WASHINGTON (April 13, 2010) — The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board has called for tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) equipment to be fitted to all commercial aircraft following its investigation into a 2008 airplane crash that killed four and seriously injured two music industry personalities.
In the incident, which took place in September 2008 in South Carolina, the captain, the first officer, and two passengers were killed. Travis Barker, the drummer for rock band Blink 182, and Adam Goldstein, also known as DJ AM, were both seriously injured. Chris Baker, Mr. Barker's assistant, was among those who died in the crash. Mr. Goldstein died last August from what authorities called an accidental drug overdose in his New York City apartment.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said its investigation revealed the aircraft was operated while the main landing gear tires were severely underinflated. The underinflation led to the failure of all four of the airplane's main landing gear tires during takeoff, the NSTB said.
As a result, the NTSB recommended the Federal Aviation Administration require TPMS units for all transport category airplanes.
Recommendations also were made on tire pressure maintenance procedures and in relation to the design of thrust reversers on the Learjet, the plane involved in the 2008 incident.
According to published reports, a judge approved on March 16 a multimillion-dollar settlement of a crash-related lawsuit involving Mr. Baker's wife Otilia Baker and young son. The settlement was with Learjet Inc., Goodyear and other companies involved in the ownership, operation and making of the jet. The Associated Press reported that the settlement will pay for college for Mr. Baker's 3-year-old son and establish an annuity giving him more than $17 million over his lifetime.