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Subscribe to RSSA man who was wanted for murder stole a plane from a Utah airport, crashed the aircraft and then took his own life by shooting himself. NBC's Miguel Almaguer reports.
Updated at 7:49 a.m. ET: A murder suspect from Colorado appears to have attempted to hot-wire a SkyWest Airlines regional jet at the airport in St. George, Utah, overnight, then crashed it into a fence before killing himself, federal law enforcement authorities said Tuesday.
Brian Hedglin, 40, a pilot on leave from the regional carrier, broke into the plane, which was parked at the tiny airport in southwest Utah, authorities told NBC News. He got the plane started but clipped a wing before he got airborne and crashed the aircraft into a fence. He then shot himself dead, authorities say.
Hedglin was wanted by police in Colorado Springs in the slaying last week of his former girlfriend, 39-year-old Christina Cornejo.
At the time of Cornejo's slaying, Hedglin was free on $10,000 bond after being accused of harassing her.
Cornejo’s body was found Friday morning at a residence where police had been asked to do a welfare check.
The following day, authorities put out an alert for Hedglin.
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According to the Colorado Springs Gazette, court records show that Hedglin had dated the victim for four years and was arrested in March for allegedly harassing her.
Hedglin was a part-time soldier with the Colorado Army National Guard, 9NEWS reported. The Guard told 9NEWS he was a food-service specialist with no other specialized military training and had never been deployed.
The man, a suspended SkyWest pilot, managed to start the plane and then crashed it into parked cars and killed himself. NBC's Brian Williams reports.
SkyWest told NBC News it is investigating how the man was able to gain access to the plane, which was sitting on the ramp at the St. George airport.
Meanwhile, federal regulations make it clear it’s up to the airline to ensure the plane is secured:
Each aircraft operator must use the procedures included, and the facilities and equipment described, in its security program to perform the following control functions with respect to each aircraft operation:
(a) Prevent unauthorized access to areas controlled by the aircraft operator under an exclusive area agreement in accordance with §1542.111 of this chapter.
(b) Prevent unauthorized access to each aircraft.
(c) Conduct a security inspection of each aircraft before placing it into passenger operations if access has not been controlled in accordance with the aircraft operator security program and as otherwise required in the security program.
(d) When operating under a full program or a full all-cargo program, prevent unauthorized access to the operational area of the aircraft while loading or unloading cargo.
Airport security and perimeter is up to the airport and local police, but must be approved by the federal Transportation Security Administration. The TSA says commercial airplane doors are not locked when parked.
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Leave a Comment:
A CRJ200? Really? Really? .... Why not steal something smaller.... and , I don't know?,....something easier for one person to fly.
Maybe that is what he really knew how to fly, or so he thought. What is interesting is with all the worries about terrorists possibly stealing general aviation piston powered propeller aircraft, the first big theft, that I know of post 9/11, is a commercial regional jet.
Note to self: if I am going to steal an airplane to evade police officers, take flying lessons.
He was already a pilot, just not a very good one apparently.
@CoRavensFan
The article says Hedglin is a pilot on leave from the regional carrier - second paragraph.
If they were THAT smart, wouldn't be a criminal...good riddance! Reminds me of a Richard Prior routine, when he was talking about "rapping with the bro's" down at the Arizonia prison, and why he thanked God there were prisons....."Bubba, why did you have to kill all 17 of those people?", "well, duh.. they were home...".
JayP,
C'mon...give the guy a break! He was desparate! LOL
Hmmm... I realize that one should never judge by appearance. However, by appearance - in his booking photo, this guy looks like he was a certified, guaranteed, no ifs ands and butts about it, LOSER.
1. Security is for the Feds - they set the rules - they set the standards - and they let people believe that they know whats going on . . . . lets hold them responsible instead of blaming someone else - thats not YOUR understanding of the role of the TSA, is it?
2. So this guy was a pilot on leave? And he could not safely taxi the airplane? Not a very good pilot.
3. Lock the door? The airplanes do not have locks. Doh. The only door with a lock is to the cockpit - the SIMPLE solution is to lock the cockpit door- but those keys are not exactly hard to get either . . . The solution here is to A) lock the door to the jetbridge [if there is one] at the gate and the cargo door or B) pull the stairs away from the airplane and
4. WHERE WAS OUR 24 hour security guard here? Asleep? Not paying attention to the cameras?
Commanche-
Maybe TSA was responsible for the 24 hour security but was too busy feeling up the passengers. Can't be everywhere at once..
Yet is would have been extremely easy to track him, not to mention that he's not going to disappear into the background flying a regional jet.
Not a very well thought out escape on his part.
epic fail
I know that is correct but it still sounds strange. Good thing he didn't shoot himself alive.
Well, there's your problem!!!
He hotwired a passenger jet while running from the law. That's pretty epic.
