It didnt sit well with people, Brown said. Those guys will rough me up if I try and land there,\" the man responded, later adding, \"This is probably jail time for life, huh?\" \"I've got a lot of people that care about me,\" the man later said. They had different personalities. Rainier. Lucas added, Theyve been in contact with the culprit. My names Richard Russell, Im 27 and currently living in Sumner, WA with my incredible wife Hannah. Never before seen Footage of Richard Russell Final Flight [8/10/2018] Preliminary info is that a mechanic from unknown airlines stole plane. The theft illustrated what aviation experts have long known: One of the biggest potential perils for commercial air travel is airline or airport employees causing mayhem. I enjoy the flexibility of the schedule and the flight benefits, one co-worker told Russell. In a final video project set to cheery music, Russell included selfies from airport grounds and photos from his many trips. I dont want to hurt no one. After Russell performed an unauthorized takeoff, two McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle fighters were scrambled to intercept the aircraft. This is going to sound bad, but Im kind of surprised it took as long as it did before something happened, the former worker said. Referring to the video recordings, the family pointed out that Mr. Russell did not intend to harm anyone. Richard Russell was a jokester who complained about work, but Sea-Tac par | Avr 28, 2023 | how did gloria charles died | horseheads town court | Avr 28, 2023 | how did gloria charles died | horseheads town court MECHANIC Richard Russell stole a passenger plane before performing loop-the-loops and crashing into an island. They married a year later and then opened a bakery that they ran together for three years. Russell, a 3-1/2-year Horizon employee, worked as a ground service agent. I dont know how he achieved the experience he did.. I hope they can make it through this.". Although he didnt have a pilots license, Russell knew how to work the plane from his experience as an airport employee, the FBI previously said. He is flying around the airport, he does not know how to land it. Russell does not appear to have had any pilot training. Some dude stole a plane from #Seatac (Allegedly), did a loop-the-loop, ALMOST crashed into #ChambersBay, then crossed in front of our party, chased by fighter jets and subsequently crashed. In a humorous YouTube video he posted last year, he talked about his job and included videos and photos of his various travels. New Footage Shows Moments Before Seattle Man Crashed Plane in 2018 On social media, Richard Russell used the name Beebo Russell. (If you need help, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.). Aw man, those guys would rough me up if I tried landing there, Rich says. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. I would like to apologize to each and every one of them. It may seem difficult for those watching at home to believe, but Beebo was a warm, compassionate man, the statement said. August 13, 2018 / 5:34 AM I just want you to whisper sweet nothings into my ear, said Rich, who claimed he could fly the plane because he played video games. Newly released CCTV footage captures the harrowing moment a Washington state airport employee stole an Alaska Airlines plane and took it for a joyride before fatally crashing it. 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. Yeah I dont know what the burnageis like on a takeoff but yeah. bit.ly/subAIRBOYD Various scanner recordings from liveatc.net and broadcastify.com SEA Ground, Tower, Departure/Approach. On Facebook, his favorite quotes were religious in nature, including, God IS Love and No Guilt in Life, No Fear in Death, this is the Power of Christ in Me, and a non religious line, This is America.. It was not immediately clear how Mr. Russell, who worked for Horizon Air, a subsidiary of Alaska Air Group, had managed to take off in the plane. TikTok Influencers Son Murdered at Gas Station. pic.twitter.com/Ra4LcIhwfU. He is believed to have died when the plane crashed into Ketron Island, about 30 miles south of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, setting off a large forest fire. Just a broken guy, got a few screws loose I guess. So many bags,\" he said.