Besides his other duties, he was qualified to tow aircraft, said Gary Beck, Horizon Air's president and chief executive officer. 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 . The plane was a Q400, a Bombardier turboprop plane, one of about 40 the airline has in its fleet. Domestic Flights, Airplane Door Rips Open Midflight on Russian Plane, Airport Worker Ingested Into Jet Engine, Dies, The Concorde Disaster, Battle Tanks, and More. Russell responds: "Awwww-right. A ground service agent's tasks don't involve touching planes' controls, CNN aviation analyst Mary Schiavo said. The plane didn't require a key, but it did require buttons and switches to be activated in a particular order. Jason Silverstein contributed to this report. 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 incident, which the FBI's Seattle office did not consider terrorism, raises questions about airport security. He's worked at Horizon longer than I did, and he still wasn't making $15 an hour, Reeves said. 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? 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. When Rolling Stone published its article last year, no major regulatory or security changes had been implemented in response to Russells deadly flight. Worlds Largest Passenger Aircraft Will Fly Again, Russia May Use Military Aircraft for Civilians, A Livestream of Planes Trying to Land at Heathrow, Why a New 5G Rollout Is Making Airlines Nervous, The Complicated History of the Very First Flight, The VTOL Future of Flight That Never Took Off. "Russell was known as a quiet guy who read a lot," according to one witness statement. 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. "Congratulations. That includes both domestic and international flights. appreciated. Photos show first responders that night sleeping outside on the ground. Just a broken guy, got a few screws loose, I guess. 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. Cooper? The cause of the crash wasn't immediately known, but the F-15s did not bring the plane down, Eckrote said. He passed a series of background checks to gain his position, as he didn't have any criminal convictions. One sketch that he posted included a drawing of a Q400 plane, the same kind of plane involved in Friday's crash. "It's going to disappoint them to hear that I did thisJust a broken guy, got a few screws loose, I guess.". July 13, 1994. "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.". 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. 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. Russell's family said in a statement that they were stunned and heartbroken. Without communicating to air traffic controllers, he cut off another airplane and then managed to get the plane onto the runway and airborne. 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. Relatives of Richard Russell say they are "stunned and heartbroken" after the airline worker stole a passenger plane Friday from the Seattle-Tacoma . "Never really knew it till now," he said. "Russell had a few unexcused absences, but nothing considered significant.". After Russell talked periodically with air traffic controllers for about an hour, the plane crashed at Ketron Island,officials said. Hell of a crime spree for a 19 year old. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. In a final video project set to cheery music, Russell included selfies from airport grounds and photos from his many trips. Mr Russell's aerial joyride ultimately ended in a fiery crash on a remote island in Puget Sound. He was immediately killed. "If you're going to access the aircraft you make sure that you check with someone else, and that someone else (will confirm) that you have the right authority to get onto that aircraft.". 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. Scroll down to continue . I don't know! It did not elaborate. A fter 29-year-old airline employee Richard B. Russell stole a plane at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on Friday night and crashed it into Ketron Island in Puget Sound, questions remain. I don't want to. You know?". F-15 "pilots kept plane out of harms way and people on ground safe," the sheriff's office tweeted. Airports nationwide will now look at whether their security procedures need to change, CNN safety analyst David Soucie said. KINGs Madison Wade reports. Subscribe to NBC News: http://nbcnews.to/SubscribeToNBC Watch more NBC video: http://bit.ly/MoreNBCNewsNBC News Digital is a collection of innovative and powerful news brands that deliver compelling, diverse and engaging news stories. the moments leading up to an airport worker crashing a stolen airplane, FBI released more information about Russell and the incident, employees and family didn't notice anything wrong, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. If you miss out on Thursday, no worries! The FBI also said it found human remains among the wreckage. President Donald Trump was briefed on the incident and is monitoring the situation, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said Saturday morning. The family of a man who authorities saystole an airplane from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and later crashed it called him a faithful husband, loving son and good friend. Investigators headed Saturday to the crash site to recover the plane's data recorders and Russell's remains as part of a criminal probe, authorities said. Later that day he stole an Alaska Air turboprop aircraft and crashed it into a remote island in Puget Sound. