Oscar-winning composer James Horner is feared dead after a single-engine plane registered to him crashed in Southern California on Monday, killing the pilot.
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.