"He crashed into a fence where he shot himself dead" As opposed to shooting himself alive!
Schoolyard: You can shoot yourself and not be dead. If they just said "he shot himself" it's not indicating if he's dead or alive.
You guys got it ALL WRONG. He was already dead BEFORE he stole the plane.
I am thinking...How did he get past the terminal checkpoint...or access to the ramp?
Mike: You only get stopped by TSA if you are 4 years old or carrying a bottle of water - so he probably breezed right through.
Mike326,
I know a person can shoot themselves and live. A murder suspect who steals a plane and is looking at probably life in prison isn't going to shoot himself in the foot......just sayin'
1) All he had to do was take off without the transponder on. He would not have been tracked flying below the radar.
2) His plan was to not fly for very long anyway. He was on a suicide mission to kill himself in the jet (hopefully alone and not into his estranged girlfriend's residence taking out possibly hundreds of others.
Anyway, the CRJ series aircraft can be flown by one pilot as most jets technically can these days with the high tech "glass" cockpits. They've come a long way from needing 2 pilots and a flight engineer of the old "steam gauge" cockpits of airliners like the 727. I've flown many hours in a simulator of this model from start up to shut down. It can be done by one person. Finally, airliners (and corporate jets, of which the CRJ is really an extended version of one, the Canadair Challenger series) do not use keys to start. You just need a key to open the door
Schoolyard: True, but you can shoot yourself in the head and live. Albeit you're now most likely a vegetable, but you're alive. So the sentence was a correct statement.
Ever think he may have wanted the plane to do damage to someone or something else after all he killed himself when he could not get airborne also where was he going to land?
Well,jeez,if that's an example of the quality of pilots flying for this airline, if I have a choice,I think I'll go by Greyhound.
sooo, he crashed into a fence, and that stopped the plane?!?! WHAT IS THAT FENCE MADE OUT OF!!!
You know up in Colorado, we weren't actually sure if this guy was a murderer. He could have actually just come willingly and talked about it, but NO, he had to go and steal a plane. Also, I don't think that made him seem innocent.
Keys sound so archaic. You can unlock a laptop with a thumbprint, why not a jet?
Just another loser that couldn't take no for an answer. He proved himself to be a coward by killing himself. Too bad he didn't think to do that first.
Condolences to Ms Cornejo's loved ones....
I know some folks who need to be shot alive
Because he was a whack job? If someone doesn't love you, you can't make them. Why do so many people not get that and become insane stalkers? At least we won't support him in prison for decades. Sounds callous I know but look how many people kill when rejected!
Not calious, makes good sense. We need to (insure) more whackjobs follow him!
Now if we can get them to kill themselves first
If they were not mentally unbalanced, crazy or emotionally crippled, chances are they would not behave like this.
One shouldn't try to fathom the motives of the crazy. They don't think like you, so they'll never arrive at the same endpoint as rational people.
It is too bad.
My question is why don't more women spot these walking, breathing disasters earlier, as in on the first date? How does the colloquially worded adage go, "Never go to bed with crazy."?
Another mystery without an answer.
There is no woman on earth that could possiblly get me to do that to her. They say its over I turn and walk away. I have never hit a woman in my life and have been rejected by one only once and I really cared about her. But if you are a thinking man you realize that chasing someone who does not want to be bothered is futile so move on.
My question is why don't more women spot these walking, breathing disasters earlier,
Because control freaks can be nicer than the average bear when they are trying to gain access to a woman. Seen that several times before. I double dated with a guy who had just split up with his girl a few months before and he was a real AH to her. Only reason I went out with him was he was a customer and a good one. I sat there with my mouth hanging open most of the night as he poured on the charm and I said to myself boy is she in for a surprise. 6 weeks later splitsville and a restraining order.
duh didn't you say INSANE STALKERS?
Ah, the thinning of the herd.
I am liken this!!
The good part of this article is that he killed himself, saving the taxpayers several hundred thousand dollars. More criminals should do that.
Unfortunately, it was after he wrecked an aircraft worth several million...where is the savings?
Private insurance from the owner will pay the claim on the airplane. Your tax dollars would have paid for the crazy murderer....
that guy looks like george zimmerman to me, guy that shot that spear chunker in florida
The private insurer might be the same one that insures your home or auto, and if they can't possibly raise our rates high enough to cover their losses, then they'll ask for a government bail-out. Personally, I would rather pay to keep a violent criminal in jail than to keep a corporate criminal employed.
Attention people of the world:
When a relationship doesn't work out; be it romantic, business or otherwise; get over it and move on!
I can't believe how many times we see stories of people who are just stuck and can't pull themselves back up and someone ends up dead.
Only the weak!
Thats right there are thousands of fish in the sea.
