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Oscar-winning composer James Horner, whose scores graced two Star Trek movies as well as many of James Cameron’s SF films, has been killed aged 61 in a plane crash.

Horner was piloting a small aircraft which came down about 60 miles north of Santa Barbara, California on June 22nd. “We have lost an amazing person with a huge heart and unbelievable talent,” his assistant Sylvia Patrycja wrote on Facebook. “He died doing what he loved. Thank you for all your support and love and see you down the road.”

His genre work includes Wolfen, Battle Beyond the Stars, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, Krull, Cocoon, Red Heat, The Rocketeer, Apollo 13, Jumanji, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and The Amazing Spider-Man as well as Aliens  and Avatar. He was expected to return for the multiple Avatar sequels currently in production.

He won Academy Awards for his work on Cameron’s Titanic. He also won two Golden Globe Awards and three Saturn Awards.

Current Star Trek composer Michael Giacchino posted on Twitter: “You were one of my childhood heroes, James. Thank you for the inspiration, you will be greatly missed.” Transformers’ Steve Jablonsky added, “James Horner, thank you for inspiring a young me to pursue a career in film music. Thank you for your music. Rest in peace”