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. I've played some video games before," Russell responds. When Rolling Stone published its article last year, no major regulatory or security changes had been implemented in response to Russells deadly flight. Without communicating to air traffic controllers, he cut off another airplane and then managed to get the plane onto the runway and airborne. Foote served four and a half months in the brig and later went on to become a test pilot in civilian life. 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 . In the footage, Mr Russell can be seen calmly moving through the airport wearing a black shirt. 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. 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. I've played some video games before, he said. video Plane crashes near Seattle airport. 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. Padilla and an a recently hired assistant boarded the plane, taxied it to the runway, took off, and head out over the Atlantic Ocean. Later that day he stole an Alaska Air turboprop aircraft and crashed it into a remote island in Puget Sound. Richard Russell Plane Crash Video From Seattle | Heavy.com Airline and Seattle airport officials revealed the following at a news conference Saturday: In audio recordings of the incident posted on Broadcastify, Russell can be heard talking to air traffic controllers as they try to guide him to land the plane. Man who took Horizon Air plane from Sea-Tac Airport was quiet, well The incident is bizarre and tragic, but it is not unprecedented. The black boxes are now being sent to the National Transportation Safety Board for processing. "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. Because there were no passengers or crew aboard the plane, it wasnt considered a hijacking, and authorities response to the event seems to indicate that nobody ever expected an airport employee to hop in a plane and go for a ride with no apparent intent to terrorize, kill, or even make a greater statement. The worker performed several aerial stunts in the stolen aircraft before ultimately crashing on Ketron Island. "Oh man. He's worked at Horizon longer than I did, and he still wasn't making $15 an hour, Reeves said. By Jeff Wise Published: Aug 13, 2018 JASON REDMOND // Getty Images About to take off. Air traffic control became suspicious of Mr Russell after he cut in the line for takeoff. He first can be seen wandering through security, and is spotted again later on the tarmac. Richard Russell, 'Rich': 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know 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. After the plane approached Ketron Island, Waldron saw a thick column of smoke followed by a loud explosion, he said. The FBI will lead the investigation, said Eckrote, the NTSB regional chief. he joked. Russell flew the plane for over an hour before crashing. Reeves said he left Horizon because workers are overworked and underpaid. 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. Russell was credentialed to be in secure areas at the airport, said Brad Tilden, CEO of Alaska Air Group, which owns Horizon Air. Also see | Stolen plane narrowly missed family inside Ketron Island cabin. Later, a controller discusses getting a pilot on the radio to help Russell control the aircraft. The jets' capability was appropriate to the potential task, one of the sources said, without offering details. Besides his other duties, he was qualified to tow aircraft, said Gary Beck, Horizon Air's president and chief executive officer. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. He eventually climbs inside the cockpit and fires up the engine. 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. The fuselage was fragmented and appeared to be upside down, said Debra Eckrote, regional chief for the National Transportation Safety Board. The man could be heard on audio recordings telling air traffic controllers that he is "just a broken guy." Did you encounter any technical issues? The plane had been parked in a maintenance area and was not scheduled for a passenger flight, Tilden said. He passed a series of background checks to gain his position, as he didn't have any criminal convictions. New video shows crash site of stolen plane 02:22 CNN Richard Russell was a funny, gentle and hardworking man, said family and a colleague of the airline employee who stole a passenger. I don't need that much help. Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. Could 3 Particles on a Tie Lead Us to D.B. 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. Never really knew it until now.". "I would like to apologize to each and every one of them. Richard Russell died in Friday's plane crash. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. Jeff Wise is a New York-based science journalist specializing in aviation and psychology. One sketch that he posted included a drawing of a Q400 plane, the same kind of plane involved in Friday's crash. Author: Elisa Hahn Published: 11/14/2018 5:51:22 PM It's Troublingly Common for Ground Crew Members To Steal Planes Lee Callahan in the morning, and the No Repeat Workday while you work! The plane eventually crashed on sparsely populated Ketron Island, starting a fire in the woods but injuring no one outside the plane. Nah, Im a white guy.. Video released to KOMO News from the Port of Seattle capture the final moments of Richard Russell who took a Horizon Air plane from SeaTac Airport without authorization, performed acrobatic. Alaska Airlines flight 261 took off from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on the morning of August 10, 2018. August 13, 2018 / 5:34 AM 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. 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. Maybe that will grease some gears with the higher up, Russell said to air traffic controllers. 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. Scroll down to continue . (DAILY NEWS VIDEO) . Weve got the Weekend Ticket Takeover! It was a strange day when Horizon Airlines Employee Richard "Beebo" Russell stole a plane in the middle of his working shift. It's gonna be crazy," Mr Russel said. ", "Well," a controller responds, "we're not going to worry or think about that. If you miss out on Thursday, no worries!

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.

