James Horner, composer for 'Titanic,' 'Avatar' dies in plane crash
"It was his plane and if he wasn't in it, he would've called," said the musician's an attorney
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2015-06-23 13:04 GMT
LOS ANGELES - James Horner, the celebrated composer for some of Hollywood's smash-hit films including "Titanic" and "Avatar," died Monday in a plane crash at the age of 61, US media reported.
Hollywood trade magazine Variety reported the composer died when his personal aircraft crashed in Santa Barbara, California.
The crash happened at about 9:30 a.m. near Quatal Canyon in Los Padres National Forest, Ventura County fire spokesman Mike Lindbery said.
The pilot was killed. No one else was on board.
Jay Cooper, an attorney for Horner, said the plane was one of several owned by the 61-year-old composer, and that no one has heard from him since the crash.
"It was his plane and if he wasn't in it, he would've called," Cooper said.
The plane was an S-312 Tucano MK1 turbo-prop with two seats, said Ian Gregor, spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration.
Crews extinguished a fire that erupted in vegetation surrounding the remote crash site, about 100 miles northwest of Los Angeles.
Horner has been nominated for 10 Academy Awards, winning two for 1997's best picture, "Titanic." He composed the film's score and its enduring theme song, "My Heart Will Go On," sung by Celine Dion.
"Brilliant Composer James Horner, friend & collaborator on 7 movies has tragically died in a plane crash. My heart aches for his loved ones," wrote director and colleague Ron Howard on Twitter.