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. Mary Schiavo, an aviation attorney and former inspector general of the Department of Transportation, noted that pilots are never alone in the cockpit, always required to be joined by a colleague, but ground-service agents enter the cockpit alone, with their partner driving the pushback tractor on the ground. "As the voice recording show, Beebo's intent was not to harm anyone and he was right in saying that there are so many people who loved him," the statement read. Our focus continues to be supporting our employees, providing support for his family and cooperating fully with the investigation, Horizon spokeswoman Bobbie Egan said. Im glad youre not, you know, screwing up everyone elses day on account of me., He said he hoped to have a moment of serenity in the air but lamented that the sights went by so fast.. There were no other passengers on board. He was always smiling.. Man Steals Plane And Crashes After 'Unauthorized Takeoff' From - NPR Russells family released a statement to the news media expressing great shock and remembering Russell for his compassion. He had worked his shift on Friday. If there was one word or two words, it would be dysfunctional and toxic., Another former ground-service agent, who worked with Russell but asked to remain anonymous because he still works at the airport, said ramp agents talked about their wages on the tarmac all the time.. Yay air force . Its burned quite a bit faster than I expected., He also said, Im gonna land it, in a safe kind of manner. Normal operations at Sea-Tac Airport have resumed, the airport wrote. We are devastated by these events and Jesus is truly the only one holding this family together right now. pic.twitter.com/5z4BYRBrcU, Kierra Elfalan (@KierraElfalanTV) August 12, 2018. At a news conference on Saturday, the chief executive of Horizon Air Industries, Gary Beck, said Mr. Russell did not have a pilots license. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Latest update from tower indicates no interest on his part to land the plane. They said it's not clear whether he had ever taken flight lessons or used flight simulators, or where he gained the skills to take off. pic.twitter.com/ziBAYv7cgn, Jimmy Thomson (@jwsthomson) August 11, 2018. There is a runway just off to your right side in about a mile, the controller says, referring to an airfield at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. Those guys will rough me up if I try and land there, Russell responded, later adding, "This is probably jail time for life, huh? The perpetrator, 29-year-old Richard Russell, was a Horizon Air ground service agent with no piloting experience. SEATTLE -- He cracked jokes, complimented the professional demeanor of an air traffic controller and apologized for making a fuss. Russells death and the dramatic moments that preceded it a passenger plane trailed by F-15 fighter jets cutting rolls against the setting sun left those who knew him stunned and saddened. The aircraft had been in maintenance status and was parked in an otherwise-vacant space for work on the plane's, New Footage Shows Moments Before Seattle Man Crashed Plane in 2018, A newly released video sheds new light on the moments leading up to Richard Russell crashing a plane. 52K views 4 years ago Never before seen footage of Richard Russell Final Flight. We are stunned and heartbroken, according to the statement, which described Mr. Russell as a faithful husband, a loving son and a good friend. On Facebook, he had liked the Republican Party and conservative personalities like Sean Hannity and Ben Shapiro. I would like to apologize to each and every one of them. Richard Russell Plane Crash Video From Seattle, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. About to take off. "The greatest threat we have to aviation is the insider threat," said Erroll Southers, a former FBI agent and transportation security expert. More information as we learn more. Richard Russell was a suicidal airport ground services worker who stole an airplane from Sea-Tac International Airport. Richard Russell, AKA Rich or Beebo Russell, was named as the airport mechanic who stole a Horizon plane at Sea-Tac and crashed it. Ah, minimum wage. Russell, 29, was born in Key West, Florida, and moved to Wasilla, Alaska, when he was 7, according to a blog he created for an online communications class at Washington State University. And Russells description of himself on the cockpit audio just a broken guy, got a few screws loose I guess, never really knew it until now is at odds with Fans memories of his friend. He played football and competed in track and field at Wasilla High School, according to a local newspaper, graduating in 2008. These are inferred using photometry from the Pan-STARRS1 and Spitzer GLIMPSE (Galactic Legacy Infrared Mid-Plane Survey Extraordinaire) surveys of nearly 20 million stars located in the region l = 0-250 and from b = -4.5 to 4.5. It is impossible to encompass who he was in a press release. It seemed like he was well liked by the other workers. