Tesla Motors CEO: 3 employees on small plane that crashed in Calif neighborhood; all killed

Tesla: 3 employees killed in Calif. plane crash

EAST PALO ALTO, Calif. — The three people killed on board a small plane that went down in a Northern California neighborhood were all employees of Tesla Motors Inc.

The twin-engine Cessna 310 crashed in a residential area of East Palo Alto on Wednesday morning after hitting some power lines. It had just taken off from Palo Alto Airport in heavy fog.

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.

There are no reports of injury on the ground.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

EAST PALO ALTO, Calif. (AP) — A small plane that went down in a Northern California neighborhood, killing all three aboard, is owned by an employee of Tesla Motors Inc.

The twin-engine Cessna 310 crashed in a residential area of East Palo Alto on Wednesday morning after hitting some power lines. It had just taken off from Palo Alto Airport in heavy fog.

The plane is registered to Air Unique Inc. of Santa Clara, and California secretary of state records show that Doug Bourn owns the company. No one answered at the phone listing for the company Wednesday.

Tesla spokesman Ricardo Reyes says Bourn is a senior electrical engineer for the electric car manufacturer. But Reyes could not confirm if Bourn or any other employees were on board.