Federal investigators are saying that a blown tire may have caused the Learjet chartered plane crash in South Carolina. The plane crash victims included four Southern California residents and two celebrity musicians – former Blink 182 drummer Travis Barker and disc jockey DJ AM aka Adam Goldstein. The celebrity musicians were the only survivors of the crash, suffering serious burns. According to a Sept. 22 article in The Orange County Register, those who died in the crash were Sara Lemmon, 31, of Anaheim Hills; James Bland, 52, of Carlsbad; Chris Baker, 29; and Charles Still, 25. The musicians who suffered severe burns are expected to survive and recover.

Investigators for the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said the cockpit crew reported the tire blowout to the air traffic controller. A recording obtained by investigators also indicates what seemed to be a tire blowout. According to air traffic controllers at Columbia Metropolitan Airport in South Carolina, they saw sparks fly from the Learjet. NTSB investigators say pieces of tire recovered from the runway indicated that Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. manufactured the tires for Learjet. The jet, headed for Van Nuys, is owned by Global Exec Aviation.

Our hearts go out to the victims of the Learjet crash. We wish the two injured musicians the very best for a speedy recovery.

It’s interesting to note however that this is not the first time Learjet aircraft have had tire problems or defects. Learjets were reportedly involved in similar accidents in 1994 and 2001. In those incidents, the jets were just about to take off when one or more of the tires failed. Although those two cases resulted in no injuries, it appears that in this South Carolina crash, the blown tire may have caused the crash, injuries and deaths.

The victims and the families of the deceased would be well advised to contact a nationally renowned product defects law firm that is adept at handling aviation accidents. A skilled personal injury lawyer will also look at other factors such as maintenance of this charter aircraft, inspections prior to take off and whether FAA protocols and regulations were followed.