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. "Oh man. Well chalk it up to that. 4.3M views 7 months ago A newly released video sheds new light on the moments leading up to Richard Russell crashing a plane. Russell took off from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport at 7.32pm on Friday and flew, tailed by F-15 Eagle jets, until the plane crashed at 8.47pm into Ketron Island, located 25 miles south . Russell went by "Beebo" on social media. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Richard Russell, a ground control agent, died after he stole the plane at Seattle-Tacoma International Airportin August 2018 and drove it into the ground of a remote island in the Puget Sound, authorities said at the time. Here's what we know about the man who joked with air traffic controllers before he brought the jet down. The married airport employee "hijacked" the Alaska Airlines plane before being caught on video performing stunts in the sky as he was tailed by fighter jets. Richard Russell: 'Heartbroken' family of Seattle airline employee I hope they can make it through this. He said that airline employees go through background checks. 'He was loved by everyone' - 'heartbroken' family pays tribute to man Seattle-Tacoma Intl. But is true.., Here is a statement from the family of Richard Russell, the Horizon Air employee who stole a plane, crashed it into Ketron Island.This is a complete shock to us. Russell is presumed dead. You can watch the video above. \"It's going to disappoint them to hear that I did thisJust a broken guy, got a few screws loose, I guess.\" Authorities said Russell did not have a pilot's license. Details of the apparent suicide were still emerging on Saturday, and no evidence of Russells motivations had been publicized beyond statements he made to air traffic controllers trying to coax him down. We present three-dimensional maps in monochromatic extinction A0 and the extinction parameter R0 within a few degrees of the Galactic plane. Luke Adams ? SEATTLE The story is as bizarre as it is tragic: An airline worker who had no business being in a cockpit somehow took off from a major airport in a turboprop passenger plane, dipped and soared in the skies above the Seattle area, and then crashed into an island on Puget Sound. At the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, thousands of passengers in the terminal or left sitting in planes on the tarmac were delayed. The man, known as Rich in air traffic control audio and dubbed the sky king on Twitter, broke hearts on social media as people followed the unauthorized flight before it came to a fatal end. On what is believed to be his personal blog , Richard Russell said he was born in Key West, Florida, and moved to Alaska at age seven. FBI releases classified documents from 2018 Horizon Air plane theft Pilots wonder how plane thief learned to do aerial acrobatics, Sea-Tac Airport's security challenge: 12,600 people have access to aircraft, Sea-Tac officials, airlines to meet Monday to discuss security protocols after turboprop heist, "We were all screaming, 'Oh my god": How the Horizon Air theft and crash unfolded, Sea-Tac air traffic controller faced 'one in a million' scenario with stolen plane, SeaTacs much-publicized $15 an hour minimum wage. A ground service agent at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport flew a stolen turboprop for just under an hour before eventually crashing 30 miles away. I would hope it is for a guy like me. People on Twitter who were following the aviation audio reported that the man attempted a barrel roll with the plane at one point. Others reported that the man had supposedly buzzed Mt. Seattle Airport surveillance video shows man stealing passenger plane Video from Friday showed the Horizon Air Q400 doing large loops and other dangerous maneuvers as the sun set on the Puget Sound. Mechanic, Richard Russell, 29, stole a plane from Seattle Airport and joked with air traffic controllers before crashing into an island. Listen to his final moments as he talks back and forth with air traffic control. But another posting, again for Russells communications class, hinted at a dissatisfaction with his job, albeit one thats common in many workplaces. The Port of Seattle released the video. Facebook/YouTube We were married one year later, and one month after that we opened a bakery which we successfully ran for 3 years, he explained on his website of his wife. Its gonna be crazy, he tells traffic control, according to the video provided to local Seattle news outlet KOIN. After five hours, he arrived in a tow vehicle near the plane. Just the same old Beebo.. I dont need that much help; Ive played some video games before, he told the controllers trying