Normal operations at Sea-Tac Airport have resumed, the airport wrote. Officials said the jet has since crashed after it was followed by F-15 fighter jets A \"SUICIDAL\" airline mechanic stole an empty Horizon Air plane from Sea-Tac International Airport and was chased by military jets before crashing into a small island. 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. We were overworked, extremely underpaid, said Austin Duerr, who worked for Horizon from 2007 to 2012. 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. Russell also mentions his job at Horizon in the blog. While many visible aspects of commercial flight that affect the routines of passengers have been hardened, parts of the system that are behind the scenes, but just as important to public safety as cockpit doors and screening machines, remain vulnerable. He also enrolled at WSU, and graduated in 2017 with a degree in social sciences, the registrar said. Fan, Russells childhood friend, remains in disbelief that his friend actually did this. Im praying for #Rich tonightnot just the guy who stole a plane from #SeaTac, but every guy like Rich who (it seemsbut Ill admit Im assuming a lot here) is suffering and cannot find a better way out. Colton Harris-Moore, nicknamed the Barefoot Bandit, was sentenced in 2011 for stealing small planes, which he had learned to fly himself as a teenager after reading flight manuals. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Couple killed in plane crash during 400-mile trip: Doing what they loved, Russian military jet explodes in midair before crashing into lake, Business jet pitched wildly, killing 1, amid cockpit warnings: NTSB. I hope they can make it through this.". ", First published on August 13, 2018 / 5:34 AM. "He was a quiet guy. I never thought I would work as a ground service agent, Russell wrote. They are grounding all planes and waiting. An airline employee stole an empty plane that he eventually crashed into an island near Seattle's Sea-Tac airport. He played football and competed in track and field at Wasilla High School, according to a local newspaper, graduating in 2008. Brandon Brown, who worked as a Horizon ground-service agent for six years, before leaving in 2017, said he used to talk with Russell about trips they would take. Instead she found root-beer floats from the company in the break room. So many bags," he said. 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. Russell went by "Beebo" on social media. 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. Apparently someone stole a plane from SeaTac? It seemed like he was well liked by the other workers," former coworker Rick Christenson told The Seattle Times. His responsibilities included towing and pushing aircraft for takeoff and gate approach, de-icing them, and handling baggage. An airline employee conducted an unauthorized takeoff without passengers at Sea-Tac; aircraft has crashed in south Puget Sound. Maybe that will grease the gears a little bit with the higher-ups, he said at another point. Holy smokes, Ive got to stop looking at the fuel because its going down quick.. I just dont understand.. The couple ran a bakery for three years before moving to the Seattle suburb of Sumner to be closer to Russells in-laws. \"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. 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. A 2012 article in the World described how Russell met his wife. Hollywood writers go on strike over fair pay in streaming era, Missing teens likely among 7 people found dead in Oklahoma, authorities say, Fish contaminated with "forever chemicals" found in nearly every state, Gordon Lightfoot, "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" singer, dies at 84, CBS News Poll: How GOP primary race could be Trump v. Trump fatigue, Oklahoma governor signs gender-affirming care ban for kids, American climber dies on Mount Everest, expedition organizer says, Bob Lee died from three stab wounds, medical examiner says, At least 6 dead after dust storm causes massive pile-up on Illinois highway, FBI investigating how airline employee stole plane before crashing, New details emerge about employee who stole, crashed airplane, Who was Karl Lagerfeld? He remembers growing up in Wasilla, camping and video games and building forts in the woods. field office in Seattle, which is leading the investigation, said it would cast a wide net in finding out what happened and why. They may not admit for a few days. Authorities say he was. pic.twitter.com/Ra4LcIhwfU. 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. Plane stolen from Seattle airport chased by fighter jets video, family members said in a statement they were heartbroken, one of Russells former co-workers described him as a quiet, well-liked young man. I'm listening through the archive of the radio chatter on the #seatac hijacking. Mike Criss, a family friend, whose son had been close friends with Russell since second grade, saidthat hed last talked to Russell in February. In a final video that he posted to YouTube, Rich Russell showed an active life full of travel and adventure. Below are some of the clips. The family of a man who authorities say stole an airplane from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on Friday and died when he later crashedthe aircraft said they were "stunned and heartbroken" and called him "a warm and compassionate man.". \"He was a quiet guy,\" Rick Christenson, an operational supervisor with the airline who retired in May told The Seattle Times. The plane came down in a fiery crash on Ketron Island, about 30 miles from the airport. 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. 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. 