Autoblog: BREAKING: Three Tesla executives die in Palo Alto plane crash

[argatoga]

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/02/17/breaking-three-tesla-executives-die-in-palo-alto-plan-crash/

BREAKING: Three Tesla executives die in Palo Alto plane crash
A small, twin-engined Cessna crashed this morning in an East Palo Alto neighborhood, killing all three passengers on board. According to reports, the plane was owned by Doug Bourn, a senior electrical engineer for Tesla Motors, and all three occupants were high-ranking officials at the electric car company. Authorities have not yet named the deceased.

"[The plane] hit a power line. Then it exploded... then half hit the next door neighbor's house and the other half hit across the street. We were right in the road," said neighborhood resident Heather Starnes. No injuries were reported on the ground, though a number of homes were damaged, including one currently being used as a daycare facility.

The National Weather Service had issued a dense fog advisory for the Bay Area earlier in the morning that was in effect until 10 a.m. A spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration said the "decision [to take off] would have been up to the pilot." We'll update with an official comment from Tesla when we hear back.

*UPDATE: Fox News reports Elon Musk was not on the plane (via Twitter).

*UPDATE: Local news video from Mercury News posted after the jump.

 

[Karn Evil]

Such a shame.

I wish their families the best in this trying time.

 

[Der Stig]

^Seconded

That's such a shame, I hope their familes and the company can pull through this.

 

[NecroJoe]

I've been watching it on the local news. This sucks pretty hard. I was actually supposed to be driving through east palo alto this morning at a few minutes before 8am, but plans got cancelled last night!!!

 

[GRtak]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100217/ap_on_bi_ge/us_plane_hits_house

Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirms that three employees of the electric car manufacturer were aboard the plane, but would not release their identities. Authorities also have not identified the victims.

The plane is registered to Air Unique Inc. of Santa Clara, and state records show that Doug Bourn owns the company. A Tesla spokesman says Bourn is a senior electrical engineer.

Best wishes to the families and freinds.

 

[Dogbert]

Apparently the pilot had Sully-level disaster control skills, coming to rest in the middle of a street and not killing anyone on the way down.

Tragic, though. Eerie, too; I was looking at Cessna 310's on eBay Motors yesterday.

 

[GraemeH]

It hit a power line.
Maybe they were researching their next engine's energy source.

 

[prizrak]

My sympathy to the families, this one of those freak accidents that happen for no reason

 

[Steve Levin]

I will be interested to see the NTSB report. Conditions were quite ugly at the time as far as visibility; however, a 310 under any reasonable conditions just should not have ended up where it did

Steve

 

[NecroJoe]

Hmm...they haven't updated their "Help wanted" section of their website yet. What gives?

[/inapropriateness]

 

[motogpboy]

I saw this live on the local news this morning before I left for class.. At that time they had no idea who was on board the plane, just that nobody on the ground was killed. I came home and then read this on msnbc. It's a very sad day here in the Bay

I wish their families the best in the time to come, I just hope this little company can find a way to power through this and honour these three by being more successful than anyone ever thought they could be.

 

[argatoga]

I feel for their families and those who will lose their jobs if the company goes bust now. Not good for anyone.

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

Sad day. Glad no one else was hurt. Hope the company can continue.

 

[tone76]

Condolences to the families of the victims, as well as Tesla Motors themselves.

Will be interesting to see how the investigation goes. I wouldn't be totally surprised if either Big Oil or the Big Three played a role in this somehow. It wouldn't be the first time somebody posing a serious threat to the interests of multi-billion dollar industries and/or corporations came to grief in extraordinary circumstances.

 

[argatoga]

Condolences to the families of the victims, as well as Tesla Motors themselves.

Will be interesting to see how the investigation goes. I wouldn't be totally surprised if either Big Oil or the Big Three played a role in this somehow. It wouldn't be the first time somebody posing a serious threat to the interests of multi-billion dollar industries and/or corporations came to grief in extraordinary circumstances.

What?

 

[NecroJoe]

Post I found somewhere else:

Who killed the electric car? Cessna.

 

[BerserkerCatSplat]

Post I found somewhere else:

Who killed the electric car? Cessna.

I have been forcing myself not to make that joke all day.

 

[MadCat360]

I wonder what the governator is going to say about this? He loves Tesla from what I recall.

Sad day for Californians. Like it or not, Tesla is our motor company.

 

[otispunkmeyer]

Condolences to the families of the victims, as well as Tesla Motors themselves.

Will be interesting to see how the investigation goes. I wouldn't be totally surprised if either Big Oil or the Big Three played a role in this somehow. It wouldn't be the first time somebody posing a serious threat to the interests of multi-billion dollar industries and/or corporations came to grief in extraordinary circumstances.

Everyone loves a conspiracy!

 

[NecroJoe]

"Chilling audio account of plane crash captured by East Palo Alto gunfire recorder"

http://www.insidebayarea.com/sanmateocountytimes/localnews/ci_14431486?source=rss

They don't link to the recordings; just talk about them.