Clippers Join the LeBron Chase

The Los Angeles Clippers officially found a seat at the table this summer. Earlier in the week, the team made a lateral head-scratcher in acquiring Steve Blake and Travis Outlaw from the Portland Trail Blazers.

Camby was well-liked by fans and teammates. The trade didn't seem to accomplish much of anything with both Blake and Outlaw in the last years of their contracts - as is Marcus.

On Wednesday, it became clear that the Portland deal was a preliminary move as LA became trade facilitator between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Washington Wizards.

By taking on Drew Gooden in the blockbuster that landed Antawn Jamison with the Cavaliers and Zydrunas Ilgauskas with the Wizards - LA was able to clear both Sebastian Telfair and Al Thornton off their books.

That's huge.

From the Clippers' perspective - that's a home run.

Moving Telfair and Thornton, who both had a year left on their deals, puts the Clippers at the magic number of $16 million in cap space as of July.

That's enough to make a max offer to the top-flight summer free agents - but make no mistake - this is all about LeBron James.

It's an interesting gambit. If LA's contribution to the deal helps the Cavaliers win a title - there's a better chance than not that James re-signs with his club.

If Cleveland doesn't get to the NBA Finals - or if they do for the second time in four years but don't clinch - the feeling in Los Angeles is that James will look for greener pastures.

That's right; the Clippers - probably for the first time in franchise history - would be pulling for their rival L.A. Lakers should they face the Cavs in the Finals. That's unheard of.

Further buzz had Cleveland and Washington making a deal regardless of whether LAC was in on it or not - so it's not necessarily the case that the Clippers hurt their own chances by helping the Cavs land Jamison.

Other than losing nice-guy Camby for a younger but not as accomplished Gooden, the team upgraded with Blake over an injured Telfair (a groin injury may keep him out another month or more) - and Outlaw may be a step up over Thornton who had peaked in LA.

After the trade, the Clippers have just four players under guaranteed contracts this summer (Baron Davis, All-Star Chris Kaman, Blake Griffin and Eric Gordon. They also have DeAndre Jordan on a partially guaranteed minimum deal and a first round pick to draft in June.

Accounting for roster holds and an estimated salary cap at $54 million, the Clippers will have $17.2 million in space. The max for LeBron as a free agent will be $16.6.

That doesn't include LA's first-round pick which is an unpredictable wrinkle. Currently LA is at 21-33, 10th worst record in the league. They've won one of their last 11 games - and none since Interim Head Coach Kim Hughes (0-5) took over for Mike Dunleavy.

The Clippers will win again this season but let's be honest - they're in full-on tank mode. With 28 games to pay, they'll be lucky to hit 28 wins overall.

They should be able to overtake the remaining down-trodden teams except for the New Jersey Nets, Minnesota Timberwolves and Golden State Warriors.

At fourth-worst record, LA would have roughly a 12% chance of landing the top pick (for the second year in a row). The presumption is that Kentucky's John Wall will be the #1 selection.

Interestingly enough, LeBron has a special and personal relationship with Wall. Should lightning strike twice for the Clippers, John may be an additional draw. The complication is that Wall's salary would eat into the max dollar amount LA can offer James.

But that's down the road - the Draft Lottery is in May which will help set the Clippers cap number.

Internally the Clippers are optimistic about the summer, thinking they have a unique package to offer a player like LeBron (not a player like LeBron - the real, actual LeBron).

While the New York Knicks, who are struggling to get Jared Jeffries off their books might have $23.8 million in cap space. That leaves only $7.2 million left to add a high level talent to the mix. Is that enough for New York to keep All-Star David Lee? Not likely by the time James agrees to a deal.

Should the Knicks find a way to salvage the Tracy McGrady trade - a deal they nearly had before the Houston Rockets came up with a package for the Sacramento Kings' Kevin Martin - they might be able to get their number up to around $32 million.

Given the size of the New York market - along with the chance to lure in a Chris Bosh, Amar'e Stoudemire, etc. to join James in Gotham - the Knicks may be the biggest threat to LA's dream scenario.

The other teams with spending power include the New Jersey Nets, Miami HEAT, surprisingly the Washington Wizards and the Chicago Bulls.

None have quite the balanced team the Clippers can offer James.

Conversely, the Clippers don't have the winning reputation. It's certainly a major gamble for LA but what did they really give up?

Joe Johnson would probably be a distant second for LA in lieu of James.

