Utah plane crash: Pilot dies and house 'engulfed in flames' after aircraft crashes into building

Police have launched an investigation into the cause of the crash

A man died after flying a plane into his house following a domestic dispute he had with his wife over the weekend, authorities said.

Duane Youd was arrested on Sunday night after witnesses said they saw him allegedly assaulting his wife outside near Payson Canyon, Utah, where he had been drinking. That’s when he posted bail and later crashed the small aircraft into his home at about 2:30 a.m. on Monday, according Sergeant Noemi Sandoval.

Mr Youd’s wife and a child were inside the house at the time of the crash, investigators said. Both survived the incident, which caused the front of the house to become fully engulfed in flames.

Photos from the scene showed firefighters shooting water into the second floor of the house, located near the mouth of the Payson Canyon. In one picture, a section of the wings of the aircraft remained just in front of the home, appearing charred yet mostly intact.

Authorities described the fire as "huge" when speaking to local news outlets, saying the crash caused the front of the home to be "fully engulfed" in flames.

Police did not immediately state how Mr Youd had managed to obtain access to the plane, or from what airport he departed to fly towards his house.