Bob Collins (born Howard Wallace Lee; February 28, 1942 – February 8, 2000) was a morning DJ on WGN-720AM radio in Chicago. His show was the top-rated morning show for WGN and kept the station at the top of the ratings.

Collins attended the University of Florida and worked for a radio station in Gainesville, Florida in the early 1960s. Ultimately, Collins earned a degree in journalism from Florida Southern College.

He enjoyed flying his Zlin 242 L airplane, Gold Wing and the Chicago Cubs.

Death and legacy

Collins died in the afternoon of February 8, 2000, after his and a student pilot's plane collided upon approach to the runway at the Waukegan Regional Airport in Waukegan, Illinois. The student pilot, Sharon Hock, was directly below him, and they were unaware of each other's presence until the collision. Collins attempted to steer his plane to a safe landing, but it crashed and burned atop a nearby hospital, killing him and a passenger and injuring five people on the ground. The student pilot also crashed three blocks away and died. The official report indicated that the control tower personnel were unable to observe or communicate the situation until it was too late.

Many of Collins' friends and co-workers worked in his memory to have radar and other safety tools installed at the Waukegan Regional Airport to prevent further tragedies.

References

  • Selected audio clips from Bob's show on WGN Radio in Chicago.
  • A discussion of the official report on the crash