According to Lynne Douglas, public information officer for the Columbia Metro Airport, the crash took place just before midnight on Friday and involved a private Learjet with six passengers onboard. While taking off, the plane, which never left the ground, began sending up sparks and skidded off the end of the runway through a fence separating the airfield from a nearby roadway. It then crossed the roadway and ended up in an embankment, catching fire on impact. Douglas said two passengers — who were later confirmed to be AM and Barker — escaped the aircraft while it was on the ground, while the other two passengers and crew members died in the crash.

Beth Frits, a spokesperson for the Joseph M. Still Burn Center in Augusta, Georgia, confirmed that AM (born Adam Goldstein) and Barker were transported to a hospital in Columbia, following the crash. They were transferred — AM by helicopter and Barker by ambulance — to the Still Center soon after.

Lexington County Deputy Coroner Brian Setree confirmed for MTV News on Saturday morning that three men and a woman were killed in the crash. Just after 10 a.m. Saturday, Setree identified two of the crash victims: the plane's pilot, Sarah Lemmon, 31, of Anaheim, California, and her co-pilot, James Bland, who was 52 and lived in Carlsbad, California. At 10:40, Setree confirmed that Barker's assistant, Chris "Little Chris" Baker, also died in the crash. He was 29, and lived in Studio City, California.

The National Transportation Safety Board has scheduled a press conference for 11:30 a.m., and it is expected more details about the accident will be revealed at that time.