Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. Nah, Im a white guy.. He left prison after less than 5 years, on parole. The plane was a Bombardier Q400, a turboprop that seats 76 people, owned by Horizon Air, part of Alaska Airlines. appreciated. The incident came about when a 29-year-old man stole an aircraft from Seattle-Tacoma International airport in August 2018. .css-v1xtj3{display:block;font-family:FreightSansW01,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-weight:100;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:0;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-v1xtj3:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-v1xtj3{font-size:1.1387rem;line-height:1.2;margin-bottom:1rem;margin-top:0.625rem;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-v1xtj3{line-height:1.2;}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.css-v1xtj3{font-size:1.18581rem;line-height:1.2;margin-bottom:0.5rem;margin-top:0rem;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-v1xtj3{font-size:1.23488rem;line-height:1.2;margin-top:0.9375rem;}}A 777 Nearly Plunged Into the Ocean After Takeoff, Sudden FAA Failure Grounds U.S. The U.S. National Suicide Prevention Hotline (1-800-273-8255) is online 24/7 to help you in a time of depression or desperation. A Russian Air Force engineer made off with an Antonov An-26 transport plane from Kubinka Air Force Base near Moscow. . Surveillance footage obtained by KOMO shows 28-year-old Richard Russell using a tow vehicle to pull a Horizon Air Q400 aircraft onto the tarmac before climbing into the cockpit on August 10, 2018. After proceeding through the pre-flight checklist and moving the pushback tractor, Mr Russell began rolling the plane toward a runway. At least 12 dead after winter storm slams South, Midwest, The Saturday Six: Dental device controversy, scientist's bug find and more, Trump speaks at CPAC after winning straw poll, 3 children killed, 2 others wounded at Texas home, Man charged for alleged involvement in 2 transformer explosions, Nikki Haley slams potential GOP contenders, and Trump and George W. Bush, Duo of 81-year-old women plan to see the world in 80 days, Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant to "take some time away" from the team after allegedly brandishing a gun in a club, Alex Murdaugh trial: What to know about the double murder case, Officials say man who stole plane was suicidal. "We heard the jet because our windows were down while we were waiting in the ferry line to go to Anderson Island, which is adjacent to Ketron Island.". I've played some video games before, he said. In a final video project set to cheery music, Russell included selfies from airport . The footage shows him going through security wearing a T-shirt. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. "He was getting really stressed about the financial situation he was in. Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in, On the day of his tragic flight, Mr Russell wore a shirt that said The Sky is No Limit, Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile, Air Traffic Control audio reveals conversation with man who stole Alaska Airlines plane. At one point, he apologizes and says he is a "broken guy" with "a few screws loose. Hell of a crime spree for a 19 year old. Details of man who sources say stole airplane from Sea-Tac, Officials: Man who stole plane, died in crash not a pilot, Woman faces decades in prison after lying about murder, Do you have an investigative story tip? SeaTac's tower began asking who was piloting the airplane, which culminated in the first of Mr Russell's exchanges with control that day. Mr Russell's aerial joyride ultimately ended in a fiery crash on a remote island in Puget Sound. Later that day he stole an Alaska Air turboprop aircraft and crashed it into a remote island in Puget Sound. Domestic Flights, Airplane Door Rips Open Midflight on Russian Plane, Airport Worker Ingested Into Jet Engine, Dies, The Concorde Disaster, Battle Tanks, and More. The plane eventually crashed on sparsely populated Ketron Island, starting a fire in the woods but injuring no one outside the plane. Win Your Trip to Our 2023 iHeartRadio Music Awards! Jason Silverstein contributed to this report. Newly released CCTV footage shows airport employee Richard Russell stealing an Alaska Airlines plane before fatally crashing it into a Washington island, the New York Post reports . Kathleen Reichel said she watched the planes pass by for about two minutes. "We are devastated by these events, and Jesus is truly the only one holding this family together right now. Moore stole (or stole and crashed) multiple airplanes, multiple boats, dozens of cars, etc. The family of a man who authorities saystole an airplane from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and later crashed it called him a faithful husband, loving son and good friend. Authorities said Russell did not have a pilot's license. While searching the crash site, investigators also located human remains among the aircraft materials. Four years ago, a 29-year-old man named Richard Russell managed to steal an Alaskan Airlines turboprop plane from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. He eventually climbs inside the cockpit and fires up the engine. Richard Russell, 29, can be seen at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport driving a pushback tractor with an Alaska Air turboprop attached. His 75-minute flight during the golden twilight took him south and west, toward the Olympic Mountains. