Preliminary Report: Learjet crashes on takeoff

Bombardier Learjet 60, West Columbia, S.C., Sept. 19, 2008–The pilot, copilot and two passengers were killed when the chartered Learjet 60 crashed on takeoff from Columbia Metropolitan Airport. A musician and a disc jockey survived with serious burns. The cockpit voice recorder revealed that the pilots thought a tire had blown and they were trying to abort the takeoff. All tires were found deflated after the accident. The Learjet, operated by Global Exec Aviation of Long Beach, was en route to Van Nuys.