Whilst trying to achieve the World's water speed record on Consiton Water On 4 January 1967, Campbell was killed when Bluebird K7 flipped and disintegrated at a speed in excess of 300 mph.Bluebird had completed a perfect north-south run at an average of 297.6 mph, and Campbell used a new water brake to slow K7 from her peak speed of 315 mph. Instead of refueling and waiting for the wash of this run to subside, as had been pre-arranged, Campbell decided to make the return run immediately. The second run was even faster; as Bluebird passed the start of the measured mile, she was travelling at over 320 mph. However her stability had begun to break down as she travelled over the rough water, and the boat started tramping from sponson to sponson. 150 yards from the end of the measured mile, Bluebird lifted from the surface and took off at a 45-degree angle. She somersaulted and plunged back into the lake, nose first. The boat then cartwheeled across the water before coming to rest. The impact broke Bluebird forward of the air intakes (where Donald was sitting) and the main hull sank shortly afterwards. Campbell had been killed instantly.



After many years the wreckage of Bluebird was recovered on 8 March 2001 and is now being restored in a workshop in Newcastle North East of England, Donald Campbell's body was finally recovered from the lake on May 28 2001.Donald Campbell was interred in Coniston cemetery on 12 September 2001 after a funeral service in Coniston village