. 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. 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. The agency said that, had Mr Russell wanted, he could have recovered from the dive. 2018 Horizon Air Q400 incident - Wikipedia 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 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. "He was getting really stressed about the financial situation he was in. 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. 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. Minimum wage, we'll chalk it up to that. Some speculated the plane was stolen as part of an insurance scam, or perhaps taken by terrorists who planned to use it as a flying bomb, but the truth remains unknown. CNN's Kyung Lah reports. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Witnesses described the surreal scene after the plane left the airport. They said it's clear Russell didn't intend to harm anyone, and "he was right in saying that there are so many people who loved him. Richard Russell said he didn't need much help: 'I've played some video Chilling CCTV footage shows Richard Russell stealing plane before fatal SEATTLE -- He cracked jokes, complimented the professional demeanor of an air traffic controller and apologized for making a fuss. He also told the controller he "wasn't really planning on landing" the aircraft, and he described himself as "just a broken guy.". Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. Richard Russell, 29, can be seen at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport driving a pushback tractor with an Alaska Air turboprop attached. 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. 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. August 22, 1979. Having to rely on the ferry system for transport, the first 40 responding firefighters stayed at the scene throughout the night. Join the Celebration of a Lifetime! "Russell had a few unexcused absences, but nothing considered significant.". An air traffic controller called him "Rich," and tried to convince him to land the airplane. You did that. He was in the air for about an hour. He was immediately killed. Russell was recorded having multiple conversations with air traffic controllers who were trying to talk him into landing. 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. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? 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. Officials don't believe Russell had a pilot's license, and they don't know how he knew to fly the plane. Sky King (RE-POST with new footage) || The Day an Airline Employee The agency says the 28-year-old's loved ones hosted an intervention for him, who "seemed fine" besides increased drinking. Security footage shows man stealing plane he later crashed into 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 the airport and into the 76-seat plane that he flew to his death. The man has been identified as Richard Russell, a law enforcement official familiar with the investigation confirmed to CNN on Saturday night. Nearby co-workers weren't even aware of Russell's actions, which happened six hours into his shift, according to reporters. A blog that appeared to belong to Russell as part of a multimedia content creation class at Washington State University focused on his job on a ground service agent. Videos Show Richard Russell's Final Moments Before Shocking Plane Crash Who Was Richard Russell? Man Steals Airplane and Crashes | Time New video shows crash site of stolen plane. 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. "Never really knew it till now," he said. 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. 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. That's just not safe.". His responsibilities included towing and pushing aircraft for takeoff and gate approach, de-icing them, and handling baggage. 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. He flew until the plane ran out of fuel and died in the ensuing crash. 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. The jets were not involved in the crash, it said. strangest, scariest, most bizarre events of 2018. I mean, I would hope it is, for a guy like me. A 777 Nearly Plunged Into the Ocean After Takeoff, In audio recordings released over the internet, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. He said flying was a "blast" and that he didn't need much help: "I've played some video games before.". While searching the crash site, investigators also located human remains among the aircraft materials. 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, FBI probes how airline employee stole plane, FBI investigating how airline employee stole plane before crashing, New details emerge about employee who stole, crashed airplane, NTSB to investigate in-flight turbulence that left 1 passenger dead, Pittsburgh woman missing for 31 years found alive in Puerto Rico, 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. He was killed in the crash. "I lift a lot of bags. Richard B. Russell reportedly stole a Horizon Air plane for a joyride before crashing and killing himself near Seattle. "Yeah, he knew how to fly," she continued. Authorities sent fighter jets to escort him, and the controller repeatedly tried to direct him to runways. F-15s were scrambled out of their base at Portland International Airport to intercept the plane. 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 . "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. 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. 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. / CBS/AP. 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. The plane didn't require a key, but it did require buttons and switches to be activated in a particular order. First published on August 11, 2018 / 4:48 PM. Win Tickets to Weezer with Spoon and White Reaper at White River Amphitheater on August 20th! The FBI also said it found human remains among the wreckage. / CBS/AP. Music from Green Day, Michael Jackson, Queen, Billy Joel, Tom Petty, Madonna, Pearl Jam, Fleetwood Mac, and more! Please dont hesitate to utilize this resource. "In this plane, he certainly knew how to retract the landing gear, he coordinated both engines, powered them up to get a coordinated takeoff," she said. "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.". Now let's land that airplane safely and don't hurt anybody on the ground," the helping pilot radios. Russell took the Q400 from a cargo area at the north end of Sea-Tac Airport on August 10. He was immediately killed. ", "I've got a lot of people that care about me," the man later said. "We are devastated by these events, and Jesus is truly the only one holding this family together right now. In a humorous YouTube video he posted last year, he talked about his job and included videos and photos of his various travels. Nearby co-workers weren't even aware of Russell's actions, which happened six hours into his shift, according to reporters. A Russian Air Force engineer made off with an Antonov An-26 transport plane from Kubinka Air Force Base near Moscow. Richard Russell, pilot of stolen Horizon Air plane, had lighthearted Russell, who was a ground services employee for Horizon Air, sat in the plane's cockpit for nearly an hour and a half before the unauthorized takeoff.