Pilot Crashes Plane into Own Home After Arrest

[Concours77]

Originally Posted by meadowrun

Very strange photos of the scene. House seems still structurally sound. Not much of a fire or impact. The landscaping is hardly disturbed. The utility box out front looks pristine. No scrapes or gouges on the road. The sidewalk curb still there. No debris in street. This was a twin jet.
Looks more like it was dropped by a crane onto the driveway and went boom.

Beyond strange. The trajectory had to have been close to vertical, but how could he have hit a specific home at 3AM? How could he have kept any kind of control right up to impact? The “heading”, the “pancake”, the lack of local surface disruption. I’ve seen mva with far more damage. It looks like the set of a movie. Like I said, the front door is still on its hinges...

Cue up the tinfoil hats.

[Jay Arr]

Yes. I've been wondering the exact same thing for the past 24 hours. He plonked it vertically onto the driveway at 3am in total darkness, and caused virtually no impact damage to the house or collateral damage to the neighbourhood? The left wing and rear fuselage geometry look completely normal, as if...... the aircraft was parked in the driveway and then set alight.....

I am not a conspiracist (16,000 hr heavy jet driver actually) but there is lot here that doesn't look right.

Then again, I'm reading stall speed (full flap) is around 81 kts so a "short-field" type of approach: maybe? Doable? I tell you what, his aim was precise.

Any Citation drivers want to comment?

[RatherBeFlying]

ICF?

My guess is Insulated Concrete Form construction.

[Airbubba]

A follow-up article with more details:

AP NewsBreak: Pilot who crashed his own home had hangar code

By BRADY McCOMBS, Associated Press Aug. 14, 2018 Updated: Aug. 14, 2018 5:09 p.m.

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A man who died when he flew a plane into his own house after he had been arrested for assaulting his wife had full access to his employer's plane because he had earned the firm's trust, the president of the Utah company said Tuesday.

Duane Youd, 47, was a "rock-solid" employee and a good person during 13 months as company pilot, Leon Van Sickle told The Associated Press. He is the president of the VanCon, Inc., a general engineering company.

He said Youd had the digital access code to the airplane hangar, though he had no idea he would take the plane early Monday. Youd was a stellar pilot who flew employees to business meetings around North America in the company's only plane, a twin-engine Cessna 525, Van Sickle said.

"He's the manager of the plane," Van Sickle said. "He had full access to it. . . It all boils to trust. I don't know what we would have done different. He flies with our lives at stake and we thoroughly trusted him beyond measure. He took great care of us. He never took chances. Everything was by the book."

The crash occurred at about 2:30 a.m. Monday in Payson, a city of about 20,000 people about 60 miles (95 kilometers) south of Salt Lake City. He had posted bail just hours earlier after being arrested after witnesses reporting seeing him assault his wife, authorities said.

His wife and her 24-year-old son escaped as the two-story house became engulfed in flames, authorities said They had not disclosed how Youd gained access to the company plane.

Youd took the plane out of a hangar at the small Spanish Fork-Springville Airport, where there are no air towers or traffic control monitoring of who takes off or lands, said airport manager Cris Child.
Van Sickle said he heard rumblings that Youd was having some marital problems but that he never fathomed he would do what he did. He was not aware of the domestic violence incident Sunday night or another one in April, he said.

"I couldn't' believe it. It's unbelievable," Van Sickle said. "The guy was just golden. He was rock solid. You just can't even fathom this. It's just so tragic."

Payson police Sgt. Noemi Sandoval said Monday that investigators believe Youd hit his house intentionally.

Having surveyed the wreckage and knowing Youd as a pilot, Van Sickle said he agrees it was intentional. He noted that Youd had to fly under high-voltage power lines and avoid other houses to hit his own house without causing any more damage.
"That took some skill," Van Sickle said.

