reported that Hammond wanted the new series of Top Gear, as scheduled, to go ahead in October and also that he wished that the footage of the crash/race to be shown. [20]
Rumours started to circulate after Hammond's crash that Top Gear was going to be axed, but this was clarified by the BBC when they announced on 6 October that Top Gear was still in production for its new series, although it will only air when Hammond is fully recovered and able to participate in the programme. BBC also announced on 6 October that they are producing a special programme on Hammond's crash that will show the footage filmed on the day.[21][22]
A charity appeal in aid of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance was established shortly after the accident. Initially the money was to be used to fund day-to-day running costs of the helicopter. However on 24 September, due to the generosity of the public, the chief executive of the air ambulance trust announced the money would be used to procure a second helicopter.[23]
In a series of articles published in the Daily Mirror on 23 October he described what he remembered of the accident, and his recovery so far. At the time, he was preparing to return home after five weeks, though he had been originally told that he would be hospitalised for fifteen months. [24] [25] [26] [27] His wife told her story in an article published on 24 October 2006. [28]
On 1 November 2006, Jeremy Clarkson and James May received the National Television Award for best factual programme on behalf of 'Top Gear' and announced that Richard Hammond is 'back to normal' and made jokes about his bad driving. "I told you if one of us crashed we'd win this," Clarkson quipped.
On 12 November 2006 he was back behind the wheel for the first time after the accident. He chose his Morgan, the classic British sports car, ahead of the other motors in his garage, which included a Porsche, vintage Ford Mustang and a Range Rover, and took things at a slow pace, not venturing above 50mph.
The amazing thing is that he is alive at all let alone driving and being an "irritating little sh1t". Glad he's ok cause I like this guy. :D
Richard Hammond injured in jet-powered car crashAt approximately 5:45pm BST on 20 September 2006, Hammond was seriously injured in a car crash while filming for Top Gear at the former RAF Elvington airfield near York. He was piloting a jet-powered Vampire car, which is theoretically capable of travelling at 370mph.[7]
According to some sources[8], he was not attempting to break the British Land Speed Record, however this contradicts a statement given by the owner of 'Event Fire Services' which was hired to provide safety cover. [9] He was said to be travelling at 288mph at the time of the crash. He was taken to the specialist neurological unit of the Leeds General Infirmary. [10]
Sky News and BBC News report that he was driving a Vampire jet car powered by a Rolls Royce Orpheus Turbo-Jet Engine, one of a pair built by then driver, Keiran Westman; the very same car that currently holds the British landspeed record at 300.3 mph. [11] [12] Primetime Land Speed Engineering have now denied reports that Hammond was making an attempt to break the land speed record, although telemetry on one of the runs did suggest that he had reached 300mph.[9]
According to witnesses, Hammond was completing a final run to collect extra footage for the programme when "One of the parachutes had deployed but it went on to the grass and spun over and over before coming to a rest about 100 yards from us." When rescuers arrived at the car it was upside down and "dug in" to the grass. Rescuers felt a pulse and heard Hammond, who was unconscious, breathing before the car was turned right way up. Hammond was cut free, put in a neck brace and placed on a stretcher before the air ambulance arrived. "He was regaining consciousness at that point and said he had some lower back pain".[13]
ITV News reported that Hammond had broken the British land speed record and was on a last run, filming extra scenes for Top Gear, when the accident took place. Hammond's family stayed with him at the hospital, along with Top Gear representatives who were there when the accident took place, as well as Top Gear co-presenters James May and Jeremy Clarkson. Jeremy Clarkson is quoted by the BBC as saying "Both James and I are looking forward to getting our 'hamster' back.", referring to Hammond by his nickname.[12]
A quote from Dave Ogden from Event Fire Services, present at the scene of the accident, as broadcast on Sky News that evening: "He was just doing the final run of the day - I don't know quite what happened - but the parachute deployed. There was quite a lot of smoke and the car veered off to the right and on to the grass, and it overturned several times and it came to a halt a couple of hundred yards in front of us."
[edit] Treatment and recovery
BBC reports suggest that he was air-lifted from the crash scene drifting in and out of consciousness.[9] North Yorkshire Police said that they "received a report via the fire service of a male person trapped in an overturned jet car which had been driven on the airfield." [14]
The doctor treating Hammond announced on 21 September that he had a "significant brain injury" but he was reasonably optimistic he would make a good recovery.[10]
Hammond was visited several times in hospital after the crash by co-presenter Jeremy Clarkson and responded well to conversations with him. He even managed a smile after Clarkson jokingly said the reason he crashed was because he was such a 'crap driver'. It also became clear that Hammond's co-presenter James May was originally supposed to be driving the car[15]. May explained later that a leaked shooting schedule made weeks before the incident was changed due to scheduling conflicts. After visiting Hammond in the hospital, May remarked: "I was chuffed to see him and although he's muttering, he seems much like the irritating little sh1t I know and love. Even when he can't say much, he seemed to make as much sense as he does when he can talk normally...Having seen him today I do believe Richard will make a full recovery from this awful crash and, when he's back on his feet, I'm looking forward to going down to the pub with him."[16].
Hammond's condition was downgraded from "serious but stable" to "stable" on the morning of 22 September, when he was moved out of intensive care.[10] On the same day ITV News reported that Hammond was conscious and was talking to friends and family. In the early hours of 22 September, Hammond took his first steps (he got up and went to the toilet), just 30 hours after the crash, according to Jeremy Clarkson, and was moved to a general ward on 23 September. His severe injury reduced him to a "child-like state" in which he became obsessed with LEGO bricks, which he said helped him recover. [17]
On 26 September and 27 September Hammond was reported to be improving so well he would be moved to a hospital nearer his home in Gloucestershire.[18] On 28 September he was airlifted from Leeds General Infirmary to the BUPA hospital in Clifton, Bristol, to be closer to his home in Gloucestershire. His neurologist, consultant Stuart Ross, estimated a full-recovery time of 6 months.[19]
It was reported that Hammond wanted the new series of Top Gear, as scheduled, to go ahead in October and also that he wished that the footage of the crash/race to be shown. [20]
Rumours started to circulate after Hammond's crash that Top Gear was going to be axed, but this was clarified by the BBC when they announced on 6 October that Top Gear was still in production for its new series, although it will only air when Hammond is fully recovered and able to participate in the programme. BBC also announced on 6 October that they are producing a special programme on Hammond's crash that will show the footage filmed on the day.[21][22]
A charity appeal in aid of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance was established shortly after the accident. Initially the money was to be used to fund day-to-day running costs of the helicopter. However on 24 September, due to the generosity of the public, the chief executive of the air ambulance trust announced the money would be used to procure a second helicopter.[23]
In a series of articles published in the Daily Mirror on 23 October he described what he remembered of the accident, and his recovery so far. At the time, he was preparing to return home after five weeks, though he had been originally told that he would be hospitalised for fifteen months. [24] [25] [26] [27] His wife told her story in an article published on 24 October 2006. [28]
On 1 November 2006, Jeremy Clarkson and James May received the National Television Award for best factual programme on behalf of 'Top Gear' and announced that Richard Hammond is 'back to normal' and made jokes about his bad driving. "I told you if one of us crashed we'd win this," Clarkson quipped.
On 12 November 2006 he was back behind the wheel for the first time after the accident. He chose his Morgan, the classic British sports car, ahead of the other motors in his garage, which included a Porsche, vintage Ford Mustang and a Range Rover, and took things at a slow pace, not venturing above 50mph.
The amazing thing is that he is alive at all let alone driving and being an "irritating little sh1t". Glad he's ok cause I like this guy. :D