to help him. We decided to sell and move in 2015, because we were both so far removed from our families. Hannah and Beebo met at a Campus Crusade for Christ gathering at Southwestern Oregon Community College last year, the site reported. Seattle ground Horizon guy. Mr. Russell had cleared all the necessary background checks and was meant to be on the secure side of the airport, where the plane was, Mr. Tilden said. They tried to recreate The Lord of the Rings and invented a game called poop ball, that involved paint, spinning chairs, a crutch and an oar. She posted a series of selfies showing the couple on various adventures. Russell was a ground-service agent at Horizon, part of a two-person tow team that turned around airplanes. It seemed like he was well liked by the other workers. ", Hear audio conversation leading up to Seattle plane crash. Mr. Russell stole a plane from the airport and flew it for about an hour before it crashed. 2018 Horizon Air Q400 incident - Wikipedia At a news conference on Saturday, Mike Mathews, a family friend, read a statement on behalf of Mr. Russells family. Those were among Richard Russells last words to a Seattle air traffic controller on Friday night before the 29-year-old airline employee crashed a stolen Alaska Airlines plane into a near-deserted island in Puget Sound. I feel really bad for Richard and for his family. Who was Richard Russell, what happened in the Seattle plane crash and We believe there are no passengers on board. Live aviation audio from the tower said, at one point, that dispatchers were urging Rich Russell to try to land that airplane safely and not hurt anybody while dealing with a snarl of stalled planes on the ground. FBI: Richard Russell, who stole plane from Sea-Tac, acted alone Richard Hanson - Senior Software Engineer - Discord | LinkedIn Below are some of the clips. The thief, Richard "Beebo" Russell, had just disconnected the tow bar of a tug vehicle he'd used to pivot the plane out of its parking spot. Video showed the Horizon Air Q400 doing large loops and other dangerous maneuvers as the sun set on the Puget Sound. Hannah and Beebo met at a Campus Crusade for Christ gathering at Southwestern Oregon Community College last year, the site reported. 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. Before he took off, several people at the airport questioned what was going on. Radio banter in between, ending with the intercept audio for Rock 41 and Rock 42. suicidepreventionlifeline.org afsp.org AIRBOYD #SeaTac #ChambersBay #Q400 #Horizon. The incident led to a dramatic and tragic night on August 10, 2018, as aircraft were grounded at Sea-Tac while fighter jets followed the man and air traffic controllers tried unsuccessfully to help him land the aircraft. The video starts with images of what its like to work as a baggage handler for an airline, sometimes in the rainy weather. In a statement, the family said Richard Russell, whose nickname was "Beebo," was a faithful husband, loving son and good friend. So many bags," he said. At one point, Rich asked for help in getting the cabin depressurized, complaining he was getting lightheaded. Nah, Im a white guy. That last line has caused some controversy online. I do not enjoy management.. The airline confirmed that an unauthorized take-off occurred. On YouTube, he also went by the name Beebo Russell. I never thought I would work as a ground service agent, Russell wrote. So many bags," he said. It's no Bellingham, WA lawmakers deadlocked as drugs ravage Snohomish County, rest of state, Woman shot in West Seattle, hours after 2 killed on Capitol Hill, Oregon tells a cautionary tale about drugs, but we're not listening, 'Airplane of opportunity'? The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. Happening right now. Oh- theyve probably got anti-aircraftnot quite ready to bring it down just yet. Alaska Airlines (@AlaskaAir) August 11, 2018, People posted photos and videos to Twitter of a plume of smoke and possible crash site. Tragic as Russell's death was, he could have inflicted vastly more damage had he been so inclined. Its blast, man, Mr. Russell replied. Keep the aircraft nice and low, the tower responded to the man at one point, advising him to keep it over the water. He eventually ended up in Coos Bay, Oregon, where in 2010 he met a woman he married the following year. On behalf of the family, we are stunned and heartbroken. He was a faithful husband, a loving son, and a good friend. "Last night's event is going to push us to learn what we can from this tragedy so that we can ensure this does not happen again at Alaska Air Group or at any other airline," Brad Tilden, CEO of Alaska Airlines, told a news conference Saturday.