November 24, 2008

Travis Barker Sues Plane Company Over September Crash: Report

By Shawn Adler (MTV.com)

Former Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker is suing Bombardier Inc., a Canadian Aerospace conglomerate and makers of the Learjet; Clay Lacy Aviation, a jet-charter company; and Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company for monetary damages stemming from a South Carolina plane crash he survived in September, according to TMZ.com.

The crash resulted in the deaths of four of the plane's six occupants, including Barker bodyguard Charles "Che" Still, whose mother, Thelma Martin Still, filed suit in L.A. County Superior Court alongside the drummer. DJ AM was the crash's only other survivor.

A federal inquiry into the crash two months ago led investigators to conclude that a blown tire could have contributed to the incident. The suspicions were reportedly confirmed by a sound on the cockpit voice recorder, which was deemed "consistent with a tire blowout."

In the suit, Barker claims the parts, and therefore the plane itself, were defective.

"Its landing gear, tires, wheels, brakes, reverse-thrust system, squat switches and component parts were not airworthy," the lawsuit reads, according to TMZ. "One or more of the tires failed, leaving tire debris and portions of airplane components along the 8,600-foot runway."

Audiotapes from the incident filled in more detail, showcasing an increasingly distressed pilot trying desperately to abort the takeoff. According to TMZ, Barker's suit alleges that the pilots committed gross negligence in trying to abort the takeoff.

"The pilots' decision was a breach of their duty owed to the passengers onboard and was a substantial factor in causing the crash and resultant injuries and deaths," the suit reads, according to the Web site.

Barker is suing for "pain and suffering, psychological and emotional distress and disfigurement and pre-impact fear of death and burning."

Barker made his first televised appearance since the crash on Total Finale Live, during which he spoke about the challenges he's faced since suffering extensive second- and third-degree burns as a result of the incident.