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. The FBI also said it found human remains among the wreckage. Russell, who was widely identified as the pilot on Saturday morning, was the sole victim in the crash. Richard Russell, Who Stole Plane Near Seattle, Raises Troubling Security Questions Richard B. Russell, a ground service agent at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. He was a faithful husband, a loving son, and a good friend. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Mr. Russell took off around 7:30 p.m., according to the authorities. Ive played some video games before., In a later exchange, reported by the Wall Street Journal, Russell said: I know how to put the landing gear down. He then added: I really wasnt planning on landing it.. [8/10/2018]Alaska Airlines has confirmed there was an 'unauthorized take-off' of a plane at Seattle-Tacoma Airport in Washington State. They dont necessarily use a key, so theres switches that they use to start the aircraft, she said. The perpetrator, 29-year-old Richard Russell, was a Horizon Air ground service agent with no piloting experience. But four former ground-service agents who worked with him keyed in on one line from the cockpit recording, a complaint about wages and a dig at management. No one noticed the plane had disappeared . Later crashes the plane on an remote island near Seattle. Criss said that Russell never talked about planes or flying as a kid. This story has been shared 223,578 times. He wrote on the blog that he met his wife, Hannah, in Oregon when they were both attending school. 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. Maybe that will grease some gears a little bit with the higher-ups.. Saw two fighter jets fly overhead then smoke pic.twitter.com/w0bveGUJQH, McKenna Brown (@mckenna_brown) August 11, 2018, A man named Ben Schaechter wrote on Twitter, Halfway down the runway on Alaska airlines out of Seattle and the pilot slams on the brakes and shares we must go back to the gate. 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. But SeaTacs law didnt cover everybody specifically it doesnt apply to airline employees, like Horizon ground-service agents. They rose together at 5 a.m., preparing breads and pastries in a shop that was little more than an oven, a sink and a couple counters, according to an article at the time from the Coos Bay World. I think I might mess something up there too. Its gonna be crazy, he tells traffic control, according to the video provided to local Seattle news outlet KOIN. You can listen to more archived aviation audio on the incident here, some of which captures the mans voice: The site Airline Geeks.com reported, Reports saying that two F-15s have intercepted an Alaska Air Q400, operated by Horizon Air., The Twitter page Royal S. King wrote, On a lake in Tacoma and 2 F-15 have intercepted at @AlaskaAir Q400 south of @SeaTacAirport. Another man wrote, @flytruenorth Are you following this story? In a video Russell made, he focused on the flight benefits that came with his job, which he used for a trip to France and frequent trips home to Alaska. Like a lot of bags. But lots of people get pushed at work, wish they were paid more and complain about management. Horizon ground-service agents are also one of the few nonunionized groups of tarmac workers at Sea-Tac. In a statement, the family said Richard Russell, whose nickname was "Beebo," was a faithful husband, loving son and good friend. The footage shows him going through security wearing a T-shirt. At the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, thousands of passengers in the terminal or left sitting in planes on the tarmac were delayed. It may seem difficult for those watching at home to believe, but Beebo was a warm, compassionate man, the statement read. Richard Russell, who dreamed of being in the military and once ran a bakery with his wife, was identified as the suicidal airport ground services worker who stole an airplane from Sea-Tac International Airport and took it on a dramatic unauthorized flight, where it was chased by fighter planes as he attempted stunts in the air before the plane crashed. Richard Russell had a website that appears to have been for a college communications class. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Subscribe to NBC News: nbcnews.to/SubscribeToNBC Watch more NBC video: bit.ly/MoreNBCNews NBC News Digital is a collection of innovative and powerful news. It was hard to sleep last night. He then boards an empty 70-seater plane and took off. We consider ourselves bakery connoisseurs and have to try a new one every place we go. Ive got a lot of people that care about me. Fan, who last saw his childhood friend last year when they met up for a night of pizza and beer in Las Vegas, said the travel benefits were important to Russell. I feel really bad for Richard and for his family. Russell is presumed dead. Ah, Rich, dont say stuff like that, the controller said. "Its chilling listening to this young man. At one point, Rich reported that he threw up all over the cockpit, according to the audio. Who was Richard Russell? In a humorous YouTube video he posted last year, he talked about his job and included videos and photos of his various travels. They had different personalities. Pilot said it was most bizarre thing hed heard in his career. He sounds like a broken man who needed help. Richard Russell The airline employee who stole a commercial plane from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Friday night and flew it through the skies before crashing it, killing himself, has been identified by colleagues as Richard "Beebo" Russell. In a frantic, seven-second dash, the