Amazingly, despite the unprecedented nature of this deadly feat, and the fact that it could have easily become a mass casualty event, Russells flight and fatal crash seemed to hardly make a splash in the national news. 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 Q400 is a turboprop aircraft with 76 seats. 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. The Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office has confirmed the remains belong to Richard Russell, who took the empty Horizon Air turboprop plane from Sea-Tac Airport. Meyer had recently been passed over for promotion and had been arrested for drunk and disorderly conduct. So many bags," he said. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much 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,. He later stole the plane and eventually crashed it into an island in Puget Sound. Plus we let you know whats going on locally with Lee Callahans Jacktivities! Playing What We Want In Seattle! Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. "I always felt bad for the guys and gals who handled luggage. "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.". 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. 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. 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. 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.
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.
. Did you encounter any technical issues? Russell echoed those claims in his last conversation with air traffic control. I don't want to. "He was a quiet guy," Rick Christenson, an operational supervisor with the airline who retired in Maytold The Seattle Times. Im coming home! But it was not to be. About to take off. The incident, which the FBI's Seattle office did not consider terrorism, raises questions about airport security. 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. Human remains were found in wake of Friday's tragic plane crash. "So, (he) had some knowledge but clearly wasn't a commercial pilot.". The body camera and cell phone video shows firefighters climbing through dense brush and fallen trees to get to the crash site on Ketron Island. The man could be heard on audio recordings telling air traffic controllers that he is "just a broken guy." Start your Independent Premium subscription today. Others include how, nearly 17 years after the 9/11 attack, someone can simply take a passenger plane from a major U.S. airport without authorization. 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. "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. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. Aug. 12, 2018. Music from Green Day, Michael Jackson, Queen, Billy Joel, Tom Petty, Madonna, Pearl Jam, Fleetwood Mac, and more! How was a man able to steal and pilot a plane? 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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. 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. Russell went by "Beebo" on social media. Scroll down to continue . Authorities said he used a tractor to rotate the plane 180 degrees, positioning it so that he could taxi toward a runway. .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. During an exchange with air traffic controllers, Russell mentioned he had some experience using flight simulator software. Weve got the Weekend Ticket Takeover! "You think if I land this successfully, Alaska will give me a job as a pilot?" I was kinda hoping that was going to be it. He was immediately killed. His family says it's clear he didn't mean to harm anyone. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. "But the air traffic controller had to tell him how to set what they call the 'bugs' -- they're just little, sort of, little levers, or little notches on your indicator for your heading, which is kind of basic. "The FBI is going to be thorough, which means taking the time needed to scour the area, delve into the background of the individual believed responsible for Friday night's incident, and review every aspect with all appropriate public and private partners," the FBI's Seattle office tweeted Saturday afternoon. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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. Jason Silverstein contributed to this report. "We are devastated by these events, and Jesus is truly the only one holding this family together right now. 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. Authorities said Russell did not have a pilot's license. "It's going to disappoint them to hear that I did thisJust a broken guy, got a few screws loose, I guess.". Airports nationwide will now look at whether their security procedures need to change, CNN safety analyst David Soucie said. appreciated. "Oh man. New surveillance. 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. among other things. 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. 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. CNN's Kyung Lah reports.. 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. "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.". It was empty, parked at a Seattle-Tacoma International Airport cargo and . Russell, a Horizon Air ground service agent for three and a half years, was the only person aboard the plane, the Pierce County Sheriff's Department said. Details of man who sources say stole airplane from Sea-Tac, Officials: Man who stole plane, died in crash not a pilot, Woman faces decades in prison after lying about murder, Do you have an investigative story tip? The King County medical examiner ruled his death a suicide. But the plane slammed into tiny Ketron Island, a sparsely populated island southwest of Tacoma. 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 . Foote was an experienced glider pilot and had undergone 100 hours of simulator flying in the Skyhawk and had hoped to become a military pilot before his ambitions were derailed by health issues. Also see | Cockpit audio from worker who stole empty plane from Sea-Tac Airport. 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. [deleted] 5 yr. ago. 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. 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. 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. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. As he flew the stolen 76-seat passenger plane above the Seattle area for nearly an hour on Friday night, Richard B. Russell was asked by an air . 