In what Tesla's CEO Elon Musk calls the worst day in the company's history, a plane crash which took place on Wednesday morning, February 17, killed three Tesla employees in East Palo Alto, California, sending shock waves throughout Tesla offices.
So far, the names of the people killed in the crash have not been released, but it would appear a high-ranking executive was among the three. The coroner's offices hopes to have them identified by Friday.
“We lost 3 employees in a plane crash today. We're a small company and this is a tragic day. Our thoughts go out to their families,” Elon Musk said.
According to the official findings, the Cessna 310 twin-engine plane, belonging to Doug Bourn, a senior electric engineer, was heading for Tesla design studio in Hawthorne, when it struck a 100-foot (30-meter) electrical tower.
As a result, some 28,000 people, schools and the Stanford Hospital were left without power for about 10 hours.
The plane crashed and send debris throughout the Silicon Valley neighborhood but no ground victims were reported. According to witnesses talking for MSNBC, this was possible because the plane hit the street and no the houses around.
"Either by luck or the skill of the pilot, the plane hit the street and not the homes on either side. That saved people in this community," Menlo Park Fire Chief Harold Schapelhouman told the source.
As for the cause, investigators say it may take months before some light is shed on the matter. The most likely causes are the weather (the area was engulfed in dense fog at the moment) or a pilot error, but according to some sources the FBI is also looking into a possible terrorist attack on Tesla employees.
So far, the names of the people killed in the crash have not been released, but it would appear a high-ranking executive was among the three. The coroner's offices hopes to have them identified by Friday.
“We lost 3 employees in a plane crash today. We're a small company and this is a tragic day. Our thoughts go out to their families,” Elon Musk said.
According to the official findings, the Cessna 310 twin-engine plane, belonging to Doug Bourn, a senior electric engineer, was heading for Tesla design studio in Hawthorne, when it struck a 100-foot (30-meter) electrical tower.
As a result, some 28,000 people, schools and the Stanford Hospital were left without power for about 10 hours.
The plane crashed and send debris throughout the Silicon Valley neighborhood but no ground victims were reported. According to witnesses talking for MSNBC, this was possible because the plane hit the street and no the houses around.
"Either by luck or the skill of the pilot, the plane hit the street and not the homes on either side. That saved people in this community," Menlo Park Fire Chief Harold Schapelhouman told the source.
As for the cause, investigators say it may take months before some light is shed on the matter. The most likely causes are the weather (the area was engulfed in dense fog at the moment) or a pilot error, but according to some sources the FBI is also looking into a possible terrorist attack on Tesla employees.