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BBC blames tyre for Hammond crash | BBC blames tyre for Hammond crash |
(20 minutes later) | |
A damaged tyre caused the crash that almost killed Top Gear host Richard Hammond last year, the BBC has said. | A damaged tyre caused the crash that almost killed Top Gear host Richard Hammond last year, the BBC has said. |
The "catastrophic disintegration" of the jet car's front tyre was probably caused by an object like a nail, a BBC report has concluded. | The "catastrophic disintegration" of the jet car's front tyre was probably caused by an object like a nail, a BBC report has concluded. |
The 88-page document criticised the Top Gear team for not having anyone present "with sufficient knowledge to assess the adequacy" of the safety checks. | The 88-page document criticised the Top Gear team for not having anyone present "with sufficient knowledge to assess the adequacy" of the safety checks. |
Hammond crashed while driving at speeds up to 288mph at an airfield near York. | Hammond crashed while driving at speeds up to 288mph at an airfield near York. |
According to the report, the underlying cause of the incident was "the inability to spot the damage to the tyre". | According to the report, the underlying cause of the incident was "the inability to spot the damage to the tyre". |
Safety checks on the day were made by PrimeTime Land Speed Engineering (PLE), the company that provided the Vampire jet car Hammond was driving, the BBC said. | |
Hammond suffered brain injuries and was airlifted to hospitalBut the evidence was "inconclusive whether the safety checks, especially tyre checks, were being conducted to an appropriate standard", the report decided. | |
The report concluded that, where experts were given "prime responsibility" over safety, the BBC must ensure it selected "competent persons". | |
The Health and Safety Executive published its report on the crash in June. | The Health and Safety Executive published its report on the crash in June. |
It spotted failings in "risk assessment and the procurement of services from others" but also identified precautions that "almost certainly saved Mr Hammond's life". | |
After that report was published, PLE issued a statement saying its cars were "designed, built, maintained and constantly updated to embrace or exceed all current standards". | |
'Safety first' | |
"The team's reputation for putting safety first is well known in drag racing, airshow and speed record breaking circles," it said. | "The team's reputation for putting safety first is well known in drag racing, airshow and speed record breaking circles," it said. |
The Vampire's tyres, it added, had been bought new not long before the crash. | The Vampire's tyres, it added, had been bought new not long before the crash. |
The Top Gear team were praised elsewhere in the BBC report for areas of good practice. | |
These included a decision by executive producer Andy Wilman to drop initial plans to attempt a land speed record. | |
It also said emergency services were at the scene of the crash "within seconds". | It also said emergency services were at the scene of the crash "within seconds". |
And it recommended a series of measures to improve risk management in programmes involving "high risk activities". | |
Hammond crashed on 20 September at Elvington Airfield while making his seventh run of the day in the jet-powered dragster. | Hammond crashed on 20 September at Elvington Airfield while making his seventh run of the day in the jet-powered dragster. |
He was airlifted to hospital and treated for swelling to the brain and bruising, but eventually made a complete recovery. | He was airlifted to hospital and treated for swelling to the brain and bruising, but eventually made a complete recovery. |