To get far enough under the cap, the Clippers would have to waive the rights to all their free agents - but that's not a move they need to make until their targeted acquisition has agreed to terms and is ready to sign.

Meanwhile - players in the Clipper locker room are disillusioned. Their team has given up on them, making plans for next year, while they're still in the heat of a losing battle.

Kaman said he wished the team would have let him know before the trade it was announced - or even agreed to so he can try to sway them away from it - but even Chris had to concede his team didn't play well this season. It's not like the players gave management any reason to keep the unit together.

DeAndre Jordan in particular seemed shook-up by the wheeling and dealing - especially with the loss of his mentor in Camby.

Season-ticket holders aren't too happy either - but this may be the one true chance the Clippers have to land an elite player.

Even if it's a fool's errand, LA has the shot to be rejected first-hand by Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. Given their places in the history of the NBA - at least the Clippers can say they took a shot at both transformational players.

If the gambit pays off . . . it's a game-changer.

Oregon running back LaMichael James facing domestic violence charges

After reaching the Rose Bowl, the offseason hasn't gone so great for Oregon. Three weeks after starting quarterback Jeremiah Masoli was accused of stealing laptops, top running back LaMichael James has been arrested on a domestic violence charge.

James' girlfriend said he grabbed her neck during an argument and pushed her to the ground. The woman sustained an abrasion but did not require hospitalization, a law enforcement official said. James is facing misdemeanor charges of menacing, strangulation and assault. He is being held in Lane County Jail.

This is not the first arrest for James, who ran for 1,546 yards as a freshman last season. He was charged with disorderly conduct and third-degree battery in 2008. Those charges were dismissed last year.

Masoli and James were the two top offensive weapons for the Ducks in 2009 and both were mentioned as possible Heisman contenders.

"We are concerned anytime a student-athlete is mentioned in a police report," head coach Chip Kelly said in a statement. "We do not condone any behavior that doesn't meet university standards or our football program's standards, and we go to great lengths to actively educate our student-athletes regarding appropriate conduct.

"We have the utmost confidence in the local law enforcement authorities to determine the facts in all instances involving our student-athletes, and will reserve further judgment or comment until further information is available."

Sports in Brief: No. 1 seed out of Match Play

Ross McGowan, who got into the 64-man field for the Accenture Match Play Tournament only because Tiger Woods isn't playing, become the second golfer in the 12-year history of the event to knock out the No. 1 seed in the opening round.

McGowan rolled in a 30-foot par putt on the 19th hole yesterday at Dove Mountain in Marana, Ariz., to beat Steve Stricker, the top seed in Woods' absence.

No. 2 seed Lee Westwood beat fellow Englishman Chris Wood, and No. 3 Jim Furyk beat Ryder Cup teammate Scott Verplank.

JURISPRUDENCE: Joe Papp, the cyclist who was a U.S. Anti-Doping Agency witness against Floyd Landis in 2007 pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute human growth hormone and another performance-enhancing drug he imported from China in Pittsburgh.

A judge in Woburn, Mass., ruled that if the brother of figure skater Nancy Kerrigan posts bond, he can live in the house where he is accused of assaulting his father, who later died. Mark Kerrigan is being held on a $10,000 bond as he undergoes a psychiatric evaluation.

Oregon tailback LaMichael James was charged with domestic violence after his girlfriend said he grabbed her neck during an argument outside his apartment in Portland and pushed her to the ground. James, 20, pleaded not guilty.

Joan Becker testified that her son, Mark Becker, was hospitalized for mental issues three times before he was accused of gunning down Aplington-Parkersburg High football coach Ed Thomas in June. Mark Becker has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity in Allison, Iowa.

NOTEWORTHY: Paraguay striker Salvador Cabanas was moved out of intensive care as he recovers after being shot in the head in a Mexico City bar on Jan. 25. The suspect, Jose Jorge Balderas, remains at large.

Andy Roddick topped James Blake, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (3), in the first round of the Morgan Keegan Championships in Memphis.

UPDATE: LaMichael James arrested in Springfield

Springfield (KMTR) - Another University of Oregon football player is in trouble with the law.

In an arraignment Wednesday, University of Oregon football player LaMichael James, 20, was charged with misdemeanor assault, physical harassment and strangulation. James pleaded not guilty.

According to police, James was arrested Tuesday evening at an apartment on Kinsrow in Springfield. Police say officers received a report from a woman claiming to be James' girlfriend that she had been assaulted. They say the assault happened Monday evening.

