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. ? wrote one woman on Twitter, echoing the comments of many people who heard the audio. On Facebook, Rich, using the name Beebo Russell, wrote that he lived in Sumner, Washington, was from Wasilla, Alaska, and was married to Hannah Russell, who works as an assistant pastry chef and waitress, according to her social media account. A 2012 article in the World described how Russell met his wife. 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. After Russell performed an unauthorized takeoff, two McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle fighters were scrambled to intercept the aircraft. Luke Adams ? One air traffic controller called the man "Rich,"and tried to persuade him to land the airplane. It read: This is a complete shock to us. It wouldnt be appropriate to speculate on his motives.. Heres hoping that the next Rich crashes on a couch of a good listener. The records say 28-year-old Alaska Airlines ground worker Richard Russell of Sumner, Washington, entered the empty turboprop passenger aircraft about 7:30 p.m. Aug. 10 as it sat on an airport. Mr. Russell took off around 7:30 p.m., according to the authorities. After taking off, an air traffic controller said, He needs some help controlling his aircraft. Russell responded: Nah, I mean, I dont need that much help. Video related to richard russell, rich: 5 fast facts you need to know, Click to subscribe! His 75-minute flight during the golden twilight took him south and west, toward the Olympic Mountains. Weird times. So many bags," he said. In a humorous YouTube video he posted last year, he talked about his job and included videos and photos of his travels. Powered by. bit.ly/subAIRBOYD Various scanner recordings from liveatc.net and broadcastify.com SEA Ground, Tower, Departure/Approach. Mr. Russell and his wife were active church members, Mr. Orr said, so he doesnt really fit the bill of someone who would steal an airplane., Funniest person in the room, he added. 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. Russell was studying for a degree in social sciences from Washington State University and wanted to move his way up to manager level in his company. Unclear if passengers are on board. I dont want to hurt no one. Who was Richard Russell? Minimum wage, well chalk it up to that, Russell said on the flight radio to air traffic controllers. This is a complete shock to us, his family wrote. MECHANIC Richard Russell stole a passenger plane before performing loop-the-loops and crashing into an island. 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. I got a lot of people that care about me, and its going to disappoint them to hear that I did this, Mr. Russell could be heard saying. Apparently someone stole a Horizon Q and is flying it over SeaTac. Male is confirmed a suicidal male. For other inquiries, Contact Us. In what appears to be his personal blog, Russell described himself as a native of Key West, Florida, who moved to Alaska at age seven. Audio starts with another aircraft reporting the Q400 exiting the maintenance/cargo area and taking off without clearance. Well chalk it up to that. A former coworker, Rick Christenson, told The Seattle Times: He was a quiet guy. / CBS/AP. Horizon ground-service agents are also one of the few nonunionized groups of tarmac workers at Sea-Tac. He chatted sometimes calmly and sometimes in a frenzied stream of consciousness with air traffic controllers who tried to guide him to a safe landing, as jets from the Air National Guards of Washington and Oregon flew alongside him, ready to take action. Authorities said they saw no apparent security violations before he stole the plane, but Russell had been. "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. He wrote on the blog that he met his wife, Hannah, in Oregon when they were both attending school. A plane has been stolen from Seattle-Tacoma international airport by an employee and crashed nearby, authorities have confirmed after flights were grounded in a major security incident.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. Richard Russell was a suicidal airport ground services worker who stole an airplane from Sea-Tac International Airport. \"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. Richard Russell had a website that appears to have been for a college communications class. 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.. Never knew he was fighting a battle non of us knew about. He has buzzed Mt Rainer and the Seattle area. Keep the aircraft nice and low, the tower responded to the man at one point, advising him to keep it over the water. 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. We present three-dimensional maps in monochromatic extinction A0 and the extinction parameter R0 within a few degrees of the Galactic plane. Its gonna be crazy, he tells traffic control, according to the video provided to local Seattle news outlet KOIN. Russell's family said they weredevastated in a short statement. Christenson told The Seattle Times it was difficult to listen to the audio as Russell communicated with an air traffic controller. 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. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. With this blog I hope to showcase all that Ive learned in Ms. Newmans Communications 210 class., His WordPress page includes a sketch that reads, Continuing with the theme of ground service work and travel benefits, I plan to create a simple logo that expresses both. Writing in the blog two years ago, Russell celebrated his job at Horizon Air. My logo draft will be a generic suit case with minimalistic travel stickers, encircled by the text: Russell Hustle. In a frantic, seven-second dash, the husky. 