The pilot who died Sunday after his plane crashed next to the northbound lanes of Interstate 5, near Sylmar, has been identified as 55-year-old Scott Frasier Watson, of Marina del Rey.
The man’s identity was released Monday by officials at the Los Angeles County Office of Medical Examiner/Coroner.
“An autopsy is pending,” said Sarah Ardalani, spokeswoman for the Coroner’s Office.
Watson’s time of death was listed as 2:10 p.m. Sunday.
During Sunday’s flight, the pilot had informed air traffic control of an in-flight emergency that prompted him to make an emergency landing, Assistant Fire Chief Patrick Butler of the Los Angeles Fire Department said in a news conference shortly after the crash.
Bystanders who were driving on the I-5 told investigators the plane appeared as if it wanted to land on the freeway before moving off towards the field.
Several bystanders rushed to the pilot’s aid before finding that the pilot was trapped due to the wreckage, Butler said.
Firefighters managed to extract the pilot, though he had apparently succumbed to his injuries sustained during the crash, Butler said Sunday.
The National Transportation Safety Board and the Los Angeles Police Department are expected to continue the investigation to determine the cause of the crash and the nature of the in-flight emergency.
When the crash happened, a 2-hour SIG Alert was issued as a result of the crash, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The plane, a Beechcraft A320 single engine aircraft, was only carrying its pilot, who was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Los Angeles Fire Department.
Reporters Ryan Mancini and Austin Dave contributed to this report.