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. "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. While searching the crash site, investigators also located human remains among the aircraft materials. The FBI will lead the investigation, said Eckrote, the NTSB regional chief. Kathleen Reichel said she watched the planes pass by for about two minutes. Having to rely on the ferry system for transport, the first 40 responding firefighters stayed at the scene throughout the night. 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. In the footage, Mr Russell can be seen calmly moving through the airport wearing a black shirt that says "The Sky's No Limit." Copyright 2018 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. "There is a protocol to not allow anyone singularly to get onboard an aircraft," Soucie said. 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. 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. 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 first can be seen wandering through security, and is spotted again later on the tarmac. August 13, 2018 / 5:34 AM strangest, scariest, most bizarre events of 2018. That's just not safe.". "Everyone was literally frozen in place, muttering about what possibly happened," he said. We may earn commission if you buy from a link. The plane didn't require a key, but it did require buttons and switches to be activated in a particular order. May 25, 2003. Nearby co-workers weren't even aware of Russell's actions, which happened six hours into his shift, according to reporters. All Rights Reserved. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. He had no purpose to be at that plane Friday evening "other than what he did do," Tilden said. The cause of the crash wasn't immediately known, but the F-15s did not bring the plane down, Eckrote said. After Russell performed an unauthorized takeoff, two McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle fighters were scrambled to intercept the aircraft. At one point, he apologizes and says he is a "broken guy" with "a few screws loose. Join the Celebration of a Lifetime! I've played some video games before, he said. We may earn a commission from links on this page. By Jeff Wise Published: Aug 13, 2018 JASON REDMOND // Getty Images "I lift a lot of bags. He passed a series of background checks to gain his position, as he didn't have any criminal convictions. 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 . Without communicating to air traffic controllers, he cut off another airplane and then managed to get the plane onto the runway and airborne. Other pilots and SeaTac's tower exchange information about Mr Russell as they quickly realise that something unusual is going on. Like a lot of bags. 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. It did not elaborate. Later, a controller discusses getting a pilot on the radio to help Russell control the aircraft. 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. "I lift a lot of bags. Russell responds: "Awwww-right. 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. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. You know?". Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. He flew until the plane ran out of fuel and died in the ensuing crash. He was right in saying that there are so many people who have loved him.". The agency says the 28-year-old's loved ones hosted an intervention for him, who "seemed fine" besides increased drinking. Not long before the crash, a pilot who'd been helping controllers advise Russell appears to mention the maneuver. Richard Russell, 29, walks through employee security screening at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The black boxes are now being sent to the National Transportation Safety Board for processing. For one, Russell shouldn't have been able to board the plane alone, he said. The sheriff's department described Russell as suicidal. In a statement, the family says Richard Russell, whose nickname was "Beebo," was warm, kind and gentle. Besides his other duties, he was qualified to tow aircraft, said Gary Beck, Horizon Air's president and chief executive officer. He did not survive the crash. Domestic Flights, Airplane Door Rips Open Midflight on Russian Plane, Airport Worker Ingested Into Jet Engine, Dies, The Concorde Disaster, Battle Tanks, and More. Cooper? The plane was a Q400, a Bombardier turboprop plane, one of about 40 the airline has in its fleet. 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. Russell was recorded having multiple conversations with air traffic controllers who were trying to talk him into landing. CNN's Kyung Lah reports. Earlier in the flight, Russell says: "This is probably, like, jail time for life, huh? 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. 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. . 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. 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. Nah, Im a white guy.. So many bags," he said. / CBS/AP. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. He said he wanted to create projects showing the contrast between his hard work on the ground and his high-flying free time traveling the globe. His responsibilities included towing and pushing aircraft for takeoff and gate approach, de-icing them, and handling baggage. "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. Mr Russell's aerial joyride ultimately ended in a fiery crash on a remote island in Puget Sound. he joked. "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. It wasn't immediately clear what training, if any, Russell had in flying planes. While in the air, Meyer, whod been married eight weeks before, called his wife and said, Guess what? Ah, dammit. May 23, 1969. Video from Friday showed the Horizon Air Q400 doing large loops and other dangerous maneuvers as the sun set on the 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. "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.". 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. One sketch that he posted included a drawing of a Q400 plane, the same kind of plane involved in Friday's crash. 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. 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. The Associated Press contributed to this report. 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