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. Newly-released videos from the Port of Seattle show the moments leading up to an airport worker crashing a stolen airplane nearly four years ago. For one, Russell shouldn't have been able to board the plane alone, he said. The whole saga took place late on a Friday night in the west-coast time zone; by Monday morning, the constant news churn of the middle years of the Trump presidency seemed to have pushed any follow-up coverage of the Horizon Air crash out of the headlines. KIRO 7 News Seattle facebook feed(Opens a new window), KIRO 7 News Seattle twitter feed(Opens a new window), KIRO 7 News Seattle youtube feed(Opens a new window), Who was Richard Russell? By Louis Lucero II and Melissa Gomez. "My husband and I are recently former Boeing employees, and we were wondering why a jet was near the passenger airplane," she said. Worker who stole plane and crashed identified, See stolen plane flying moments before crash, Co-worker of man who stole plane speaks out, Official: Man taxied plane before stealing it, Airline worker's family releases statement, Airline issues statement after Seattle crash, Witness: Thought Air Force was practicing for show. Russell responds: "Awwww-right. The Q400 is a turboprop aircraft with 76 seats. Like a lot of bags. The Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office has confirmed the remains belong to Richard Russell, who took the empty Horizon Air turboprop plane from Sea-Tac Airport. Please enter valid email address to continue. Horizon's parent company, Alaska Airlines, refused to comment on claims of workers being overworked or underpaid. Air traffic control became suspicious of Mr Russell after he cut in the line for takeoff. Lee Callahan in the morning, and the No Repeat Workday while you work! Enter for your chance to win a visit to the Disneyland Resort with 96.5 JACK FM! In a humorous YouTube video he posted last year, he talked about his job and included videos and photos of his various travels. Russell, 29 is presumed dead. It was one of the strangest, scariest, most bizarre events of 2018: A baggage handler at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport moseyed onto the tarmac, hopped in an unoccupied Horizon Air passenger plane, taxied to an empty runway, and took off. Investigators headed Saturday to the crash site to recover the plane's data recorders and Russell's remains as part of a criminal probe, authorities said. Tragic as Russell's death was, he could have inflicted vastly more damage had he been so inclined. Also see | Stolen plane narrowly missed family inside Ketron Island cabin. Ultimately the FBI determined that Mr Russell intentionally brought the airplane into a dive onto a small island in Puget Sound, where he died. It was a strange day when Horizon Airlines Employee Richard "Beebo" Russell stole a plane in the middle of his working shift. The Pierce County Medical Examiners Office has confirmed the remains belong to Richard Russell, who took the empty Horizon Air turboprop plane from Sea-Tac Airport. The newly published video, coupled with Rolling Stones detailed reconstruction of the events of August 10, 2018, paint the picture of a cheerful, gregarious fellow. 2023 Cable News Network. Onlooker John Waldron took video that shows the plane rolling inverted at low altitude, then pulling into a half-loop in a aerobatic high-g maneuver called a split S. Whether through skill or luck, Russell managed to pull the plane out of its rapid descent just above the wave tops. The man has been identified as Richard Russell, a law enforcement official familiar with the investigation confirmed to CNN on Saturday night. / CBS/AP. I hope they can make it through this.". Late Friday, a Horizon Air employee believed to be Russell stole an empty turboprop plane, took off from SeaTac and crashed on Ketron Island, a small island in the Puget Sound that is home to about two dozen residents. You know?". Potential targets included tens of thousands of fans assembling at Safeco Field, about 12 miles away, for a sold-out Pearl Jam concert just as he took off. With its premium plus plan, youll be able to browse flight deals going for up to 90% off in business, premium economy, and economy class. What happened from then, left a. A blog that appeared to belong to Russell as part of a multimedia content creation class at Washington State University focused on his job on a ground service agent. Now, nearly four years after the event, authorities have released new video footage showing how 28-year-old Russell who went by the nickname Beebo got through the airport and into the 76-seat plane that he flew to his death. Newly-obtained surveillance video from 2018 shows how Richard Russell, then a Horizon Ground service agent with no pilot experience, successfully stole the plane before crashing to his. The NTSB is now processing the equipment. Newly released CCTV footage shows airport employee Richard Russell stealing an Alaska Airlines plane before fatally crashing it into a Washington island, the New York Post reports. "Here we have an employee who was vetted to the level to have access to the aircraft and had a skill set proficient enough to take off with that plane.". He said he wanted to create projects showing the contrast between his hard work on the ground and his high-flying free time traveling the globe. He flew until the plane ran out of fuel and died in the ensuing crash. A 777 Nearly Plunged Into the Ocean After Takeoff, In audio recordings released over the internet, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. He was killed in the crash. After Russell performed an unauthorized takeoff, two McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle fighters were scrambled to intercept the aircraft. "Although investigators received information regarding Russells background, possible stressors, and personal life, no element provided a clear motivation for Russells actions.". "Seattle Ground, Horizon Guy. They pursued the aircraft before it went down on Ketron Island, between Tacoma and Olympia. After the plane approached Ketron Island, Waldron saw a thick column of smoke followed by a loud explosion, he said. