Plane registered to 'Titanic' composer crashes 

Los Angeles (CNN)Academy Award-winning composer James Horner, known for his impressive body of work spanning multiple movie genres, is feared dead after a small plane belonging to him crashed in central California on Monday, killing the pilot. 

It is not known whether the 61-year-old Horner, best known for scoring the movie "Titanic," was the person flying the plane. 

But the Hollywood Reporter reported his death, attributing the confirmation to Sylvia Patrycja, his assistant. 

"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," Patrycja posted on her Facebook page. 

"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."

Horner's lawyer couldn't confirm his death, but said he hadn't heard from the composer since the crash. 

"He is an experienced pilot. He owns several planes. We have not heard from him," Jay Cooper told CNN. 

Condolences pour in

Horner won two Oscars for his work on the 1997 James Cameron-directed "Titanic" -- earning best original dramatic score and best original song for the Celine Dion classic, "My Heart Will Go On."

He was nominated for Academy Awards 10 times and wrote the music for numerous blockbusters, including "Braveheart," "Apollo 13" and "The Amazing Spider-Man." Hecollaborated again with Cameron for 2009's "Avatar," the top-grossing film of all time.

Reaction to his reported death was immediate, with celebrities who worked with him posting condolences. 

"Brilliant Composer James Horner, friend & collaborator on 7 movies has tragically died in a plane crash. My heart aches for his loved ones," tweeted Ron Howard, who directed "Apollo 13."