According to Springfield police, the woman told officers she went to talk to James at his residence on Gateway, they got into an argument outside the apartment and James allegedly grabbed her throat and pushed her to the ground. She suffered cuts and bruises.

The next court date in the case is scheduled for March 24th.

James is a standout running back on the Oregon football team. He was the first freshman on record to win the school’s Most Outstanding Player award, according to the team’s website.

James replaced the suspended LeGarrette Blount after the season opener and set the Pac-10's freshman rushing mark this past season with 1,546 yards.

Wicked Liquid

Wicked Liquid sounds like an intoxicating new club drink. Wicked Liquid is actually a band. Josh Colon, cast member on "The Real World D.C." on MTV, started Wicked Liquid. He hopes the show will help make Wicked Liquid a household name.

A band named Wicked Liquid is hard to forget. According to the Washington Examiner, Josh Colon stating to Yeas & Nays about promoting Wicked Liquid, "We are pretty confident. We are already working out a bunch of possibilities the more times we are on MTV."

It looks like Colon's band Wicked Liquid and his social life are already doing well thanks to his appearance on "The Real World D.C." Wicked Liquid did well at recent gigs. Colon was seen going home with club promoter Kelly Ann Collins on the latest episode.

What do you think of the name Wicked Liquid? I definitely feel it is memorable. It brings to mind a drink that makes you go "Whew!" after the first sip. Was that the intention of Wicked Liquid?

Check out Wicked Liquid performing "Snow" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers in this YouTube video:

Shaun White Wins Gold At Olympics 2010

ANCOUVER (GaeaTimes.com)- Celebrated snowboarder Shaun White displayed a scintillating performance at the Winter Olympics 2010, which enabled him to win the gold medal in the men’s halfpipe championship. The victory was all the more special for the much acclaimed snowboarder as he was successful in retaining the title as he had also taken home the much coveted gold medal even at the 2006 Olympics.

The initial run of the finals witnessed Shaun White score a commendable 46.8 points and ensured his gold medal victory. However, this did not result in the star snowboarder from taking things lightly during the final run of the championship as he continued with his spectacular performance and ended up with an amazing 48.4 points. One of the major high points of Shaun White’s performance at the Olympics 2010 was his signature stunt double McTwist 1260 during the victory lap which was successful in impressing the judges as well as the large number of crowds. While reacting to his winning the much coveted gold medal for the second time in a row, Shaun White added that he was extremely happy to have been able to claim the gold medal and also exclaimed that it was the best victory run of his life.

With Shaun White winning the gold medal at the Olympics 2010, the silver medal was grabbed by Finland’s Peetu Piiroinen while the American Scotty Lago was present at the podium to accept the bronze medal. Expectations were running high for Shaun White in Olympics 2010 as he has just registered his third consecutive gold in the X Games superpipe, which was held last month. Shaun White surely did not disappoint his fans as he won the gold at Olympics 2010.

'Real World' rocker goes to Heaven and Hell Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/politics/blogs/yeas-and-nays/15-M

By: Nikki Schwab and Tara Palmeri
Washington Examiner
01/28/10 9:00 PM EST

Josh Colon has been one of the more low-key cast members on MTV's "The Real World D.C.," but he's hoping that will change. In part, because he thinks that the reality show will springboard his band, Wicked Liquid, into stardom.

"We are pretty confident. We are already working out a bunch of possibilities the more times we are on MTV," Colon told Yeas & Nays, mentioning the possibility of a future clothing line, DVDs and a TV show on the CW.

The group is playing Friday at Heaven and Hell in Adams Morgan. Advanced tickets are $5. And the afterparty is being thrown at Tattoo Bar by club promoter Kelly Ann Collins -- who was spotted going home with Colon in this week's episode of the show.

"Josh is a great guy, we had a lot of fun," Collins told Yeas & Nays.

Wife of airline liquid bomb plotter 'prayed he would achieve highest level of martyrdom'

The wife of the extremist who led the plot to kill hundreds of jet passengers prayed he would achieve the highest level of Islamic martyrdom, a court heard today.

Cossor Ali, 28, wrote in her diary how she was desperate for Abdullah Ahmed Ali to kill himself for his cause, it is alleged.

She even wrote of her hopes to be pregnant with a son by the time her husband was dead, jurors heard.

'I am growing more and more attached to the cause for which you are striving for, and the reason for which we are apart,' she wrote.

