'Titanic' composer's plane crashes, killing pilot

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NBC News – (NBC NEWS) - A single-engine plane registered to the Academy Award-winning composer James Horner crashed in Southern California Monday, killing the pilot.

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It was unclear who was piloting the aircraft but tributes and condolences from Hollywood luminaries poured in on social media. A source close to the investigation said the victim's body was burned beyond recognition.

A lawyer for Horner, who worked on "Titanic," "Avatar" and other films, told NBC News that the composer had five aircraft, including two helicopters.

"He's an experienced pilot," Jay Cooper said.

A spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration told NBC News that the crash occurred under "unknown circumstances" at 9:30 a.m. local time (12:30 p.m. ET) near the border of Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.

"My heart aches for his loved ones," producer and director Ron Howard wrote in a tweet Monday night.