What happened
On the night of the incident, the Cessna (registration N865AS) arrived at Saint George Airport in Utah, completing flight DL7772 from Salt Lake City. The aircraft was parked on the ramp for the night after all passengers and crew had deplaned.
Shortly after midnight, an unauthorized individual, identified as a commercial pilot, entered the airfield by climbing over a barbed wire fence. The pilot accessed the aircraft by opening a door that had not been secured with a key. After successfully starting the engines, the aircraft began to move, rolling several meters before striking the terminal building. The momentum of the aircraft caused it to breach the perimeter fence and eventually come to a stop in a nearby parking lot.
During the event, the pilot died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound inside the cockpit.
Findings
Investigations revealed that the pilot's actions were motivated by a desire to steal the aircraft. The incident followed a personal tragedy involving the death of the pilot's girlfriend in Colorado Springs earlier that same day.