)
Oscar-winning Titanic composer, James Horner, is reported to be dead in a plane crash near Quatal Canyon in Los Padres National Forest,Southern California.
Jay Cooper, a lawyer for Horner, has confirmed the pilot was killed but that no one has heard from James since the crash.
"It was his plane and if he wasn't in it, he would've called," Mr Cooper said.
Sylvia Patrycja, Horner's film music page as his assistant, wrote on Facebook, "A great tragedy has struck my family today, and I will not be around for a while. I would like some privacy and time to heal.
)
)
)
She added,"We have lost an amazing person with a huge heart, and unbelievable talent. He died doing what he loved. Thank you for all your support and love and see you down the road. Love Sylvia".
Ian Gregor, spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration, said the plane was an S-312 Tucano MK1 turbo-prop with two seats.
Crews extinguished a fire that erupted in vegetation surrounding the remote crash site, about 100 miles from 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.
His scores for Alien, Apollo 13, Field of Dreams, Braveheart, A Beautiful Mind, House Of Sand And Fog and Avatar also earned Oscar nods, as did his original song Somewhere Out There, from An American Tail.