'I hope and pray Allah grants your wish and gives you the highest level of Shahada.'

Ahmed Ali, also 28, and two other men were convicted of the murder plot in September last year following a trial, Inner London Crown Court heard.

British-born Ali was told he would serve a minimum of 40 years for his role in ‘the most grave and wicked conspiracy ever proven within this jurisdiction’.

The al-Qaida-inspired terror cell, jailed for conspiracy to murder on a mass scale, planned to detonate home-made liquid bombs on flights bound for major North American cities.

Accomplices Assad Sarwar and Tanvir Hussain were also given life sentences. Sarwar was told he would serve a minimum of 36 years. Hussain will serve a minimum of 32 years.

Today, Richard Whittam QC, prosecuting, said Cossor Ali did not know the specific details of her husband's plan to murder innocent travellers over the Atlantic in August 2006.

But he said she must have known something of an atrocity he was planning.

More...

• Full-body scanners at Heathrow and Manchester airports could be illegal

The couple, who married in July 2003, lived together at a one-bedroom flat in Walthamstow, east London, where police discovered her diary in a shopping bag and 'The Last Will of Ahmed Ali' in a shoebox.

'She knew that her husband intended to become a martyr, which in the context of her relationship with him, her knowledge of his beliefs and the beliefs that he had shared with her, meant that he intended to commit an act of terrorism that involved his own death,' Mr Whittam said.

Married: Cossor Ali denies knowing the details of what her husband Abdullah Ahmed Ali, who is serving a minimum sentence of 40 years, planned to do

'It is the prosecution case that she knew her husband intended to commit an act of terrorism that involved his own death, some time after he had written his 'Last Will and Testament' dated 7 March 2004.

'It will be for you to determine whether she had information she knew or believed might be of material assistance in preventing the commission by her husband of an act of terrorism and whether she failed to disclose that information as soon as reasonably practical.

'It is not alleged that she was a party to that intended act of terrorism, nor is it alleged that she knew the details of the intended act of terrorism.

'It is alleged that she did know that he intended to commit an act of terrorism in which he intended to take his own life.

'Such an act, whatever she thought it was going to be, was bound to involve the loss of life over and above that of her husband.'

Cossor burst into tears when she was arrested the day after her husband was caught on August 10, 2006, on suspicion of preparing acts of terrorism.

She now faces the lesser charge of failing to disclose information which may have helped prevent an act of terrorism.

Extremist literature was found in a cot belonging to her baby boy, now aged four during a police search of their home.

Her diary, written in early 2005, was found in a Next bag between a cupboard and a wardrobe together with notes she had sent to her husband.

One note dated January 1 read: 'I am on the plane back to Karachi as I write this. I miss YOU even MORE since we spent nine days together.

'I thought it would help me but it has made me worse.

'I keep thinking about the time we spent and the things we have done together and I keep seeing your face.'

Abdullah Ahmed Ali's co-conspirators: Tanvir Hussain (left) and Assad Ali Sarwar (right) were jailed for a minimum of 32 years and 36 years respectively last year

Another describes a fitness regime she hoped would improve her appearance for him.

She added: '...when we are together, I want you to do fighting training with me.'

Referring to an Islamic book she read, she said: 'It is such a beautiful, moving and inspiring story.

'After reading it, I am even happier with what you are doing. It makes me more eager to join you on your quest.'

A further note reads: 'I am really looking forward to you coming home now.

'I have been thinking about all the housework I have to do in the flat. I will clean everything properly and make it smell nice.

'I'm really looking forward to snuggling up to you in bed, while we listen to a talk or either one of us reads Qur'an or a book to each other.

'I'm crying as I write this. I desperately miss my soulmate, husband, lover, comforter and companion...'

A further entry willed Ali to choose her 'over the hoors' - women in paradise - and wait for her to join him.

She added: 'I hope that when you attain Shuhada [martyrdom], I will have at least one small child and be pregnant with another or at least be pregnant with a healthy baby at the least inshallah.'

Jurors heard Cossor Ali also kept a to-do list for her husband's return in a shoebox on the floor of a cupboard was also found her to do list for his return, including 'straighten hair on 08/02/04'.

Also in the box was Ahmed's will, which stated: 'Before I detail my last will and requests I would like to say a few words to those who may read it I begin with a reminder to all including myself every soul shall taste death.

'The time and place for every soul is written and with every passing day it draws nearer.

'So let us not fear or worry about it.

