2008 South Carolina Learjet 60 crash

Infobox Aircraft crash
name = South Carolina Learjet 60


caption =
date = September 19, 2008
type =
site = 2860 Edmund Highway
coords = coord|display=inline,title|33.937|-81.1053
passengers = 4
crew = 2
fatalities = 4 (Chris Baker, James Bland, Sarah Lemmon, Charles Still)
survivors = 2 (Travis Barker, Adam Goldstein)
aircraft_type = Learjet 60
origin = Columbia Metropolitan Airport
stopover =
destination = Van Nuys, California
operator =
tail_number = N999LJ [ [http://cnnwire.blogs.cnn.com/2008/09/20/investigation-on-in-deadly-sc-plane-crash/ Investigation on in deadly SC plane crash] . "CNN.com", 2008-09-20. Retrieved 2008-09-21.]

The 2008 South Carolina Learjet 60 crash occurred just before midnight on September 19, 2008, when a Learjet 60 crashed while taking off from Columbia Metropolitan Airport in South Carolina. [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26803108/ 4 killed, 2 hurt as rock star's jet crashes] , as well as MSNBC News Live, 8:30 AM, September 20, 2008.] [http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-learjet-crash,0,4049953.story Witness of fatal SC jet crash says surviving musicians escaped as their clothes burned] , NewsDay.com ] Weather at the time was cool, dry, and clear. The plane hit runway lights and crashed through the boundary fence, crossing SC 302, and coming to rest on an embankment by the side of the highway. No one on the ground was hurt, but of the six people on the plane, four died in the crash and two suffered severe burns. The plane was a charter flight taking persons who had participated at a free concert in Five Points earlier that night to Van Nuys, California.

Victims and survivors

The two survivors of this crash were musicians Travis Barker and Adam Goldstein (better known as DJ AM). [cite news |first=Geoff |last=Boucher |coauthors=Jennifer Oldham |url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/music/la-me-learcrash21-2008sep21,0,6334171.story |work=Los Angeles Times |date=2008-09-20 |accessdate=2008-09-20 |title=Former Blink-182 drummer, popular DJ survive plane crash that killed 4 ] They were the only two to escape the plane and were able to inform first responders that there were four others on the plane. Barker suffered second and third degree burns covering approximately 1/3 of his body. Barker and Goldstein were in critical but stable condition as of September 21, 2008.

Pilot Sarah Lemmon, 31, of Anaheim Hills, California and co-pilot James Bland, 52, of Carlsbad, California both died in the crash. Also dead from the crash were Chris Baker, 29, of Studio City, California, and a security guard, Charles "Che" Still, 25, of Los Angeles.

Aftermath

The crash site was left intact until the NTSB could perform its initial survey. As a result, runway 11/29 of the Columbia Metropolitan Airport was closed until the morning of the 21st. Because the other airport runway, runway 5/23 was also closed for resurfacing, [cite web|url=http://www.columbiaairport.com/constructionprojects.html|publisher=Columbia Metropolitan Airport|title=Construction Projects|accessdate=2008-09-20] the airport was closed to service. Smaller aircraft were diverted to Columbia Owens Downtown Airport, while scheduled airline service was canceled for the 20th, affecting approximately 400 passengers. [cite web|url=http://www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?S=9045044|title=Plane crash causes travel woes for some|publisher=WIS-TV|date=2008-09-20]

In addition to the impact on the airport itself, because of time needed to repair fire damage and perform clean up, the stretch of SC 302 where the plane came to rest was closed until 6 a.m. on the 25th. [cite web|url=http://www.thestate.com/local/story/534126.html|title=Columbia plane crash: Musicians’ escape amazes witnesses|publisher="The State"|date=2008-09-24]

The plane did not carry a flight data recorder, but during the investigation, the cockpit voice recorder was found. In the recording, the crew indicated that a tire blew out. In the recording, the crew attempted a rejected takeoff. Pieces of a tire were found at the crash site. [citenews|title=Feds say doomed SC jet crew thought tire blew out|url=http://www.examiner.com/a-1599016~Feds_say_doomed_SC_jet_crew_thought_tire_blew_out.html|date=2008-09-21|accessdate=2008-09-22|work=examiner.com|last=Davenport|first=Jim|coauthors=Nekesa Mumbi Moody; Thomas Watkins]

References

External Links

* " [http://www.thestate.com/local/story/530614.html Pilot, copilot, 2 others die in crash carrying performers] " thestate.com
* " [http://www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?S=9043949 Four victims identified in Columbia plane crash] " wistv.com
* " [http://www.nowpublic.com/world/lear-jet-crashes-columbia-sc-4-dead-blink-182-travis-barker-and-dj-am-critical Lear Jet crashes in Columbia, SC 4 Dead, Blink-182, Travis Barker and DJ AM Critical] " Nowpublic.com
* [http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Four-killed-SC-plane-crash-ex-Blink-182-drummer-injured/ss/events/ts/092008learjetcrash/im:/080920/482/49dc862fe76e485ea5acfefaacb8cf6c/#photoViewer=/080920/482/118799ac556a49edbbaecceb1704f5f8 Pictures of crashsite]
* " [http://www.etonline.com/news/2008/09/65872/ Video From A Police Car DashCam Moments After Impact] " etonline.com