DJ AM & Travis Barker In Critical Condition Following Plane Crash

By Sandra Rose  | 

Former Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker, 32, and DJ AM, 35, were critically injured in a private plane crash in Columbia, SC Friday night.

The two had just performed a free concert at a T-Mobile-sponsored show in Columbia's Five Points area. The crash occurred just after midnight when the private plane, a Lear jet, attempted to take off from the Columbia Metro Airport.

According to air traffic controllers, the plane, which never left the ground, was seen shooting sparks. It skidded off the end of the runway, crashed through a fence, and crossed a roadway before ending up in a ditch where it burst into flames.

Witnesses say two men - Barker and AM - both on fire, were seen escaping the plane. Once outside, the two men patted each other down to extinguish the flames. Three men and a woman were confirmed dead inside the plane.

Lexington County Deputy Coroner Brian Setree, speaking to MTV news, confirmed the dead as Barker's assistant, Chris "Little Chris" Baker, 29, Barker's security guard, Charles Still, 25, the plane's pilot, Sarah Lemmon, 31, and her co-pilot, James Bland, 52. They were all California residents.

Barker and AM, real name Adam Goldstein, were transferred -- AM by helicopter and Barker by ambulance -- to the Still Burn Center in Augusta, Georgia where both men are listed in critical condition with "extensive burns."

Burn injuries are classified in degrees with the most severe being third degree burns. Depending upon the percentage (size) of the burn area, extensive third degree burns can result in death from fluid loss and shock.

A burn victim's chance of survival is greatly increased if he is transferred immediately to a hospital that specializes in burns such as a burn center.

  • http://www.myspace.com/bettathaniwasb4 2bme

    Maan i heard about this..my prayers go out to them and their families in this crisis...

  • ReadTheBlog

    Didn't Adam used to date Nicole Ritchie and Barker sleep around on his wife with Paris Hilton? I believe Barker's wife and Paris went to blows once. I hope they recover, although I can't imagine living through a plane crash.

  • karaz

    I pray for them to survive this, and have the strength to go through recovery.

  • dblaq

    Man that's why everytime I fly I get the bubble guts. Somebody said that flying is much safer than driving a car. That may been true a few years ago. But I truly believe that the safety of airplanes is in the hands of humans that have to make sure that QA is in place. However with these airlines being in bankruptcy, etc the people that may work there are not as dedicated and might not give a damn of doing a good job, in turn they may overlook things that can cause plane crashes. I just don't trust people period

  • Cee

    My prayers go out to the famililesof the ead and injured..... Travis Barker is a PHENOM as far as drumming is concerned (check his remix of Soulja Boi's Crank Dat") I hope he and DJ AM are able to contiue thier craft.

  • dj_dceezy

    dayum, how did them dudes survive and errybody else died? Thats gonna be hell on their consciences... Not that they did anything wrong... But just knowing they escaped and the others didnt...

  • dj_dceezy

    BTW, the airplanes being safer than driving is strictly numerical... Pretty much everyone has a car, so multiply everybody's car trips 10 hours away and just to the grocery, and then compare the toatal number of airplane departures and arrivals, so statistically speaking, YES, airplane travel is Safer... PAUSE

  • Tasha

    Glad they had the presence of mind to help one another by patting out the flames. Such a blessing. God is good, even in hard times.

    God bless those that were lost and their families. Many prayers!

  • Tasha

    Last I heard, Travis suffered burns from the waist down and DJ AM suffered facial burns and is currently in surgery. They're now considered to be in "critical but stable" condition. Thats an improvement!

  • http://www.myspace.com/hune916 HunE916

    I love Travis Barker too. He's a BEAST on the drums!

    I wish them a full recovery.

  • http://www.myspace.com/millyly milly

    My prayers go out to all the families

  • http://www.myspace.com/thegameoncw Bird

    What a tragedy. These stars and high level execs risk their lives everytime they step foot on one of those private jets. I pray both men make a full and speedy recovery and are able to resume their careers. God bless the loved ones of all the victims, dead or alive.

  • bklynchick

    My prayers go out to them. Travis is the man on those drums.

  • Sharonda

    It's a really unfortunate situation.

    Wonder how they escaped, but the other didn't.Either way a sad sad situation.

    RIP to those life that was also lost.

  • http://pleasurekisses.com Mika79

    I will pray for their recovery. Scary thing when I heard this happen. How come everytime we hear of a plane crash it's of celebrities????

  • http://www.myspace.com/thegameoncw Bird

    Mika79 Says:

    I will pray for their recovery. Scary thing when I heard this happen. How come everytime we hear of a plane crash it’s of celebrities????
    ********************************************************

    Because they are the ones on the private jets. It may not be as luxurious, but flying commercial is a million times safer.

  • karaz

    Bird Says:

    Because they are the ones on the private jets. It may not be as luxurious, but flying commercial is a million times safer.
    _____________________________________________________________

    You're so right about that, I hate getting on smaller planes, you can feel every gust of wind, and they take much longer, so for an extra 30 or so minutes of flight time, I'm queasy and tense. And people think I'm crazy when I request to be booked on commercial flights.

  • ckarinwhite

    My prayers to all the victims of this tragic accident.

  • candi21

    They jumped out the plane door when it crashed down, is why they survived.... Get Well Soon !!! RIP to the ones that didnt make it..

  • Kymystry

    God Bless them ... speedy recovery .. thank GOD they were near one of the BEST burn Center's in the Country.

  • http://www.findentertainmentnow.com miesha@FindEntertainmentNow.com

    oh wow. how terrible. and the celebs on the plane survived and the others didn't. i hope they are in stable condition but it is still a hard situation. God has a plan...
    i pray for the departed and the ones injured. man life is short and you never know what will happen next. live in love.