The president of a Utah company whose small plane was used by a man who crashed into his own house says the pilot had access to the plane because he had earned the firm's trust.
Leon Van Sickle, president of the VanCon, Inc., a general engineering company, said on Tuesday that Duane Youd was a "rock-solid" employee during his 13 months as company pilot.
He says Youd had the access code to the airplane hangar, but had no idea he was taking the plane.
Authorities say Youd flew into his house in Payson early Monday. His wife and her 24-year-old son in the home escaped after the two-story house was engulfed in flames.
Authorities had not disclosed how Youd had access to his company's plane.
