Valley Movie Pilot Killed in Crash While Filming Tom Cruise Movie

A veteran movie pilot who headed an aerial surveillance company in the San Fernando Valley was identified as one of the two people killed in a small plane crash in the Colombian Andes after wrapping up work on a film starring Tom Cruise.

Alan D. Purwin died in the Friday crash along with Carlos Brel, according to Colombia’s Civil Aviation Authority. A third person aboard, Jimmy Lee Garland, survived with injuries, according to a local fire department.

The cause of the crash was under investigation, the authority said.

The crash happened as filming wrapped up for “Mena,” a biopic based on the life of drug pilot Adler Berriman “Barry” Seal, according to Universal Pictures.

“On behalf of the production, our hearts and prayers go to the crew members and their families at this difficult time,” the studio said in a statement.

Purwin was the founder and president of the Van Nuys-based Helinet Technologies.

On his company website, Purwin was described as one of the top film pilots of his generation with a list of credits that includes major Hollywood movies such as “Transformers,” “Pearl Harbor” and “Pirates of the Caribbean.”

He is survived by his wife Kathryn and two children, Kyle and Michaela, according to Helinet’s website.

City News Service