I doubt Brian Hedglin had to "hotwire" the aircraft's ignition system. I have never seen integrated locks on the ignition switches of aircraft or motor vehicle type locking starting switches. I have seen mechanical throttle locks on piston powered aircraft, but not on jets. They could exist, I do not know. Usually the outside doors and cockpit doors have locks. If the aircraft are not scheduled for a flight that day the doors are locked. If the aircraft is scheduled for a flight within 12 hours, the doors may be unlocked to allow maintenance and cabin servicing. He also could have made a spare key to the locks, without anyone knowing.
No, this airplane did not need to be "hotwired." Turbine airplanes do not have a key with which to turn on the ignition system and activate the starter, such as a car does. Thus, there is nothing to hotwire.
A qualified pilot (as Hedglin apparenty was), once having access to the cockpit, would only need about 5 minutes to start the APU (small turbine engine in the tail providing power to start the engines) and bring the main engines up to idle with generators and avionics on line.
The fact that Hedglin struck something with the wing on taxi is probably no indication of his skill level. Other pilots with a great deal of skill and experience have had ground collisions. He was undoubtedly in a hurry, not in a great state of mind, perhaps a dark ramp area, etc.
Turning off his transponder would not make it difficult to detect him. He'd still be on primary radar. A controller just wouldn't have the other associated data clearly presented that's given by a transponder, such as speed, altitude, etc.
It seems his intent was suicide all along. You don't just appear at another airport with no flight plan in a commuter airliner without drawing a lot attention. Not a real viable plan for a getaway.
Also, just because an airplane such as this does not require an ignition key to start it does NOT mean any ol' fool can climb in, start it up and fly away. Even with a checklist in hand your typical light plane private pilot would have a difficult, if not impossble, time accomplishing this. You really do need to be trained/experienced with transport category jet airplanes.
Clipped the wing. Small wonder, Colorado Springs to St. George Utah. That's what happens when you bust the crew rest window.
What kind of security measures are in place at this airport? Wonder what the nut job was planning on doing if he got the plane off the ground. Oh the pain of love's keen sting.
I imagine he was going to try to fly to another country to try and get away. Such a whackjob!
David, I liked your post and thought I'd follow up with a comment from a local news source here in Utah . . .
Me thinks he should have been in a rubber room.
He shot himself dead "the authorities said"--right??? we are in USA, so we are ordered to believe the "authorities"--with a couple of month education!!!!--Remember the police shoot and kill 2-3 people every day--they have to keep their respect up to level!
If he was a real pilot I do not believe it!
So what if the cops shot him, who cares!!
I don't care who shot him either.
I have a wonderful niece in St. George and I'm glad that this threat is no longer near her.
I would hope that any one who believes in the rule of law would not want a police force that goes around shooting suspects and then falsifying reports. (Not that there's any evidence that this happened in this case.) Honestly, I wish people would think these things through beyond a visceral level.
...were you there? I'm not understanding this reaction in relation to this one article. The guy was a murderer... and he killed himself...
If I was a cop and had shot him I would have been proud to say I shot the S.O.B why let him take the credit?
Bunda, I don't believe you have an IQ over 20. so there.............
Do any of you feel any remorse saying this stuff? You do realize that he terrorized, then killed a woman, don't you? Is that funny? I don't think so. He was out on a minimal bond of $10,000. Pretty low considering how this ended up.
Too bad these wack jobs don't just go out and kill themselves...no, they have to kill the person they terrorized first. He was an awful person.
Now every other lunatic knows how easy it is to get into a plane and get it going. Anyone live near a small airport? Those planes could end up smashing to your house.
I actually live in St. George where this happened. He crashed and drug a truck across the parking lot which then hit a few more cars. There's a fireman and a police officer at the airport 27/7 and the fireman was the one who found him dead in the cockpit. I am just very glad he didn't get off the ground, him being on the run for a murder and suicidal, he could have done some very serious damage.
I wish it said he shot himself to death twice....LOL
How about the Arizona sheriff that said " The black suspect was found dead with 15 bullet holes in his body...worse case of suicide he ever saw"
Another outstanding end for a dirtbag!!!
Good riddance twat waffle
Reminder to self.... add "twat waffle" to memory banks... Thanks U people, that's the best new term in months!
Exactly what is a twat waffle anyway?
I totally agree, I like the twat waffle statement. I am going to use it at the dinner table tonight...
@ danimyl
a totally worthless, annoying, waste of space with no redeeming value to humanity; a douche bag
Ahhh I figured it for a sanitary napkin or maybe similar to a dick-weed
excuse me...twat did you say? Oh, a douche bag.
hee hee... I work at a bar and I PROMISE you, someone will be called a twat waffle tonight!!!
Most important though, my thoughts and prayers to Christina's family...
