Pilots: Jet was out of runway

COLUMBIA — The pilots of a private jet that crashed on takeoff from a South Carolina airport in September warned air traffic controllers that the plane was nearing the end of the runway, according to cockpit recordings released Tuesday.

"Roll the equipment, we're going off the end," co-pilot James Bland told air traffic control officials at Columbia's main airport. Bland's words were the last audio recording from the jet's cockpit before the plane shot off the end of the runway, ripped through a fence and crossed a highway before coming to rest in flames.

Former Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker and celebrity disc jockey DJ AM, whose real name is Adam Goldstein, were severely burned in the crash just before midnight on Sept. 19. Both men are expected to fully recover.

Four people were killed, including both pilots and two of the musicians' close friends.

After Bland's plea for assistance, controllers tried in vain to reach the Learjet's crew and were heard scrambling to divert other planes trying to land at the airport, as well as summoning emergency personnel to tend to the blazing wreckage.

"We've had an emergency, just fly straight ahead," the controller told another pilot, who changed course to land at another local airport. Flying over the blaze, the pilot reported back to the tower: "We see it down there. It doesn't look good."

Aviation authorities have said cockpit recordings showed the jet's crew thought a tire had blown before takeoff, but those sounds were not in the files released Tuesday. National Transportation Safety Board officials have said pieces of tire were recovered about 2,800 feet from where the plane started its takeoff down the 8,600-foot runway.

Last month, the NTSB said the plane was traveling at 156 mph just before the pilots tried to abort the takeoff. The preliminary report also indicated that there was very little rubber left on the jet's wheels, and the brakes were severely damaged when the plane crashed.

Some aviation experts have said that the pilots should have lifted off the runway and tried to burn off fuel rather than try to stop.

Barker and Goldstein had performed a together under the name TRVSDJ-AM at a free concert in Columbia the night of the crash.

The jet, which was headed for Van Nuys, Calif., is owned by Global Exec Aviation, a California-based charter company, and was certified to operate last year.

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