Powell died on 5 April 1998 following a car crash while driving his Saab 9000 at in bad weather on the M4 motorway near Bristol. He had been dating a married woman who was having problems with her husband. Upset, she phoned him and asked him to come quickly to her house which was approximately away. As he was driving to her house, she phoned him again and asked "Where are you?" He informed her he was on his way and she then heard him say "Oh shit!" followed by a loud bang.