Motorcycle Crashes 285 MPH: Racer Bill Warner Is Killed During World Record Attempt, Mechanical Failure Suspected [VIDEO]

A motorcycle crashes at 285 mph at a former air base in northern Maine on Sunday. 44-year-old motorcycle racer Bill Warner was attempting to break the 300 mph when he lost control of the motorcycle and careened off the runway. Warner was killed after suffering serious injury.

400 spectators witnessed the motorcycle crash when Bill Warner began veering right after accelerating past the 1-mile mark. His specially modified turbocharged Suzuki Hayabusa superbike was clocked at 285 mph shortly before the crash it is unclear exactly how quickly Warner was travelling at the precise moment he was thrown from the bike.

According to YouTube video uploaded by TheXeromind, Bill Warner expressed concerns of calm but increasing winds down the runway. In order to settle the bike at speed, Warner opted to turn down the power for more stability.

When asked how the bike feels at 290 mph, Warner answered: "At a wheelie, it's really scary. 290 and everything is planted, it's very fun.

Ultimately, the final run tossed Warner as high as 40 feet into the air. First responders rushed to his aid. Bill Warner was conscious and talking following the motorcycle crashes at 285 mph but was confirmed dead shortly after he was sent to the hospital, approximately an hour and 15 minutes after the accident.

In 2011, Bill Warner successfully hit 311 mph in the mighty turbo Hayabusa on a 1.5 mile runway. This time, Warner aimed to exceed 300 mph in just 1 mile.

"No one will touch Bill's achievements or be the type of racer he was. He was a personal friend and the land-racing community is less for his loss," said Tim Kelly, race director the Loring Timing Association, hosted of "The Maine Event" at Loring Air Force Base.

The Limestone Police Department and Maine State Police continue to investigate the cause of crash. Mechanical failure is suspected as the cause of the motocycle crash at 285 mph.