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,. The sky thief Richard Russell captivated the audience's attention after the Authorities at the Port of Seattle released an airport surveillance video of plane stealing. What happened from then, left a. (DAILY NEWS VIDEO) . Please enter valid email address to continue. ", "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. "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.". 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. video Plane crashes near Seattle airport. In fact, there have been a number of occurrences in recent decades in which ground personnel made off with aircraft. He eventually climbs inside the cockpit and fires up the engine. 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. "I always felt bad for the guys and gals who handled luggage. Richard Russell: Details emerge of a 'compassionate' man after Seattle plane heist and fiery crash By Alex Horton August 13, 2018 at 8:01 a.m. EDT A Horizon Air employee described as. "It seemed like he was well liked by the other workers. "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. July 4, 1986. He said flying was a "blast" and that he didn't need much help: "I've played some video games before.". Horizon airline employee, 28-year-old Richard 'Bebo' Russell, stole a plane and took off before crashing into remote Pierce County island It was a strange day when Horizon Airlines Employee Richard "Beebo" Russell stole a plane in the middle of his working shift. The cause of the crash wasn't immediately known, but the F-15s did not bring the plane down, Eckrote said. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? 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. When Rolling Stone published its article last year, no major regulatory or security changes had been implemented in response to Russells deadly flight. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. 2023 Cable News Network. President Donald Trump was briefed on the incident and is monitoring the situation, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said Saturday morning. 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. CNN's Kyung Lah reports.. That's just not safe.". He was in the air for about an hour. A beautifully-written Rolling Stone article published in summer of 2021 tells the story of Russells life up to the moment he towed the plane onto the runway and hopped in the cockpit, attempting to find meaning or motive to help explain why this goofy, God-fearing baggage handler decided to steal a plane he likely knew he couldnt successfully land. Send us an email at investigate@kiro7.com, 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. The Q400 is a turboprop aircraft with 76 seats. Foote served four and a half months in the brig and later went on to become a test pilot in civilian life. NBC News Digital features NBCNews.com, MSNBC.com, TODAY.com, Nightly News, Meet the Press, Dateline, and the existing apps and digital extensions of these respective properties. No one noticed the plane had disappeared until Mr Russell was in the air. 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. The FBI also said it found human remains among the wreckage. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much Discovery Company. After the plane approached Ketron Island, Waldron saw a thick column of smoke followed by a loud explosion, he said. Investigators "did not identify any information that would suggest the theft of the aircraft was related to wider criminal activity or terrorist ideology," according to a summary of the FBI report. He first can be seen wandering through security, and is spotted again later on the tarmac. The Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed Sunday that Russell had died in the fiery wreckage, but whether the crash was deliberate or accidental was one of several topics remaining for investigators. He is the author of The Plane That Wasn't There: Why We Haven't Found MH370. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Russell flew the plane for over an hour before crashing. Every time I traveled I would look out my plane window and see these sullen looking individuals leisurely pacing around, or hectically throwing bags into a cart. "Although investigators received information regarding Russells background, possible stressors, and personal life, no element provided a clear motivation for Russells actions.". "Our hearts are with the families of the individual aboard as well as all of our Alaska Air and Horizon Air employees," said Constance von Muehlen, the airline's chief operating officer. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. The plane was a Bombardier Q400, a turboprop that seats 76 people, owned by Horizon Air, part of Alaska Airlines. Richard Russell died in Friday's plane crash. Human remains were found in wake of Friday's tragic plane crash. 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. 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. Nearby co-workers weren't even aware of Russell's actions, which happened six hours into his shift, according to reporters. We may earn a commission from links on this page. The black boxes will hopefully give investigators more clues as they try to figure out why Russell flew the plane into the ground. "Yeah, he knew how to fly," she continued. In the footage, Mr Russell can be seen calmly moving through the airport wearing a black shirt that says "The Sky's No Limit." Never really knew it until now.". appreciated. What was the richard russell plane crash story all about. 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. He flew until the plane ran out of fuel and died in the ensuing crash. You know?". Photos show first responders that night sleeping outside on the ground. A Warner Bros. video Plane crashes near Seattle airport. 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. F-15 "pilots kept plane out of harms way and people on ground safe," the sheriff's office tweeted. I've played some video games before," Russell responds. NTSB to investigate in-flight turbulence that left 1 passenger dead, Pittsburgh woman missing for 31 years found alive in Puerto Rico, stole an airplane from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Investigators work to determine how a man was able to pilot a stolen plane. His family says it's clear he didn't mean to harm anyone. 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 . 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. [deleted] 5 yr. ago. Richard Russell, 29, can be seen at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport driving a pushback tractor with an Alaska Air turboprop attached. 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. John Waldron was walking along a trail near the bay when he noticed the two military jets following a plane doing aerobatics. 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. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. The Associated Press contributed to this report. 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. Earlier in the flight, Russell says: "This is probably, like, jail time for life, huh? This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. We may earn commission if you buy from a link. 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. "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. The plane was a Q400, a Bombardier turboprop plane, one of about 40 the airline has in its fleet. I don't need that much help. 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. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. 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. Mr Russell was at times jovial at one point he assured SeaTac's tower that he didn't need help controlling the airplane because he had played some video games and questioned if it could do a backflip and was at others melancholic. During an exchange with air traffic controllers, Russell mentioned he had some experience using flight simulator software. He was killed in the crash. May 25, 2003. 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. Join the Celebration of a Lifetime! After Russell performed an unauthorized takeoff, two McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle fighters were scrambled to intercept the aircraft. "Seattle Ground, Horizon Guy. In audio recordings released over the internet, Russell can be heard chatting in an upbeat, enthusiastic tone with the air traffic controllers trying to talk him down. Russell was credentialed to be in secure areas at the airport, said Brad Tilden, CEO of Alaska Air Group, which owns Horizon Air. 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 . 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? Like a lot of bags. There were no passengers aboard. August 13, 2018 / 5:34 AM Not long before the crash, a pilot who'd been helping controllers advise Russell appears to mention the maneuver. Air traffic control became suspicious of Mr Russell after he cut in the line for takeoff. How was a man able to steal and pilot a plane? Video from Friday showed the Horizon Air Q400 doing large loops and other dangerous maneuvers as the sun set on the Puget Sound. 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. 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. Horizon's parent company, Alaska Airlines, refused to comment on claims of workers being overworked or underpaid. Even with this new footage at hand, its hard to figure out what made Russell embark on this brazen, fatal adventure. 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. Ah, dammit. Authorities said he used a tractor to rotate the plane 180 degrees, positioning it so that he could taxi toward a runway. ", First published on August 13, 2018 / 5:34 AM. Neither the men nor the plane has ever been seen again. At one point he asks the controller, Hey, do you think if I land this successfully, Alaska [Horizon Airs parent company, Alaska Airllines] will give me a job as a pilot? Told, You know, I think they would give you a job doing anything if you could pull this off, Russell replies, Yeah right!
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