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much "This is a complete shock to us," the family said in a statement Saturday night. 2023 Cox Media Group. He later stole the plane and eventually crashed it into an island in Puget Sound. CNN's Kyung Lah reports. / CBS/AP. Aug. 12, 2018. video Plane crashes near Seattle airport. ", The statement said Russell, 29, was "a faithful husband, a loving son and a good friend. After Russell performed an unauthorized takeoff, two McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle fighters were scrambled to intercept the aircraft. Russell repeatedly says he would do a roll. "Seattle Ground, Horizon Guy. "Tower, you need to call and scramble now," one Alaska Air pilot called out. 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. "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. 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. 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. The incident is bizarre and tragic, but it is not unprecedented. 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. Newly-released videos from the Port of Seattle show the moments leading up to an airport worker crashing a stolen airplane nearly four years ago. There were no passengers aboard. May 23, 1969. While investigators concluded Russell intentionally crash the plane, his motive still remains a mystery. By Louis Lucero II and Melissa Gomez. The fuselage was fragmented and appeared to be upside down, said Debra Eckrote, regional chief for the National Transportation Safety Board. ", "I've got a lot of people that care about me," the man later said. Playing What We Want In Seattle! The FBI will lead the investigation, said Eckrote, the NTSB regional chief. Human remains were found in wake of Friday's tragic plane crash. It's gonna be crazy," Mr Russel said. "Yeah, he knew how to fly," she continued. Relatives of Richard Russell say they are "stunned and heartbroken" after the airline worker stole a passenger plane Friday from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and was killed when he crashed 25 miles away. Not long before the crash, a pilot who'd been helping controllers advise Russell appears to mention the maneuver. F-15 fighter jets scrambled to intercept the Q400, which ultimately crashed into Ketron Island, about 30 miles from the airport. ", Referring to audio recordings of Russell talking to air traffic control during his hour-long flight, the statement said his "intent was not to harm anyone. 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 was a quiet guy," Rick Christenson, an operational supervisor with the airline who retired in Maytold The Seattle Times. I don't know, man! Its the first time that weve had a commercial aircraft stolen off the ramp of an active airport, Steven Armstrong, vice director of operations for the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), told Rolling Stone. We may earn a commission from links on this page. The plane was a Bombardier Q400, a turboprop that seats 76 people, owned by Horizon Air, part of Alaska Airlines. 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! He was killed in the crash. So many bags," he said. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. First published on August 11, 2018 / 4:48 PM. Russell is then seen walking into a restricted area meant for baggage handlers, getting onto a tarmac tow vehicle, and dragging the plane he was set to steal onto the runway. The FBI has recovered the flight data recorder and components of the cockpit voice recorder from the Horizon aircraft that crashed onto Ketron Island Friday night. A Warner Bros. Richard "Beebo" Russell (Screenshot from YouTube via AP) SEATTLE - The Horizon Air baggage handler who stole a commercial airplane from Sea-Tac Airport and took it for a 73-minute joy ride . Like a lot of bags. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. "My husband and I are recently former Boeing employees, and we were wondering why a jet was near the passenger airplane," she said. Having to rely on the ferry system for transport, the first 40 responding firefighters stayed at the scene throughout the night. His 75-minute flight during the golden twilight took him south and west, toward the Olympic Mountains. .css-v1xtj3{display:block;font-family:FreightSansW01,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-weight:100;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:0;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-v1xtj3:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-v1xtj3{font-size:1.1387rem;line-height:1.2;margin-bottom:1rem;margin-top:0.625rem;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-v1xtj3{line-height:1.2;}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.css-v1xtj3{font-size:1.18581rem;line-height:1.2;margin-bottom:0.5rem;margin-top:0rem;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-v1xtj3{font-size:1.23488rem;line-height:1.2;margin-top:0.9375rem;}}A 777 Nearly Plunged Into the Ocean After Takeoff, Sudden FAA Failure Grounds U.S. On board was 29-year-old Richard Russell, a baggage handler for Horizon Air who is also flying the plane for unknown reason. 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. ", Russell posted collages of photos from his trips around the world, writing that travel was "what keeps me going in the most unfavorable circumstances.". Plus we let you know whats going on locally with Lee Callahans Jacktivities! A Russian Air Force engineer made off with an Antonov An-26 transport plane from Kubinka Air Force Base near Moscow. 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.