Some video of the hangar door operation and taxi out here:

https://kutv.com/news/local/surveill...deo-08-13-2018

An overhead view of the scene:

Twitter

[Airbubba]

More pictures of the puzzling scene from Shara Park's KSL Twitter feed:

[Concours77]

In the middle pic above, note the skid marks of each main gear, right gear first, then left. Just before the sidewalk, indicating a bank angle to the right, though not much of one. She hit with her wheels, then likely hit the parked car with the right wing root. He literally put the passenger section in the living room. I think he kept it dirty for slow speed “spot landing”.

[Jay Arr]

You're right, Concours77. That middle photo does show skid-marks very clearly; quite obvious now that you point them out. Really quite an skillful bit of flying given it was night-time. What a shame it was for nefarious purposes.

[pattern_is_full]

Concede I missed those tire marks in other pix - only excuse is that they are not much bigger than a fireman's sooty footprints.

In any other circumstances, this would just be a nice contender for world's record STOL jet landing performance (discounting carrier recoveries).

[ethicalconundrum]

I think the car was parked at the curb, and the right wing struck it low, taking quite a bit of energy out of the impact, and flipping the car anti-clockwise. would account for some of the lack of damage to the house structure.

Edited to correct 'left' to 'right' wing. sorry...

[Sorry Dog]

Originally Posted by ethicalconundrum

I think the car was parked at the curb, and the right wing struck it low, taking quite a bit of energy out of the impact, and flipping the car anti-clockwise. would account for some of the lack of damage to the house structure.

Edited to correct 'left' to 'right' wing. sorry...

I think the same.

If the guy's goal was to destroy the house, thankfully he missed being 10 or 20 feet too low. Maybe he wasn't trying to kill everybody, but guess we'll never really know. If you are trying to do that, I would think 350 knots on a steep dive angle would be more for sure.

BTW - I bet the house construction is typical 2x4 pine framing with plywood/OSB siding, insulation, and stucco/stone veneer siding. Strong but won't take a direct hit. The car, street curb, and especially the raised front porch likely took the majority of the energy.

[Concours77]

Originally Posted by Sorry Dog

I think the same.

If the guy's goal was to destroy the house, thankfully he missed being 10 or 20 feet too low. Maybe he wasn't trying to kill everybody, but guess we'll never really know. If you are trying to do that, I would think 350 knots on a steep dive angle would be more for sure.

BTW - I bet the house construction is typical 2x4 pine framing with plywood/OSB siding, insulation, and stucco/stone veneer siding. Strong but won't take a direct hit. The car, street curb, and especially the raised front porch likely took the majority of the energy.

Likely Doug Fir, not pine. Pine is less available, expensive, and not as strong as DF. OSB, yeah, and stucco. I’ve used that standoff pier clad in stone with double 6x6 columns detail in houses I’ve built. The skid marks show a short bounce by the trailing link, and a second faint scrub just past the initial ones. The left gear shows a slightly different track, a bit left of the starboard wheel track. I think the left gear may have been damaged by the impact with the garage roof across the street, causing the wheel to misalign. The skidmarks support the roll right theory, and tend to confirm the bank angle to the right just before hitting the street.

btw. I think the bank was intentional, he was trying to turn right to hit the front door. Actually he was a little low and a little left when the House came into view.

There is another possibility. He may have not intended to harm anyone. He may have been trying to scare the s—t out of Mom and stepson, but stalled when he tried to climb. A lot would depend on the noise level the neighbors might be reporting. Two Williams 44’s at full chat low and slow would put the fear of God into, well, God.

just sayin.

[Airbubba]

An obituary, the funeral is on Saturday.

Duane L (Rhedd) Youd

1. Aug 16, 2018

1970-2018

Duane L. (Rhedd) Youd, 47, of Payson, Utah passed away Monday, August 13, 2018. Duane, or Rhedd, as he was known to family and friends, was born November 6, 1970 in Payson, Utah to Lynn J and Beverly MacKay Youd. He grew up in Lake Shore and was a graduate of Spanish Fork High School. He continued his education at UVU where he graduated with an associate degree. Rhedd then participated in a piloting program and became a pilot and instructor with Diamond Flight Center.

