DeKALB – A graduate of both Sycamore High School and Northern Illinois University was killed Wednesday in a plane crash in California.
Brian Michael Finn, 42, was one of three employees of electric car maker Tesla Motors Inc. who was in an aircraft when it took off from Palo Alto Airport in heavy fog Wednesday morning en route to Hawthorne Municipal Airport in Southern California.
The San Mateo County coroner identified Doug Bourn, Andrew Ingram and Brian Finn as likely being on board the aircraft during the crash, although the office has not yet officially confirmed the identities of the three people who died.
Finn's uncles, Don and Larry Finn, confirmed Thursday afternoon that Brian was in the plane crash, but that California law enforcement officials have yet to confirm or provide any details of the crash to the family.
Brian's parents, Gene and Beverly Finn of Sycamore, flew to California early Thursday morning, despite not having heard any official word on whether their son had been identified as a victim of the crash.
Don and Larry expressed frustration over the lack of information provided to the family. Jennifer Kingren of Sycamore, Brian's cousin, shared her uncles' frustration.
"What I know is what's online, and that's kind of sad," Kingren said. "We're just kind of waiting for word from his parents as to what's going to be going on next."
Brian is survived by his wife and 2-year-old daughter.
"He was just a young successful father," Kingren said.
Finn graduated from Sycamore High in 1985. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in physics, with a concentration in acoustics, in 1990 from NIU, followed by a Masters of Science degree in electrical engineering in 1992, according to NIU records.
He had been the senior manager for Interactive Electronics at Tesla Motors since July 2008. This followed a three-year stint with Volkswagen, which Don said Brian left based on a personal belief in his new mission with Tesla Motors.
"He said, 'Don, this is the future,' " Don said.
Shortly after takeoff Wednesday, the Cessna 310 clipped a set of power lines and crashed into homes on Beech Street in East Palo Alto just before 10 a.m. CST. National Transportation Safety Board investigators will be at the crash site for several days to interview witnesses and examine the wreckage. Officials said a preliminary report will be ready next week.
Investigators said fog limited visibility to one-eighth of a mile at the time of the crash, but pilots are allowed to fly in foggy conditions if they use their flight instruments.
Officials said the aircraft either struck a 100-foot electrical tower or clipped its power transmission lines and broke apart, raining fiery debris throughout the working-class Silicon Valley neighborhood.
Kingren said there were no plans for a funeral as of Thursday, and that the family was waiting until hearing official word from law enforcement officials before proceeding further.
• The Associated Press contributed to this report.