Agent Confirms Oscar-Winning Composer James Horner Died In Plane Crash
VENTURA (CBSLA.com) — The agent for James Horner confirmed Tuesday that the oscar-winning film composer died in a plane crash north of Santa Barbara on Monday.
The plane crashed near a Cuyama Valley community called Ventucopa, near Route 33 at the border between Ventura and Kern counties.
The FAA issued an alert notice for a single-engine S-312 Tucano MK-1.
Agent Michael Gorfaine said Tuesday that Horner had been flying the plane. Despite this statement, the Ventura County coroner had yet to confirm Horner's death on Tuesday evening.
"It is with the deepest regret and sorrow that we mourn the tragic passing of our dear colleague, long-time client and great friend, composer James Horner. An avid and experienced pilot, James was flying a single-engine aircraft that crashed in a remote area of northern Ventura County, California, shortly before 9:30 a.m. Pacific time on Monday morning. He was 61 years old," the statement read.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with James' family at this difficult time, and also with the millions of people around the world who loved his music. A shining light has been extinguished, which can never be replaced. It has been an honor and a privilege to have worked with James since the inception of our agency. For more than three decades, his unique creative genius made an indelible imprint on each of our lives and on those of the entire Hollywood community. There is not a person in our GSA family who wasn't touched by the power and reach of his music, and who isn't diminished by his loss."
"We express our love and sincere condolences to James' wife Sara and his two daughters, Emily and Becky. And we take comfort in the belief that in his last moments, James was doing something from which he derived such great joy. His spirit will continue to soar, and he will be with us always."
Even after it had been discovered that the plane that crashed had been registered to Horner, neither authorities or people close to the situation confirmed Monday that the pilot had been Horner himself.
It was not clear if mechanical failure may have been responsible for the crash, but circumstances surrounding the event were under investigation Monday.
Horner was among Hollywood's most well-known and respected film composers, composing the scores for films including "Titanic," "Braveheart," "Glory" and "Legends of the Fall". He had won Grammy Awards, Golden Globe Awards and Academy Awards.
His two Academy Awards were won for his "Titanic" score, including one for the song "My Heart Will Go On", performed by Celine Dion.
Some of Horner's earlier work includes "Alien" and "Field of Dreams", as well as animated features such as "An American Tail", "Land Before Time", and "Fievel Goes West".
