Tesla Motors Executives Die in Place Crash

[gingervette]

BREAKING: Three Tesla executives die in Palo Alto plane crash *UPDATE

 

by Jeremy Korzeniewski (RSS feed) on Feb 17th 2010 at 2:01PM

 

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.

 

 

Source: Autoblog

[nitrox]

so to make an long story, rudely short, Tesla is near-death with these guy's dead ? :/

 

that is some dissapointing news, was looking forward to more of their creations, they had an great first one on that roadster !

[zo6dude]

RIP.. :(

[chika.doctor]

My condolences to the families of the deceased..

[t.]

C'mon Shell... you didn't have to go this far.

[nitrox]

i've been thinking, there's gotta be some other company that want's to take tesla under its responsibility, because there is noway they can let this die, its to succesfull for that ? :confused:

[kidloco]

wow this is unexpected...was searching for a tesla body to put in the game and up pops this. Talk about random. RIP

[Car Freak]

I think you guys are getting a bit far ahead of yourselves. 3 execs died; the company didn't go belly up. This would probably delay the launch of any models, especially if those who died had any major engineering role, but ultimately (and i suppose it's a bit cold to say this), engineering talent is replaceable. The company won't die

[Immelmann]

C'mon Shell... you didn't have to go this far.

Not cool mate :/

 

Anywho, my condolences, both the the guys, and, potentially, to the cars :(