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. Video from Friday showed the Horizon Air Q400 doing large loops and other dangerous maneuvers as the sun set on the Puget Sound. 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. Rolling out of bed and hearing his voice, Fan recalled, My initial reaction was oh what kind of prank is he playing. . 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 . Russells dramatic theft and crash prompted increased security checks at Sea-Tac and calls for a nationwide review of security measures. Richard Russell, 29, worked as a baggage handler at the airport and had access to aircraft on the tarmac He could be seen pushing the plane back onto the taxiway before taking off and flying. It seemed like he was well liked by the other workers. Ive got a lot of people that care about me. Richard Russell Steals a Horizon Air Q400 (Exclusive New Footage), On August 10, 2018, a Horizon ground operations employee by the name of Richard Bryan Russell Jr., stole a $32,000,000 Horizon Q400 airplane, N449QX, from the Cargo 1 / Line 1 area at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Hey all! Here's what we know about the man who joked with air traffic controllers before he brought the jet down. The crash occurred because the 29-year-old man was \"doing stunts in air or lack of flying skills,\" the Pierce County Sheriff's Department said. Referring to the video recordings, the family pointed out that Mr. Russell did not intend to harm anyone. We are devastated by these events, and Jesus is truly the only one holding this family together right now., It added Russell was a faithful husband, a loving son and a good friend., News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. I enjoy the flexibility of the schedule and the flight benefits, one co-worker told Russell. Just a broken guy, got a few screws loose I guess. As a flight controller tried to persuade him to land, he wondered aloud about whether he had enough fuel to make it to the Olympics, talked of the beautiful view, and said he had a lot of people who cared about him, apologizing for what he was doing. Im going to disappoint them to hear that I did this. \"Most importantly,\" he said in a voice over about his job, \"I get to visit those I love most. Plane is a Q4. He said he met "Hannah" in Coos Bay, Oregon and, in 2011, the pair got married. They wont let anyone leave the airport while hes up there. On social media, Richard Russell used the name Beebo Russell. Although authorities have not released his name, The Seattle Times identified the man as Richard Russell. \"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. So if the person has basic understanding from what I understand he was support personnel, ground personnel they probably do have at least a basic understanding on how to start the aircraft.. They had different personalities. But what happened at Seattle Airport? Mr. Russell stole a plane from the airport and flew it for about an hour before it crashed. He was always smiling.. 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. An airline employee conducted an unauthorized takeoff without passengers at Sea-Tac; aircraft has crashed in south Puget Sound. Most Facebook users can now claim settlement money. 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. 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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.. Never really knew it until now.. The audio between the man known as Rich and air traffic controllers further captured his demeanor. We are devastated by these events and Jesus is truly the only one holding this family together right now. Richard Russell speaking with an air traffic controller at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. But Debra Eckrote, the chief of the northwest regional office of the National Transportation Safety Board, said on Saturday that it was conceivable that a ground service agent would be able to start an airplane. 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. Russell was a ground-service agent at Horizon, part of a two-person tow team that turned around airplanes. 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. 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. About to take off. It seemed like he was well liked by the other workers. Authorities say he was suicidal. But Mr. Russell, his friend said, also loved the travel opportunities that came with working for an airline. August 13, 2018 / 5:34 AM Richard Russell plane crash video was released. Tragic as Russell's death was, he could have inflicted vastly more damage had he been so inclined. On Instagram, Hannah Russell posted recent photos with Rich. Facebook/YouTube The airline confirmed that an unauthorized take-off occurred. The video starts with images of what its like to work as a baggage handler for an airline, sometimes in the rainy weather. The FBI also said it found human remains among the wreckage. On his blog, Richard talks about how he and his wife once ran a bakery. 