'Titanic' Composer and Oscar Winner, James Horner Dies in Plane Crash

James Horner was a two-time Oscar winner and served as the composer for films such as Star Trek, A Beautiful Mind, Field of Dreams and Apollo 13. His best-known work though came during his composition of Braveheart and Titanic . Sad that a man who could make the claim as one of the best composers in movies has passed away so soon. 61-year-old Horner died in a plane crash near Santa Barbara on Monday. Horner's assistant Sylvia Patrycja confirmed his death.

Patrycja eulogized her boss on Facebook:

"We have lost an amazing person with a huge heart and unbelievable talent," Patrycja wrote on Facebook on Monday. "He died doing what he loved. Thank you for all your support and love and see you down the road."

Throughout Horner's career, he inked more than 10 Oscar nominations and won for his score of Titanic. That album sold more than 27 million copies worldwide.

During a 2009 interview with the Los Angeles Times Horner said he wanted audiences to become entrenched with the movie through his music.

"My job - and it's something I discuss with Jim all the time - is to make sure at every turn of the film it's something the audience can feel with their heart," Horner said. "When we lose a character, when somebody wins, when somebody loses, when someone disappears - at all times I'm keeping track, constantly, of what the heart is supposed to be feeling. That is my primary role."

His film résumé includes such films as Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, Glory, Patriot Games, Searching for Bobby Fischer, Jumanji, How the Grinch Stole Christmas and the Amazing Spider-Man. Horner also wrote the score for the upcoming Jake Gyllenhaal movie Southpaw.