A world record attempt to jump a motorcycle 107 metres has ended in disaster after US daredevil Alex Harvill was killed in a warm-up jump.
Harvill's world record attempt was billed as part of the Moses Lake Air Show in Washington State, where he would attempt to break the current world record for longest motorcycle ramp jump — 106.98 metres.
But during a practice jump just ahead of the main event, the 28-year-old crashed.
Video of the crash shows him take off from the ramp successfully, only to land just short of the dirt ramp on the far side of the jump.
He instead crashes into the lip of the dirt ramp.
In a statement on its Facebook page, the Moses Lake Airshow said he was injured during the warm-up jump and taken to hospital.
However, the Grant County Coroner confirmed he died a short time later.
Robbie Maddison, the Australian world record holder whose jump Harvill was trying to beat, said he was "shattered" by the tragedy.
"He had flown a motorcycle further than anyone else has and was out to set a new world record when he paid the ultimate price," he said.
In an interview with local media last month, Harvill said he hoped to follow in the footsteps of greats like Evel Knievel.
"Just watching them on TV made them seem almost larger than life," he said.
Harvill had posted about the birth of his son on Instagram just four weeks prior to the crash.
