Scott Watson obit

Pilot who died in plane crash in Sylmar ID’d as longtime Disney Imagineering executive

He was not on the list.

The pilot who died when his small aircraft crashed into a field in Sylmar on Sunday was identified as a 55-year-old Marina Del Rey resident and longtime Disney employee who helped create rides for its theme parks.

Scott Watson was the only person on board the A320 single-engine aircraft when it plunged into the field just before 2 p.m.

The Los Angeles County coroner’s office identified Watson on Monday.

Several passersby who attempted to free him from the wreckage said he was still conscious after the crash. Firefighters eventually were able to get him out of the plane, but Watson died.

Family members of Watson, including his wife, author Sheree La Puma-Watson, also identified him on social media on Monday.

“RIP my love. You did amazing things,” La Puma-Watson said in a tweet. “Thank you for giving me three brilliant kids. We love and miss you.”

Several who said they worked with Watson or were mentored by him said he was a technology executive for Walt Disney Imagineering, the technology arm of the entertainment giant that creates attractions for the company’s parks all over the world.

“Scott Watson was one of the most delightful people I’ve ever met,” TV writer Nina Bargiel said in a tweet.

Others on social media eulogized Watson as a smart and creative boss who helped program some of Disney’s most famous rides, such as Indiana Jones Adventure.

“Scott Watson was a brilliant man that taught me there is always more to learn, showed the importance of lateral thinking, and most importantly, offered me his friendship,” said Michael Pusateri, a technology executive for NBCUniversial, in a tweet. “I am a better person for having known him.”

Watson was the registered owner of the plane, according to Federal Aviation Administration records.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash.