Under-inflated tires have been blamed for the 2008 plane crash that seriously injured Travis Barker and DJ AM, and left left four others dead.

The accident occurred when the Learjet they were travelling in careered off a runway in South Carolina in September.

Investigators told The Nation Transportation Safety Board that air companies were failing to check tire pressure frequently enough.

They said that a design flaw in the Learjet and pilot error during take-off were also responsible for the crash.

NTSB Chairman Deborah Hersman told the AP news agency: "This accident didn't have to happen.”

In December, Barker, a member of Blink-182, settled a lawsuit with the companies connected to the plane crash.

DJ AM has since died of an accidental drugs overdose.

(by Jason Gregory)