Enter for your chance to win a visit to the Disneyland Resort with 96.5 JACK FM! Neither the men nor the plane has ever been seen again. Cooper? We may earn commission if you buy from a link. All rights reserved. A Warner Bros. They pursued the aircraft before it went down on Ketron Island, between Tacoma and Olympia. On his Facebook page, which had limited public access, he said he was from Wasilla, Alaska; lived in Sumner, Washington; and was married in 2012. 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. SEATTLE -- He cracked jokes, complimented the professional demeanor of an air traffic controller and apologized for making a fuss. He was killed in the crash. 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. In a statement, the family says Richard Russell, whose nickname was "Beebo," was warm, kind and gentle. The 76-seat Horizon Air turboprop plane took off without authorization at 7:32 p.m. local time Friday, with Russell, who was not a pilot, at the controls, officials said. The jets were not involved in the crash, it said. Ah, dammit. Russell took the Q400 from a cargo area at the north end of Sea-Tac Airport on August 10. After the plane approached Ketron Island, Waldron saw a thick column of smoke followed by a loud explosion, he said. The FBI also said it found human remains among the wreckage. Hell of a crime spree for a 19 year old. Amazingly, despite the unprecedented nature of this deadly feat, and the fact that it could have easily become a mass casualty event, Russells flight and fatal crash seemed to hardly make a splash in the national news. Investigators said Richard Russell worked alone when he was working as a ground service agent for the airline, and that he towed the turboprop out a hanger, climbed into the cockpit, and took off. "The greatest threat we have to aviation is the insider threat," said Erroll Southers, a former FBI agent and transportation security expert. But could you start a left-hand turn, please?". 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. What happened from then, left a. 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. 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. FBI released more information about Russell and the incident earlier this year, including witness statements from family, friends, and co-workers. ", "I've got a lot of people that care about me," the man later said. Authorities sent fighter jets to escort him, and the controller repeatedly tried to direct him to runways. The 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 . His responsibilities included towing and pushing aircraft for takeoff and gate approach, de-icing them, and handling baggage. At one point, he apologizes and says he is a "broken guy" with "a few screws loose. 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. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. An FBI investigation found Alaska Airlines ramp employee Richard Russell intentionally crashed the aircraft after flying for more than an hour. "Everyone was literally frozen in place, muttering about what possibly happened," he said. "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. 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. About to take off. In a humorous YouTube video he posted last year, he talked about his job and included videos and photos of his various travels. May 23, 1969. Siddiq Saunderson Moved to L.A. and Immediately Bought a Prius, Millennials and Zillennials Can't Get Enough of Manual Transmissions, Dollar Flight Club Premium Plus (Lifetime Subscription), Tesla Investor Day 2023 Was Pretty Great if You Ignored Elon. It seemed like such miserable work and I never could imagine why anyone would want to subject themselves to all the constant noise, gas fumes, and heavy lifting. While searching the crash site, investigators also located human remains among the aircraft materials. MH370 captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah was a flight-sim enthusiast who is known to have taken a simulated flight path similar to the one authorities believe the plane ultimately took into the southern Indian Ocean. Jeff Wise is a New York-based science journalist specializing in aviation and psychology. 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. 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. It did not elaborate. The plane eventually crashed on sparsely populated Ketron Island, starting a fire in the woods but injuring no one outside the plane. He said his actions were "going to disappoint" the people who cared for him, and described himself as "just a broken guy" with "a few screws loose, I guess.". This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. The plane was a Q400, a Bombardier turboprop plane, one of about 40 the airline has in its fleet. Officials don't believe Russell had a pilot's license, and they don't know how he knew to fly the plane. "Russell was known as a quiet guy who read a lot," according to one witness statement. Could 3 Particles on a Tie Lead Us to D.B. It was empty, parked at a Seattle-Tacoma International Airport cargo and maintenance area for the night after arriving from Victoria, British Columbia, earlier in the day. But the plane slammed into tiny Ketron Island, a sparsely populated island southwest of Tacoma. "I thought they were practicing for an air show," he said. Photos show first responders that night sleeping outside on the ground. The Seattle FBI office said Sunday that it had recovered the flight data recorder and components of the cockpit voice recorder from the Horizon plane. 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"This is a complete shock to us," the family said in a statement Saturday night. "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.". I don't need that much help. 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. ", "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. An hour and 45 minutes into the flight, Meyer crashed into the English Channel. Russell, a 3-1/2-year Horizon employee, worked as a ground service agent. The man has been identified as Richard Russell, a law enforcement official familiar with the investigation confirmed to CNN on Saturday night. Win Tickets to KISS at Climate Pledge Arena on November 6, 2023. The plane was a Bombardier Q400, a turboprop that seats 76 people, owned by Horizon Air, part of Alaska Airlines. Please dont hesitate to utilize this resource. 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. "Tower, you need to call and scramble now," one Alaska Air pilot called out. The footage shows him going through security wearing a T-shirt. In a humorous YouTube video he posted last year, he talked about his job and included videos and photos of his travels. When Rolling Stone published its article last year, no major regulatory or security changes had been implemented in response to Russells deadly flight. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Richard Russell Posted a Video on YouTube About Being a Baggage Handler Play VideoVideo related to richard russell, 'rich': 5 fast facts you need to know 2018-08-11T15:04:15-04:00 In a. Music from Green Day, Michael Jackson, Queen, Billy Joel, Tom Petty, Madonna, Pearl Jam, Fleetwood Mac, and more! Please enter valid email address to continue. "He might have been talking to himself in the cockpit," so the voice recorder may provide additional information that wasn't recorded in radio traffic, she said. He was in the air for about an hour. In the days leading up to the theft and subsequent crash, employees and family didn't notice anything wrong with him, investigators wrote in the updated report. His family says it's clear he didn't mean to harm anyone. "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.". 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,. Colton Harris Moore only got 6 years for stealing a plane and crashing it. Now let's land that airplane safely and don't hurt anybody on the ground," the helping pilot radios. He complimented the controller: "You are very calm, collect, poised," he said. May 25, 2003. 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. (AFP/Getty Images) Russell, 29, flew the plane for 75 . We may earn a commission from links on this page. Maybe that will grease some gears with the higher up, Russell said to air traffic controllers. After Russell talked periodically with air traffic controllers for about an hour, the plane crashed at Ketron Island,officials said. Video from a witness on the ground shows the plane at one point pulling up for a loop, putting the aircraft upside-down and then pulling back up just feet above a body of water. Mr Russell's aerial joyride ultimately ended in a fiery crash on a remote island in Puget Sound. The reason I left is in February of 2016 they were short staffed and they had me run three planes in the same time, Reeves said. 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. F-15s were scrambled out of their base at Portland International Airport to intercept the plane. "Congratulations. "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. Aug. 12, 2018. Earlier in the flight, Russell says: "This is probably, like, jail time for life, huh? So many bags," he said. Nearby co-workers weren't even aware of Russell's actions, which happened six hours into his shift, according to reporters. New video shows the crash site and blogging made by Richard Russell, the airline worker who stole and crashed a plane from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. A Russian Air Force engineer made off with an Antonov An-26 transport plane from Kubinka Air Force Base near Moscow. Like a lot of bags. The FBI released the findings of its investigation earlier this week, concluding 28-year-old ramp agent Richard Russell, also known as Bebo, stole the Horizon airplane and intentionally crashed it into the south end of Ketron Island. Lastly, we've been reporting a lot only on the most famous case of suspected pilot suicide, Malaysian Airlines Flight 370, and this weekend's tragedy bears at least a few similarities. 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Also see | 'I was blown away': Stepbrother of man who stole plane speaks out. But the plane made turns and aerobatic maneuvers that suggest some skill, she said. Not long before the crash, a pilot who'd been helping controllers advise Russell appears to mention the maneuver. Later, a controller discusses getting a pilot on the radio to help Russell control the aircraft. An air traffic controller called him "Rich," and tried to convince him to land the airplane. ", "Well," a controller responds, "we're not going to worry or think about that. "I always felt bad for the guys and gals who handled luggage. Domestic Flights, Airplane Door Rips Open Midflight on Russian Plane, Airport Worker Ingested Into Jet Engine, Dies, The Concorde Disaster, Battle Tanks, and More. August 11, 2018 / 11:29 PM The man could be heard on audio recordings telling air traffic controllers that he is "just a broken guy." 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. While investigators concluded Russell intentionally crash the plane, his motive still remains a mystery. It was a strange day when Horizon Airlines Employee Richard "Beebo" Russell stole a plane in the middle of his working shift. New video released Wednesday shows what first responders found after a plane stolen from Sea-Tac Airport crashed on a south Puget Sound island last August. Russell was recorded having multiple conversations with air traffic controllers who were trying to talk him into landing. Indeed, in transcripts of his conversation with air-traffic control as he zig-zags the stolen plane through the airspace above the 15th-largest city in the U.S. (some of which can be heard in the video above), Russells demeanor goes from awestruck, to giddy, to fearful, to guilty, as he seems to process in real-time the weight of what hes done, and the unlikelihood that hell survive. video Plane crashes near Seattle airport. Richard "Beebo" Russell, the Horizon Air employee who stole a plane from Sea-Tac Airport on Friday night, performed midair acrobatics over Puget Sound and then crashed into an island, was an. Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. 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 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. So many bags," he said. The incident came about when a 29-year-old man stole an aircraft from Seattle-Tacoma International airport in August 2018. 2023 Cable News Network. 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. "He was a quiet guy," Rick Christenson, an operational supervisor with the airline who retired in Maytold The Seattle Times. 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. 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. Its not yet known exactly what pre-existing psychological conditions Russell may have had, but in the course of his conversation with air traffic controllers he expresses racial resentment. All Rights Reserved. Please enter valid email address to continue. The Port of Seattle just released the CCTV footage of 29-year-old Richard Russell towing the Alaska Airlines' Q400 Turboprop into position back in 2018 at the Seattle-Tacoma International. Video from Friday showed the Horizon Air Q400 doing large loops and other dangerous maneuvers as the sun set on the Puget Sound. SEATAC, Wash. - It was a shocking scene above the Puget Sound, as Horizon Airlines employee Richard Russell stole and flew a turboprop from Sea-Tac Airport while air traffic tried to talk him . During an exchange with air traffic controllers, Russell mentioned he had some experience using flight simulator software.

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