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. They moved to Sumner in 2015, to be nearer to her family, Russell wrote on the blog, and he got a job working for Horizon Air. Russells family released a statement to the news media expressing great shock and remembering Russell for his compassion. I was dead set against it. Their business contained a sign that read, I have loved you with an everlasting love. Normal operations at Sea-Tac Airport have resumed. At a news conference on Saturday, the chief executive of Horizon Air Industries, Gary Beck, said Mr. Russell did not have a pilots license. We decided to sell and move in 2015, because we were both so far removed from our families. Latest update from tower indicates no interest on his part to land the plane. 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. Rich, you said you had 2100 pounds of fuel left? the controller responded. 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. Richard Russell raised pilot's suspicions a year before Sea-Tac plane heist, 'Video games'? HiIm a ground service agent. Rich, you said you had 2100 pounds of fuel left? the controller responded. There were no passengers aboard. 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. It was hard to sleep last night. #seatac pic.twitter.com/OVtJqphgqo. 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'? Alaska Airlines (@AlaskaAir) August 11, 2018, People posted photos and videos to Twitter of a plume of smoke and possible crash site. As an airline employee, he wrote: Im able to fly at my leisure. Russell captured some of his travels to France, Mexico and across the United States in a video uploaded to YouTube in December. In his call to air traffic controllers, the man also described himself as having a "few screws loose" but didn't realise until now. Russell went by "Beebo" on social media. He was in the air for about an hour. Russells former co-workers described Horizon as an often unpleasant place to work, where workers were pushed hard, underappreciated and carried a sense of grievance that they were paid less than SeaTacs much-publicized $15 an hour minimum wage. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. Russell, he said, was always friendly and was always reading in what little down time they had. Alio Fan woke up last Saturday morning and clicked on a voice recording someone had sent him. Russell was interviewing several unidentified co-workers about how they liked working at Horizon. He had worked his shift on Friday. Mechanic, Richard Russell, 29, stole a plane from Seattle Airport and joked with air traffic controllers before crashing into an island. The F.B.I. 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. 52K views 4 years ago Never before seen footage of Richard Russell Final Flight. 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. This is not a terrorist incident. Sometimes you can work at places and some of the people there youd think something was a little off with them, I never in a million years thought that about him. Richard Russell, AKA Rich or Beebo Russell, was named as the airport mechanic who stole a Horizon plane at Sea-Tac and crashed it. Yeah I dont know what the burnageis like on a takeoff but yeah. "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.". On August 10, 2018, a Horizon ground operations employee by the name of Richard Bryan Russell Jr., stole a $32,000,000 Horizon Q400 airplane, N449QX, from t. Just kind of soaring around, he told air traffic control. The plane was a Bombardier Q400, a turboprop that seats 76 people, owned by Horizon Air, part of Alaska Airlines. Maybe that will grease the gears a little bit with the higher-ups, he said at another point. Before takeoff, the pilot explains someone stole an airplane, and is flying around near Mt. 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. My names Richard Russell, Im 27 and currently living in Sumner, WA with my incredible wife Hannah. As the voice recordings show, Beebos intent was not to harm anyone. Florida man accused of killing daughter's dogs by locking Woman has 'loud, full body orgasm' in the middle of LA concert, Bride killed, groom seriously hurt by drunk driver just minutes after leaving reception, All the red carpet highlights and star-studded fashionfrom the Karl Lagerfeld-themed Met Gala, The best-dressed celebs at the 2023 Met Gala: Rihanna, Gisele Bndchen, more, Kim Kardashians Met Gala 2023 look sparks comparisons to Playboy cover, Kim Kardashian, Pete Davidson reunite at Met Gala 9 months after breakup, Khristina Williams previews the New York Liberty's 2023 WNBA season, Elon Musk Tells Bill Maher Woke Mind Virus Is Dangerous On Real Time, Katy Perry will be temporarily replaced on 'American Idol' amid drama. He also told the controller he "wasn't really planning on landing" the aircraft, and he described himself as "just a broken guy.". Now video was released. 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. Authorities don't know why he took the plane, but he could be heard on audio recordings telling air traffic controllers that he is "just a broken guy.". Tue 12 July 2022 11:09, UK. They dont steal airplanes. Its gonna be crazy, he said at one point in air traffic control transmissions. 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.. About to take off. Russell ended the section "about" section of the blog with his dreams for the future: Moving up to become a manager at Horizon Air or joining the military as an officer. 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. Russell's family said in a statement that they were stunned and heartbroken. My names Richard Russell, Im 27 and currently living in Sumner, WA with my incredible wife Hannah.