An airline employee stole an otherwise unoccupied passenger plane Friday from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and flew it for an hour with military jets chasing him before crashing in a wooded area 40 miles away.

. He also told the controller he "wasn't really planning on landing" the aircraft, and he described himself as "just a broken guy.". 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. Officials don't believe Russell had a pilot's license, and they don't know how he knew to fly the plane. "I never thought I would work as a Ground Service Agent (GSA) for an Airlines company," he wrote in a blog post in September 2017. "There is a protocol to not allow anyone singularly to get onboard an aircraft," Soucie said. Im coming home! But it was not to be. It was empty, parked at a Seattle-Tacoma International Airport cargo and . "I think I'm going to try to do a barrel roll, and if that goes good I'll go nose down and call it a night," Richard Russell said from the cockpit, according to a recording of his conversation with the controller. 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. Lee Callahan in the morning, and the No Repeat Workday while you work! I mean, I would hope it is, for a guy like me. His responsibilities included towing and pushing aircraft for takeoff and gate approach, de-icing them, and handling baggage. 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. In fact, there have been a number of occurrences in recent decades in which ground personnel made off with aircraft. NORAD scrambled two F-15 to try to shepherd Russell away from populated areas of Seattle, but at 8:46 PM, Russell crashed the plane into an uninhabited part of Ketron Island in Puget Sound. The whole saga took place late on a Friday night in the west-coast time zone; by Monday morning, the constant news churn of the middle years of the Trump presidency seemed to have pushed any follow-up coverage of the Horizon Air crash out of the headlines. 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. "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 first can be seen wandering through security, and is spotted again later on the tarmac. Within minutes of the plane's takeoff, the military scrambled two armed F-15 jets from Oregon to follow it, according to local and airline authorities and two sources with knowledge of the situation. In the footage, Mr Russell can be seen calmly moving through the airport wearing a black shirt. While in the air, Meyer, whod been married eight weeks before, called his wife and said, Guess what? Could 3 Particles on a Tie Lead Us to D.B. 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. 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. Ben Charles Padilla, an aircraft mechanic who held a private pilots license and was a certified flight engineer, was repairing a 727 airliner in Luanda, Angola for a Florida-based company named Aerospace Sales and Leasing. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. "I would like to apologize to each and every one of them. The sheriff's department described Russell as suicidal. Please enter valid email address to continue. Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in, On the day of his tragic flight, Mr Russell wore a shirt that said The Sky is No Limit, Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile, Air Traffic Control audio reveals conversation with man who stole Alaska Airlines plane. KIRO 7 spoke with Russells friend and former co-worker Robert Reeves who said Russell was a hard worker who loved aviation, but he admits Russell was unhappy with his pay. Mr Russell's aerial joyride ultimately ended in a fiery crash on a remote island in Puget Sound. CNN's Kyung Lah reports.. But the plane made turns and aerobatic maneuvers that suggest some skill, she said. (AFP/Getty Images) Russell, 29, flew the plane for 75 . As the FBI investigation wrapped up earlier this week, West Pierce Fire and Rescue released some of the first footage from the scene through public disclosure. Relatives of Richard Russell say they are "stunned and heartbroken" after the airline worker stole a passenger plane Friday from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and was killed when. 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. The black boxes are now being sent to the National Transportation Safety Board for processing. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. The worker performed several aerial stunts in the stolen aircraft before ultimately crashing on Ketron Island. 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. ", First published on August 13, 2018 / 5:34 AM. "Oh man. Did you encounter any technical issues? 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. strangest, scariest, most bizarre events of 2018. August 13, 2018 / 5:34 AM He had no purpose to be at that plane Friday evening "other than what he did do," Tilden said. The man could be heard on audio recordings telling air traffic controllers that he is "just a broken guy." 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