US officials say Takata air bag likely involved in fatal crash

WASHINGTON — The top US auto safety regulator said on Friday a ruptured Takata Corp. air bag was likely involved in the April 5 car crash that killed a 22-year-old Louisiana woman, which would make her death the seventh linked to an air bag defect.

Kylan Rae Langlinais died four days after her 2005 Honda Civic struck a utility pole in an early morning accident, according to a lawsuit filed by her family this week in US District Court. The suit alleges that the vehicle’s driver-side Takata air bag exploded, sending shards of metal into the passenger compartment and severing her carotid artery.

Honda US officials confirmed in a statement on Friday that “the air bag inflator rupture that occurred during this crash resulted in the death of the driver, Kylan Langlinais.”

Honda said it is in communication with the driver’s family “in an effort to address their concerns.”

Officials from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which recently announced the recall of millions of defective Takata air bags, have been gathering information from the car maker, family attorneys and other sources.

Honda, Takata’s top customer, said the car in the fatal Louisiana crash was sold to its current owner last October and that a notification that the car was involved in a safety campaign related to air bags was mailed on April 2.

The lawsuit names Honda Motor Co. Ltd. and Takata Corp. as defendants. Officials from neither company were available for comment.

The NHTSA said it reached the conclusion after examining evidence, including a police report, medical records and an inspection of the vehicle. Honda said “an NHTSA representative was present when Honda inspected the air bag inflator to confirm rupture.” —