husky. Russell, a 3-1/2-year Horizon employee, worked as a ground service agent. Richard Russell speaking with an air traffic controller at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Authorities said they dont think he had a pilots license and arent sure how he was able to take off, much less perform complicated tricks in the air like a barrel roll. At one point, Russell told a controller he had played a lot of video games. Normal operations at Sea-Tac Airport have resumed, the airport wrote. The footage shows him going through security wearing a T-shirt that says "the sky's no limit." Rolling out of bed and hearing his voice, Fan recalled, My initial reaction was oh what kind of prank is he playing. Powered by. Thanks for contacting us. No others involved., @KING5Seattle heres a video of the hijacked plane and fighter escort from Steilacoom in the ferry line for anderson Island pic.twitter.com/8fgAUe05xv. August 13, 2018, 6:50pm. Luke Adams ? It was all over in about an hour. On Friday, 29-year-old Richard Russell, a ground employee at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, managed to sneak onto an empty commercial aircraft and took it for an . Just kind of soaring around, he told air traffic control. Richard Russell plane crash video was released. During exchanges with air-traffic controllers, captured by aviation journalist Jon Ostrower, Russell repeatedly referred to his experience with computerized flight-simulator programs or what he called video games. Hannah and Beebo met at a Campus Crusade for Christ gathering at Southwestern Oregon Community College last year, the site reported. \"I always felt bad for the guys and gals who handled luggage. Rainier. However, late in the evening of August 10, 2018, tower audio indicated that some planes were being released. In the statement where it says its a complete shock, its just 100 percent true, Odell said. I feel really bad for Richard and for his family. By Kirk Johnson,Jacey Fortin and Christina Caron. Mechanic, Richard Russell, 29, stole a plane from Seattle Airport and joked with air traffic controllers before crashing into an island. Richard Russell was a suicidal airport ground services worker who stole an airplane from Sea-Tac International Airport. Authorities sent fighter jets to escort him, and the controller repeatedly tried to direct him to runways. A 2012 article in the World described how Russell met his wife. 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. Normal operations at Sea-Tac Airport have resumed. Someone sneak on board?, A man named Tyler Lucas wrote, Sitting on the runway at SeaTac, preparing for departure. The sketch on Richard Russells WordPress page. Aw man, those guys would rough me up if I tried landing there, Rich says. But it allows me to do some pretty cool things, too, he added, segueing to footage of a flight tour over Ketchikan, Alaska, followed by images of several countries including France, Ireland and Mexico. Tim Orr, who also works at the Seattle-Tacoma airport, and who said he had known Mr. Russell since they were both 12, said his friend had been frustrated that his airport job did not pay the $15 minimum wage that many other airport workers receive, and had talked about leaving to do something else. "I lift a lot of bags. He is flying around the airport, he does not know how to land it. He wanted to help out his family the best he could by, A, making money and then, B, so his mom and family could travel around, Fan said. I feel really bad for Richard and for his family. Harrowing audio revealed Russell joking with the controllers who begged him to land the 76-seater plane before it nosedived and burst into a fireball 25 miles away. 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. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. Russell does not appear to have had any pilot training. I do not enjoy management.. \"He worked his shift yesterday, we believe he was in uniform, his job is to be around airplanes,\" said Brad Tilden, CEO of Alaska Air Group, which owns Horizon Air. He attended Washington State Global University Campus from 2016-2017, seeking a bachelors degree in social science. Drug trade across the United States-Mexico border often happens in stolen planes. Quite a scary experience. Its burned quite a bit faster than I expected., He also said, Im gonna land it, in a safe kind of manner. In July 2022, video was released that showed Russells last moments going through security, taking off in the plane, and communicating with air traffic control. someone can simply take a passenger plane from a major U.S. airport without authorization, push us to learn what we can from this tragedy. Russells dramatic theft and crash prompted increased security checks at Sea-Tac and calls for a nationwide review of security measures. After five hours, he arrived in a tow vehicle near the plane. Hey all! . Just a broken guy, got a few screws loose, I guess. No one else was believed to be on board, and officials confirmed Mr. Russell was killed. 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.\"Russell posted collages of photos from his trips around the world, writing that travel was \"what keeps me going in the most unfavorable circumstances.