Rhedd married Michelle Darling and they are the parents of two children. They were later divorced. He then married Sandy M. Petersen and they have enjoyed many great memories and adventures together. Rhedd was known for his generous spirit, willingness to help anyone, and his neighborly love.He started his own business, Rhedd’s Tint and Trim, which he operated for over 30 years. He started out at Pinnacle Airlines and moved on to fly for rescue flights with AMRG and Guardian Flight. He flew for the State of Utah and enjoyed serving the governor. His latest flying was as a private pilot for private businesses in Utah County. He was always hard-working and fair in his business endeavors.

Rhedd enjoyed any adventure and traveling, and especially loved to try anything new. He loved flying, jeeping, boating, dirt biking, and anything that involved speed. He also enjoyed the outdoors and customizing cars. He was a talented craftsman and could fix anything. He was a true friend and had many friends in many places.

He was an active member of the LDS Church, Eagle Scout, and was involved in the Young Men’s Program and Scouts. He loved them and they adored him.He is survived by his children, Joslyn Youd and Parker Youd; wife, Sandy; step-children, Collin McNeal, Summer Johnson, Alec Johnson, and Brooks Johnson; his father, Lynn; his siblings, Jay (Mary Ann) Youd, Kathy (Jay) Hair, Steven (Konni) Youd, Charlene (Dale) Koyle, and sister-in-law, Linda (Bill) Lay. Rhedd will be remembered by his family and friends for the daily acts of service and kindness he exhibited throughout his life.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Beverly; and brother, Roger Youd.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, August 18, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. at the Payson 3rd Ward Chapel, 274 S. Main Street, Payson, Utah. Family and friends may visit on Friday evening, August 17, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Walker Funeral Home, 187 S. Main Street, Spanish Fork, Utah, and on Saturday morning at the church from 9:30-10:45 a.m. prior to the service. Interment will be in the Spanish Fork City Cemetery. Condolences may be sent to the family at: www.walkerobits.com.

https://www.heraldextra.com/lifestyl...c87ca3aee.html

[Concours77]

Sorry Dog mentioned a different type of approach, 350 knots nose on target.

I see gear down, left flap full, and minimal destruction not involving the aircraft.

The Obit describes a stand up family man.

I prefer to think he was bent on extreme nuisance, not homicide.

Thanks Airbubba, posting his obituary was a kind move.

[meadowrun]

Anyone seen any security cam video from this apparently affluent neighbourhood? Usually they're thick as flies these days.

[TWT]

I suspect the FBI have already collected all security cam videos ( if any exist ) and won't be releasing them .....

[scifi]

Has anyone worked out why the wheels were down...?

[Concours77]

Don’t forget what looks like a wing flap fully extended.

[aterpster]

Originally Posted by TWT

I suspect the FBI have already collected all security cam videos ( if any exist ) and won't be releasing them .....

Perhaps some owner was smart enough to make a duplicate before he/she handed a home surveillance video over to law enforcement.

[Sorry Dog]

Originally Posted by Concours77

Likely Doug Fir, not pine. Pine is less available, expensive, and not as strong as DF.

There is another possibility. He may have not intended to harm anyone. He may have been trying to scare the s—t out of Mom and stepson, but stalled when he tried to climb. A lot would depend on the noise level the neighbors might be reporting. Two Williams 44’s at full chat low and slow would put the fear of God into, well, God.

just sayin.

I think that is a reasonable enough possibility. Not that it absolves him of guilt, but intent does count for something. Either way it seems more like acts of extreme emotion not thought out that well. If it was a cold calculated take everything out mindset then the outcome probably would have been different.


BTW- To me pine is generic term that covers all the mass market softwoods that most houses are now framed with.

[uffington sb]

If you have a look on GE street view, look from the Nebo Loop road. The house on 1200 S is under construction, plywood? The houses opposite are single storey and fairly clear behind them making the approach not as steep as I had originally thought. If you turn into 1200 S, the house becomes a vacant lot.