---
Having worked at a regional airport for a good many years & also a Naval Air Station for 10, I can verify that security fences are a joke, & as we used to say, only keep the honest people out. I used to go over a barb wire topped chain link fence in a matter of moments more than a few times when I forgot my gate key at the regional airport. Chain link is very easy to cut through with a good pair of standard wire cutters. I don't recall ever seeing cabin door locks on airline equipment, but they may have them now. I have seen them on corporate type & smaller aircraft. It does sound from reports that the guy was qualified to start & fly that aircraft. If you can start one, even a private pilot could probably manage to get one off the ground.
He assaults and kills his ex girl friend and then is allowed to walk out jail after posting $10,000 bail.
What the heck is wrong with the judicial system? This bum should have been revoked bail and be given a speedy trial to end up on death row. Zero tolerance for these a holes who beat up and kill women.
under current law, it is called due process.
No; he was on bail on the harassment charge. Apparently the cops thought that he killed her after making bond on that charge and they were looking to arrest him for the murder.
Too many inconsistencies here. He's a commercial pilot, (and worked for a regional airline, therefore must have had an A.T.P. rating,) yet he's a cook in a local Army National Guard unit? He's a qualified commercial aviator, flying regional jets, yet can't avoid clipping a wing, and crashing? He was let out on bail of only $10,000.00 after being charged with murder?
Something just don't add up here.
I believe it's ATR rating. ATP only adds multi-engine to your Private Pilots license.
Found that off too.
"I believe it's ATR rating. ATP only adds multi-engine to your Private Pilots license."
No, it is ATP (Airline Transport Pilot). This is the highest level pilot certificate held. In a brief comparison with a commercial pilot certificate, the ATP requires (among many other things) a minimum of 1,500 flight experience, with the commercial requiring a minimum of 250 hours.
ATR (Airplane Type Rating) refers to training and certification specific to an aircraft make/model. Such as for the CRJ200 in this story.
For the record, it is a multi-engine rating that adds MULTIENGINE to your pilot's certificate. (Makes sense, no?) This may be MULTIENGINE LAND and/or MULTIENGINE SEA.
The judge who let him out should be thrown off the bench.
Thrown off the bench and disbarred as a lawyer.
pay attention dude! The moron was out on bail for harrassment!...not murder! unless youre saying that everyone charged with harrassment needs to be locked up without bail, which is just a little unconstitutional. Too bad she didnt have a big brother that would snuff the maggot for threatening his sister. Every man that has ever dated my sister has received the warning....
I'll see your thrown off the bench and disbarred as a lawyer and raise you a twat waffle!
not to make light of what this killer did, but what did they [SkyWest Airlines] leave the keys under the sun visor ?
What keys? Once you`re in the cockpit you don`t need keys...
While I agree, have fun with that one!! Under current law in the US a judge cannot be held liable for his/her decisions for the most part.
I'm just glad we saved our tax dollars having to take care of this vermin, for the rest of his life.
Well there's something that needs work.
Never have been
This is great news lets go flip a few beers and get are nuts off. Peter
only one good thing here
he killed himself
now we dont have to worry about some screwed up jury
screwing up everything about the case
Another coward with a gun. Can't we export these scumbags? We seem to have so many of them. How about Somalia? They seem enamored with derelicts like him.
I blame Obama
ummmm....what, exactly, is a "twat waffle". Is it edible?
maybe a twat waffle is simular to a "blue waffle" !!!
over a woman? idiot. so many fish in the sea, theres plenty of pussy out there. she dumped you or you dumped her ...who cares.is it really worth killing yourself over?what a f-in moron.could you imagine if this idiot clipped something like he did but got the plane into the air and then crashed into a populated area either on purpose or by accident.somebody ain't doing their job guarding the planes.
Plus there's always the joy-stick, if you know what I mean
I totally agree. These planes need to be locked up and not so easily accessable. Not a good feeling as an American to know some Tally-Turban-Killer could find themselves behind a plane like this one day, No need to buy an airline ticket for a 9/11 repeat. Airport Security Standards baffle me.... Oh but wait take your shoes off first!
Usually unauthorized movement of a commercial aircraft on the ramp gets the control tower's attention. These days they make fairly swift calls to the police stationed at the airport to intervene. IF the police have enough proper firepower they can shoot the tires enough to deflate them. If they are swift enough they can disable the aircraft on the taxiway before it gets to the runway. The probability of a successful takeoff on deflated tires is low. Too much friction. The police could also try to shoot the engines or cockpit.
Commercial aircraft not locked - - - Duh!!! Come on guys - where is TSA on this?
I agree, the TSA is only at the airports for show. I have to take my shoes off but anybody can steal a jet parked on the tarmac(sigh), the security outside the terminal is a joke!
The security DID work. The aircraft was so positioned on the ramp that even a trained pilot could not get it out without tearing a wing off.