\"One sketch that he posted included a drawing of a Q400 plane, the same kind of plane involved in Friday's crash. He said he met "Hannah" in Coos Bay, Oregon and, in 2011, the pair got married. Yeah I dont know what the burnageis like on a takeoff but yeah. According to Eckrote, the plane is highly fragmented and she said that a background investigation is underway to further clarify Richs motive. Who is the aircraft on Runway 1-6 center? an air traffic controller can be heard saying. Brown said the starting wage for ground-service agents was about $12 an hour. Russell flew the plane around Seattle for an hour while National, New Video Shows Man Stealing Horizon Air Plane In 2018 Incident, 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 death. I'm listening through the archive of the radio chatter on the #seatac hijacking. View our online Press Pack. Myself, my friends, everybody, weve been talking to each other and were all like, Why? I dont understand.. I was born in Key West, Florida, and moved to Wasilla, Alaska when I was 7. pic.twitter.com/ziBAYv7cgn, Jimmy Thomson (@jwsthomson) August 11, 2018. 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Horizon airline employee, 28-year-old Richard 'Bebo' Russell, stole a plane and took off before crashing into remote Pierce County island The 29-year-old worked for Horizon Air, helping to handle luggage and towing aircraft. Russell, who worked for Horizon Air, a regional subsidiary of Alaska Airlines, flew the plane for 73 minutes before crashing it into remote Ketron Island, which has fewer than 20 residents. Facebook/YouTube Every time hed come into work hed always have a stack full of books, said Brown, who didnt recall the titles. So many bags," he said. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Richard Russell, who dreamed of being in the military and once ran a bakery with his wife, was identified as the suicidal airport ground services worker who stole an airplane from Sea-Tac. 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. Tue 12 July 2022 11:09, UK. "Nah, I'm a white guy." You had people up working in the restaurants, everybody else at the airport made $15.. Once I earn my Bachelors in Social Sciences I will either seek a management position where Im at now, or possibly join the military as an officer. "We consider ourselves bakery connoisseurs and have to try a new one every place we go.". 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. MECHANIC Richard Russell stole a passenger plane before performing loop-the-loops and crashing into an island. 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. A week after Russell stole a 76-seat passenger plane from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, traversing the Puget Sound region for more than an hour before crashing to his death on Ketron. ? wrote one woman on Twitter, echoing the comments of many people who heard the audio. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, Richard Russell, who stole an empty plane from Seattle Airport, took off and and crashed into a small island, Russell, pictured with wife Hannah, told air traffic controllers he was a 'broken man' in a chilling final conversation, Airport worker hijacks empty Alaska Airlines plane from Seattle Airport and crashes onto island after being followed by F-15 fighter jets. He was regularly alone in cockpits, for stretches that ranged from 10 to 45 minutes. They owned a bakery shop and settled down in Sumner, Washington, in 2015, which is when he got his job at Horizon Air. Most Facebook users can now claim settlement money. I hope this doesnt ruin your day, he said to the controller, adding that he was grateful to be kept away from other aircraft. Russell says on the blog that he liked his job because it allowed him to travel back to Alaska to see his family. We know who he is. The Q400 is a turboprop aircraft with 76 seats. Russell was a ground agent who had limited access to planes and towing equipment. A former coworker, Rick Christenson, told The Seattle Times: He was a quiet guy. (@luketadams) August 11, 2018. "In this season of life, we enjoy exploring as much as possible, whether its a day (or so) trip to one of Alaska Airlines destinations or visiting a new area of Washington," he wrote. \"I lift a lot of bags. Never knew he was fighting a battle non of us knew about. Russell's family said they weredevastated in a short statement. Was doing stunts in air or lack of flying skills caused crash into Island. The Sheriffs Department added, Two military F 15 chased plane but was not involved in crash and confirmed, No passengers on plane.. Sea-Tac Airport (@SeaTacAirport) August 11, 2018. Damnit Andrew, peoples lives are at stake here, Rich said at one point in the audio, which you can listen to later in this article. he joked. 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. Airplane theft, as opposed to hijacking taking over control in flight, with passengers aboard is actually not uncommon, though it usually involves private aircraft, not commercial airliners. The airline confirmed that an unauthorized take-off occurred. We are stunned and heartbroken, according to the statement, which described Mr. Russell as a faithful husband, a loving son and a good friend. Our heart is heavy for the family and friends of the person involved.. That means I lift a lot of bags so many bags, he says. Yeah I dont know what the burnageis like on a takeoff but yeah. "Oh man. Speaking with the Seattle Times, one of Russells former co-workers described him as a quiet, well-liked young man. Most importantly, he concluded, I get to visit those I love most., Richard Russell, Who Stole Plane Near Seattle, Raises Troubling Security Questions, https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/11/us/seatac-stolen-plane-richard-b-russell.html. 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. This is going to be hilarious.'. For other inquiries, Contact Us. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Audio captured emotional conversations between the man, named as Rich, and air traffic controllers trying to help him land safely.

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