'The only thing for us to worry about and work towards is pleasing Allah by obeying all his commandments and abstaining from all his prohibitions.

'This will ensure that our life after death will be successful and that we will die as true Muslims with Imaan.'

Cossor Ali was silent during her police interview, but made a written statement claiming she did not knowingly participate in the conspiracy to use liquid explosives on airline flights or knowingly encourage anyone to commit a terrorist act and that she had no knowledge of such a plot.

In another statement she denied ever going to a nearby property which had been used to record martyrdom films and to store everyday household and electrical goods intended for making into home-made bombs.

She told officers she may have 'innocently touched' a number of items found there while they were at her home.

They included a powdered drink called Tang of the type Ali planned to use to colour the dangerous liquid and made it look like a fizzy drink, and a delivery of mini-lightbulbs for attaching to improvised explosives.

She claimed when she questioned Ali he told her the bulbs were for the car and that he brought the Tang back from Pakistan because he and his friends were planning to develop a drink to sell.

The prosecutor said: 'She was confident enough to open the package. She says she was satisfied with the explanation they were for the car.'

Ali, of Walthamstow, east London, denies 'having information which you knew or believed might be of material assistance in preventing the commission by another person of an act of terrorism, and did not disclose the information as soon as reasonably practicable' between March 2004 and August 11 2006.

Update: Palo Alto Plane Crash Kills Tesla Workers; Causes Widespread Power Outage Read more: http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7017856018?Updat

Palo Alto, CA, United States (AHN) - The three passengers of a Cessna who died on Wednesday after their plane crashed into homes in East Palo Alto were employees of Tesla Motors. The crash also left homes and businesses in the northwestern city of California without power.

In a statement, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said the victims were employees of his company. "We are withholding their identities as we work with the relevant authorities to notify the families. Our thoughts and prayers are with them. Tesla is a small, tightly-knit company, and this is a tragic day for us," he added.

Tesla the only automaker currently selling highway-capable electric cars.

The twin-engine aircraft had just left Palo Alto airport and was headed to Hawthorne Municipal Airport when it hit power lines and crashed into several homes. Fog has been attributed as a possible reason for the accident.

The city of Palo Alto said all of its 28,000 utility customers lost power. The outage caused Stanford Hospital and the Veterans' Administration Hospital to divert their emergency patients to El Camino Hospital, Valley Medical and Kaiser Santa Clara. The disruption also reportedly affected Facebook, which is headquartered in Palo Alto.

The city activated its emergency operations center and PG&E worked to restore its affected transmission tower in East Palo Alto. City utilities crews completely restored power early in the evening.

Plane crash kills 3 Tesla Motors employees, striking fear in East Palo Alto neighborhood

A fog-shrouded East Palo Alto neighborhood was thrown into chaos Wednesday when a twin-engine Cessna crashed shortly after an early-morning takeoff, spilling wreckage and bodies onto a quiet bayside street — and triggering a massive outage that turned high-tech Palo Alto into a powerless island for 10 hours.

The pilot and two passengers — all employees of Tesla Motors — were killed and three houses were damaged, including a home day care center.

The plane brought down a high tension transmission tower, then broke apart in a dramatic and terrifying descent over the East Palo Alto neighborhood. A wing slammed into the day care, landing gear smashed into a garage, an engine careened into a carport and the fuselage skidded to a halt in the middle of Beech Street. Flames shot out from houses and debris.

Miraculously, nobody on the ground was injured.

Pamela Houston and six others fled from the day care as the plane came crashing down shortly before 8 a.m.

"I grabbed the baby, and we ran into the street," she said. "We were all crying; we were screaming. There is not any word to describe the feeling.''

Authorities had not released the identities of any of the victims by late Wednesday. Authorities have also yet to identify who was piloting the plane, but the Cessna 310R was registered to a former Santa Clara company that was started by Doug Bourn, a Tesla engineer.

An investigator with the National

Transportation Safety Board said it's too early to say whether the plane struck power lines or a 60-foot transmission tower.

At the time the plane took off, visibility was so poor — only one-eighth of a mile, and only 100 feet above the ground — that flights had been canceled or delayed at the Bay Area's three major airports. Yet others speculated that the plane's unusual veering path suggested a mechanical failure. Investigators said it will be at least five days before they

finish a preliminary probe and months after that for an official report into what happened.

Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor said taking off in bad weather is left up to the discretion of the pilot, whether it be a commercial or private plane. The Palo Alto Airport's control tower opened at 7 a.m., and the Cessna was the only plane to take off between then and around 8 a.m., Gregor said. He added that most commercial airlines have policies to follow before a pilot decides to fly.

On the ground, the fog added to the confusion — and fear. Residents on Beech Street described waking up to explosions; some of them told of watching parts of the plane fall from the dense fog that blanketed the area. And saddest yet, a young girl and 10-year-old boy described seeing the bodies.

Ten-year-old Luis Ramirez Sandin said he was in his front yard, getting ready to go to school, when he saw the blue-and-white plane descend, rock from side to side and then suddenly veer toward his home. It plunged to the street, striking several vehicles and bursting into flames, he said.

"There was no way to get near to help out,'' said his father, Benjamin Ramirez, through a translator. "It was too hot, with tall blue flames. Everybody kept telling us to run. They told us not to get near it."

"The first thing I thought about was my daughters," said Leslie Ramos of Menlo Park who was driving down Beech Street to pick up her two girls, ages 3 and 6, just

as the plane was crashing. "I left my car in the middle of the street and ran to the house."

When she was reunited with her daughters a few minutes later, the youngest was crying.

Others ran into the street to find thick smoke rising from three houses. Many feared the worst for the children at the in-home day care center, but it was too early for them to have arrived, and the people living in the house managed to escape out the back. "Some neighbors ran to the house to help,'' said Houston, one of the people at the day care center.

Menlo Park Fire Chief Harold Schapelhouman said he believes the plane clipped a power line on a PG&E high-tension transmission tower shortly after lifting off from the Palo Alto Airport runway just before 8 a.m., headed for Hawthorne Municipal Airport in Southern California.

Moments after the crash, the power went out in neighboring Palo Alto.

The city relies on PG&E's transmission lines to feed its city-run utility. Schools stayed open with teachers' improvising with no computers and principals using airhorns instead of class bells. Stanford Hospital resorted to backup power and diverted all nonemergency calls to hospitals outside the city.

Businesses throughout the city were either forced to close or count cash the old-fashioned way. Some merchants took to the sidewalks to hawk coffee, sandwiches and pastries. But many blacked out of Palo Alto's high-tech offices left for Menlo Park and Mountain View to crash at Wi-Fi cafes.

"I shudder at the thought of what it's going to cost in losses for these retailers," said Sherry Bijan, president of the Palo Alto Downtown Business and Professional Association.

When the Cessna took off, 16 Southwest Airlines flights out of Mineta San Jose International Airport already had been canceled because of the fog.

In foggy or cloudy weather conditions, planes taking of from Palo Alto Airport go straight down the runway and then turn 60 degrees to the right toward the bay at 1,000 feet, said Ken Gottfredson, who owns Advantage Aviation, a flying school and club for pilots that operates out of the Palo Alto Airport.

"He was off to the left of center by half a mile," Gottfredson said. "He should have been over the bay."

John Ferrell, a Los Altos Hills resident, who flies out of the airport three or four times a week, said he arrived there just after the ill-fated plane took off.

"You couldn't see 100 yards in front of you," Ferrell said. He noted that under those conditions, a plane can take off but not land because the runway isn't visible.

Despite speculation about the fog, Ferrell also suggested the plane's left engine may have gone out at takeoff, causing it to veer sharply to the left.

"Even in the best weather, if you lose an engine on takeoff, it's very difficult to overcome it," Ferrell said. "You have to level the wings. You have to feather the engine."

Bourn, an experienced pilot, has commercial and multiengine pilots licenses. An online bio from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers said he helped design and test the power electronics module for the Tesla Roadster. A graduate of Stanford University, Bourn enjoys "motorcycling, sky diving, flying and teaching others how to fly."

No one was home Wednesday morning at his single-story house in Santa Clara, where two motorcycles and a Lexus were in the driveway. Neighbors said he lives alone.

Bay Area News Group Staff Writers Mark Gomez, Diana Samuels, Shaun Bishop, Jessica Wax-Bernstein, Dana Hull and Sandra Gonzales contributed to this report. Contact Lisa Fernandez at 408-920-5002.

FATALITIES: Three employees of Tesla Motors die when a Cessna 310R crashes on takeoff Wednesday morning.
EAST PALO ALTO: No residents injured despite extensive damage to Beech Street homes.
PALO ALTO: Power outage cripples area businesses, residents, affecting 28,000 customers for about 10 hours