Two men over the past few days took their own lives by using airplanes as instruments of their own deaths. Last Friday, a Horizon Air employee stole a Bombardier Q400 turboprop from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), and took it on an hour-long joyride that included aerobatics before crashing the airplane on Kentron Island in Puget Sound. Horizon Air is owned by Alaska Airlines. Early Monday morning a man in Utah stole a Citation CJ from Spanish Fork Airport (SPK) and crashed it into his own home located near Payson. While the pilot died, no one on the ground was injured.
Two Suicides by Airplane in Four Days
Key Takeaways:
- Two separate incidents occurred within days where men stole airplanes and used them to commit suicide.
- In Seattle, an unlicensed Horizon Air ground agent stole a turboprop, performed aerobatics, and crashed it after expressing distress to air traffic controllers.
- In Utah, an experienced pilot stole a jet and crashed it into his own home hours after being released from jail for domestic violence, though his family inside escaped harm.
- Psychologists are concerned the second incident might be a copycat event and warn of potential further occurrences.
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