On September 19, 2008, Travis Barker, former Blink-182 drummer and star of MTV's Meet the Barker's and his friend D.J. AM (Adam Goldstein), a popular Los Angeles area disc jockey, were in a fatal plane crash in Columbia, South Carolina. The duo had just finished a free concert at a college in Columbia and chartered a plane back to Van Nuys, Calif. so AM could disc jockey for a friends wedding the next evening.
Fatal Crash
Barker, D.J. AM, Barker’s assistant Chris Baker, and Barker’s bodyguard Charles Still boarded a private Learjet just before midnight but something went horribly wrong during takeoff and the plane skidded off the 8600-foot runway, bursting into flames. The National Transportation Safety Board said the voice recorder, or “little black box” as it’s commonly known, points to a blown tire and failed attempt to abort take-off as the cause of the crash. Baker and Still were killed on impact and pilot Sarah Lemmon and co-pilot James Bland were killed due to smoke inhalation and burns.
In his first interview since the crash, Barker told Us Weekly, “I hate planes. My biggest fear ever is to be involved in a plane crash, so when that happened…well, I’m just thankful to be alive. I’m just grateful to be here at all.”
Aftermath
Barker and Goldstein were taken to a burn center in August, Georgia, joined shortly after by loved ones. Barker’s ex-wife Shanna Moakler rushed to Barker’s bedside and hasn’t left since. AM’s ex-girlfriend Mandy Moore was also seen around the hospital and dining with AM’s parents in Augusta near the burn center.
Doctors said both men had extensive burns, Barker to his lower body and AM to his arm, neck and head, but expect them to make full recoveries. In the Us Weekly interview, Barker told the magazine he has third degree burns from his feet up to his waist and second-and-third-degree burns on both his hands.
Back In L.A.
Both Barker and AM have been discharged from the Georgia burn center. Barker is now being treated at a burn center in L.A. He stated in his recent interview he was too afraid to fly again so he chartered a bus back to California, accompanied by his father and Moakler.
Barker’s interview also revealed he is anxious to get out of the hospital. “I’ve just been in surgery after surgery,” Barker stated. He also revealed he’s given up over 25 years of being a vegetarian. He said his doctors told him there was a possibility he might heal faster if he had real protein in his system and not just supplements. “I don’t regret it. I feel so much better,” Barker said.
AM has been seen out and about in Los Angeles, once at a memorial for plane crash victim Chris Baker.
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