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. I was kinda hoping that was going to be it. "Oh man. Russell was "tow certified" and had full security access, and had been with the company for three and a half years, CBS News' Jamie Yuccas reports. U.S. Air Force Sergeant Paul Meyer, a 23-year-old crew chief stationed at Mildenhall Air Base in England, stole a C-130 cargo plane and took off. Padilla and an a recently hired assistant boarded the plane, taxied it to the runway, took off, and head out over the Atlantic Ocean. The cause of the crash wasn't immediately known, but the F-15s did not bring the plane down, Eckrote said. He complimented the controller: "You are very calm, collect, poised," he said. Richard B. Russell reportedly stole a Horizon Air plane for a joyride before crashing and killing himself near Seattle. ", "I've got a lot of people that care about me," the man later said. President Donald Trump was briefed on the incident and is monitoring the situation, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said Saturday morning. May 23, 1969. Data from the flight data recorder showed there was a significant sideslip on the airplane during the last minute of the flight, but the airplane appeared to stay in control, according to the FBI report. What was the richard russell plane crash story all about. "Tower, you need to call and scramble now," one Alaska Air pilot called out. Please dont hesitate to utilize this resource. / CBS/AP. Relatives of Richard Russell say they are "stunned and heartbroken" after the airline worker stole a passenger plane Friday from the Seattle-Tacoma . The perpetrator, 29-year-old Richard Russell, was a Horizon Air ground service agent with no piloting experience. Authorities said he used a tractor to rotate the plane 180 degrees, positioning it so that he could taxi toward a runway. the moments leading up to an airport worker crashing a stolen airplane, FBI released more information about Russell and the incident, employees and family didn't notice anything wrong, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. The incident, which the FBI's Seattle office did not consider terrorism, raises questions about airport security. Russell had no piloting experience, but he managed . Now let's land that airplane safely and don't hurt anybody on the ground," the helping pilot radios. "I think I'm going to try to do a barrel roll, and if that goes good I'll go nose down and call it a night," Richard Russell said from the cockpit, according to a recording of his conversation with the controller. He managed to proceed with his plan unmolested largely because no one thought twice about the baggage handler working in the airport's restricted spaces. What followed was a 73-minute joyride during which Richard Beebo Russell had a surprisingly candid conversation with air-traffic controllers as he pushed the Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 twin-engine plane through some daring acrobatic moves. "Congratulations. On board was 29-year-old Richard Russell, a baggage handler for Horizon Air who is also flying the plane for unknown reason. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. The agency said that, had Mr Russell wanted, he could have recovered from the dive. The job of a ground service agent includes directing aircraft for takeoff and gate approach, handling baggage and tidying and de-icing planes, authorities said. "He was a quiet guy," Rick Christenson, an operational supervisor with the airline who retired in Maytold The Seattle Times. We deliver the best in breaking news, live video coverage, original journalism and segments from your favorite NBC News Shows.Connect with NBC News Online!NBC News App: https://smart.link/5d0cd9df61b80Breaking News Alerts: https://link.nbcnews.com/join/5cj/breaking-news-signup?cid=sm_npd_nn_yt_bn-clip_190621Visit NBCNews.Com: http://nbcnews.to/ReadNBCFind NBC News on Facebook: http://nbcnews.to/LikeNBCFollow NBC News on Twitter: http://nbcnews.to/FollowNBC#Surveillance #Horizonair #hijacking Russell's family said in a statement that they were stunned and heartbroken. Mr Russell's aerial joyride ultimately ended in a fiery crash on a remote island in Puget Sound. Richard Russell was a suicidal airport ground services worker who stole an airplane from Sea-Tac International Airport in Seattle, Washington, and took it on a dramatic unauthorized flight,. Marine Corps lance corporal Howard A. Foote, Jr. stole an A-4M Skyhawk ground attack jet from Marine Corps Air Station El Toro and took it on a 45-minute aerobatic joyride before returning to base and landing safely. F-15 fighter jets scrambled to intercept the Q400, which ultimately crashed into Ketron Island, about 30 miles from the airport. The body camera and cell phone video shows firefighters climbing through dense brush and fallen trees to get to the crash site on Ketron Island. Newly released video shows the fiery scene firefighters encountered after an airplane stolen from Sea-Tac Airport crashed on Ketron Island. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. "You think if I land this successfully, Alaska will give me a job as a pilot?" Other pilots and SeaTac's tower exchange information about Mr Russell as they quickly realise that something unusual is going on. During an exchange with air traffic controllers, Russell mentioned he had some experience using flight simulator software. It did not elaborate. One sketch that he posted included a drawing of a Q400 plane, the same kind of plane involved in Friday's crash. Witnesses described the surreal scene after the plane left the airport. But the friendly tone of a 29-year-old airport worker who stole a commercial plane Friday night, performing acrobatic stunts before a fatal plunge into a thick island forest, belied his desperate actions. among other things. He also told the controller he "wasn't really planning on landing" the aircraft, and he described himself as "just a broken guy.". The jets' capability was appropriate to the potential task, one of the sources said, without offering details. Alaska Airlines flight 261 took off from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on the morning of August 10, 2018. Relatives of Richard Russell say they are "stunned and heartbroken" after the airline worker stole a passenger plane Friday from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and was killed when. Find flight for cheapWith its premium plus plan, youll be able to browse flight deals going for up to 90% off in business, premium economy, and economy class. If you miss out on Thursday, no worries! We may earn a commission from links on this page. Scroll down to continue . Others include how, nearly 17 years after the 9/11 attack, someone can simply take a passenger plane from a major U.S. airport without authorization. I don't know! While investigators concluded Russell intentionally crash the plane, his motive still remains a mystery. I've played some video games before," Russell responds. Richard Russell, 29, walks through employee security screening at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. "Russell was known as a quiet guy who read a lot," according to one witness statement. Russell echoed those claims in his last conversation with air traffic control. He first can be seen wandering through security, and is spotted again later on the tarmac. July 13, 1994. The rest of Mr Russell's time in the air was well documented, thanks to his regular contact with SeaTac's tower. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. "So, (he) had some knowledge but clearly wasn't a commercial pilot.". "A couple of the turns, it looked like what we call in basic flight training a 'coordinated turn,' meaning that he not only used the yoke but you also coordinate with the rudders and you do the turns. August 22, 1979. "I always felt bad for the guys and gals who handled luggage. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. Cooper? Send us an email at [email protected], Multiple western Washington residents indicted in connection to coast-to-coast drug ring, Bank accidentally left unlocked in Fresno, police say, Powerball jackpot winner identified as longtime Boeing employee, Officials: Mother identified as shooter in murder-suicide in Ohio, Court finds Federal Way gun store in contempt of court. New footage released by the Port of Seattle shows Mr Russell who worked as a baggage handler at the airport preparing the plane for takeoff. He passed a series of background checks to gain his position, as he didn't have any criminal convictions. "There is a protocol to not allow anyone singularly to get onboard an aircraft," Soucie said. ", "I've got a lot of people that care about me, and it's going to disappoint them to hear that I did this," Russell says. Without communicating to air traffic controllers, he cut off another airplane and then managed to get the plane onto the runway and airborne. An air traffic controller called him "Rich," and tried to convince him to land the airplane. According to his Facebook page, which had limited public access, he was from Wasilla, Alaska, and lived in Sumner, Washington, and was married in 2012. video Plane crashes near Seattle airport. That includes both domestic and international flights. His family says it's clear he didn't mean to harm anyone. In fact, there have been a number of occurrences in recent decades in which ground personnel made off with aircraft. 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Also see | Cockpit audio from worker who stole empty plane from Sea-Tac Airport. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. He was right in saying that there are so many people who have loved him.". . ", Referring to audio recordings of Russell talking to air traffic control during his hour-long flight, the statement said his "intent was not to harm anyone. Richard "Beebo" Russell (Screenshot from YouTube via AP) SEATTLE - The Horizon Air baggage handler who stole a commercial airplane from Sea-Tac Airport and took it for a 73-minute joy ride . "There is a runway just off to your right side in about a mile," the controller says, reffering to an airfield at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. August 13, 2018 / 5:34 AM Nearby co-workers weren't even aware of Russell's actions, which happened six hours into his shift, according to reporters.