Authorities sent fighter jets to escort him, and the controller repeatedly tried to direct him to runways. Im going to disappoint them to hear that I did this. Yeah I dont know what the burnageis like on a takeoff but yeah. Plane is a Q4. Just a broken guy, got a few screws loose I guess. Egan said the airline has been providing food, grief counselors and emotional-support animals to employees. Mr. Russell took off around 7:30 p.m., according to the authorities. The jet took off at 7.32pm local time on August 10, 2018. At one point, Rich asked for help in getting the cabin depressurized, complaining he was getting lightheaded. In recordings of Mr. Russells remarkable conversation with air traffic controllers, he speaks admiringly of the Olympic Mountains at sunset, complains of lightheadedness and muses about potential prison time if he were to land the plane safely. We are working back ground on him now, the Pierce County Sheriff wrote. In his call to air traffic controllers, the man also described himself as having a "few screws loose" but didn't realise until now. View our online Press Pack. Richard Russell plane crash video was released. Rich, you said you had 2100 pounds of fuel left? the controller responded. There were no passengers aboard. The footage shows him going through security wearing a T-shirt that says "the sky's no limit." August 13, 2018, 6:50pm. On Facebook, he had liked the Republican Party and conservative personalities like Sean Hannity and Ben Shapiro. Most Facebook users can now claim settlement money. We talk about workplace culture, what is the culture of an organization? Maybe that will grease the gears a little bit with the higher-ups, he said at another point. Listen to his final moments as he talks back and forth with air traffic control. A man who answered the door at the Graham home of Russells mother-in-law Wednesday made it clear that the family did not intend to comment further. 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. The family thanked authorities, Alaskair, the community and Russells friends and family. He eventually ended up in Coos Bay, Oregon, where in 2010 he met a woman he married the following year. Richard Russell was a jokester who complained about work, but Sea-Tac No others involved., @KING5Seattle heres a video of the hijacked plane and fighter escort from Steilacoom in the ferry line for anderson Island pic.twitter.com/8fgAUe05xv. A childhood friend remarked that Beebo was loved by everyone because he was kind and gentle to each person he met. Seattle plane hijacker Richard Russell's haunting final words Russell, 29, was born in Key West, Florida, and moved to Wasilla, Alaska, when he was 7, according to a blog he created for an online communications class at Washington State University. "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. 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. He also posted audio clips of interviews he conducted to SoundCloud for what appears to have been a multimedia college class. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. In a video Russell made, he focused on the flight benefits that came with his job, which he used for a trip to France and frequent trips home to Alaska. Richard Russell, AKA Rich or Beebo Russell, was named as the airport mechanic who stole a Horizon plane at Sea-Tac and crashed it. Authorities said they dont think he had a pilots license and arent sure how he was able to take off, much less perform complicated tricks in the air like a barrel roll. At one point, Russell told a controller he had played a lot of video games. Tragic as Russell's death was, he could have inflicted vastly more damage had he been so inclined. Tim Orr, who also works at the Seattle-Tacoma airport, and who said he had known Mr. Russell since they were both 12, said his friend had been frustrated that his airport job did not pay the $15 minimum wage that many other airport workers receive, and had talked about leaving to do something else. David Odell, pastor at Russells Auburn church, also declined to discuss Russell, citing the familys wishes. Richard Russell: Family of man who stole plane 'stunned and heartbroken' There is the runway just about a mile off your right side, do you see that? The Port of Seattle released the video. Now video was released. Happening right now. 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. After Russell performed an unauthorized takeoff, two McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle fighters were scrambled to intercept the aircraft. I met Hannah in Coos Bay, Oregon in 2010 while we were both going to school, the about me section says. I hope this prompts a nationwide discussion about mental healthcare overall. I feel really bad for Richard and for his family. Criminal and air safety investigations likely to shed light on what preparation if any he took for the fatal flight are ongoing. We decided to sell and move in 2015, because we were both so far removed from our families. I feel really bad for Richard and for his family. As the voice recordings show, Beebos intent was not to harm anyone and he was right in saying that there are so many people who love him.. "I feel really bad for Richard and for his family. Subscribe to NBC News: nbcnews.to/SubscribeToNBC Watch more NBC video: bit.ly/MoreNBCNews NBC News Digital is a collection of innovative and powerful news. They married a year later and then opened a bakery that they ran together for three years. We were married one year later, and one month after that we opened a bakery which we successfully ran for 3 years, he explained on his website of his wife. He was regularly alone in cockpits, for stretches that ranged from 10 to 45 minutes. My names Richard Russell, Im 27 and currently living in Sumner, WA with my incredible wife Hannah. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. Richard Russell: 'Heartbroken' family of Seattle airline employee Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Authorities said Russell was suicidal. But another posting, again for Russells communications class, hinted at a dissatisfaction with his job, albeit one thats common in many workplaces. 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. Hey all! It was not immediately clear how Mr. Russell, who worked for Horizon Air, a subsidiary of Alaska Air Group, had managed to take off in the plane. The Associated Press contributed to this report. He moved to Coos Bay, Oregon, attending Southwestern Oregon Community College, where he met Hannah Stracener at a church gathering in 2010. It seemed like he was well liked by the other workers," former coworker Rick Christenson told The Seattle Times. 2 dead, 1 critically wounded in shooting at Cal Anderson Park in Seattle, Think Seattle-area property taxes are rising fast? I think Im gonna try to do a barrel roll, and if that goes good, Im just gonna nose down and call it a night., Hannah Russell: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know. Friends and former colleagues cant comprehend how the smart, funny, quiet man they knew could have carried out such a shocking heist. A 2012 article in the World described how Russell met his wife. I sure married a nice pair of calves! she joked with a photo of the couple. 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. This is not a terrorist incident. Referring to the video recordings, the family pointed out that Mr. Russell did not intend to harm anyone. Authorities say he was suicidal. An airline employee conducted an unauthorized takeoff without passengers at Sea-Tac; aircraft has crashed in south Puget Sound. The sketch on Richard Russells WordPress page. SeaTac airport., Morgan Chesky, a reporter for KOMO News, wrote, Per JBLM source: After being contacted by F-15s, stolen plane began to nose dive, crashing in north Pierce County., NTSB investigator Debra Eckrote held a Saturday morning press conference, the day after the crash, and indicated that investigators are trying to determine what his process was and where the aircraft was going. She identified Rich as ground support so, you know, they have access to aircraft, and described it as lucky that the plane crashed on a very underpopulated island.. richard russell audio transcript. 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. Mr. Russell stole a plane from the airport and flew it for about an hour before it crashed. Never really knew it until now.. Family and friends try to reconcile Richard Russell's action with the On his blog, Richard talks about how he and his wife once ran a bakery. In July 2022, video was released that showed Russells last moments going through security, taking off in the plane, and communicating with air traffic control. Alaska Airlines officials said Mr. Russell had worked for Horizon for three and a half years, and was responsible for handling luggage and cargo and for towing aircraft. I want to share how incredibly sad all of us at Alaska are about this incident, said Brad Tilden, chief executive of Alaska Air Group. Authorities say he was. "In this season of life, we enjoy exploring as much as possible, whether its a day (or so) trip to one of Alaska Airlines destinations or visiting a new area of Washington," he wrote. Hijacker does not know how to land the plane. In a humorous YouTube video he posted last year, he talked about his job and included videos and photos of his various travels. Although official accounts other than through live aviation audio were hard to come by at first, many passengers took to social media to report that pilots were telling them a man had stolen a plane. That means I lift a lot of bags, he said. Russell, he said, was always friendly and was always reading in what little down time they had. Sea-Tac Airport (@SeaTacAirport) August 11, 2018. So many bags,\" he said.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. 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 . Normal operations at Sea-Tac Airport have resumed, the airport wrote. He also wrote about his hopes for the future, which included being a manager at the company or becoming a military officer. Newly released CCTV footage captures the harrowing moment a Washington state airport employee stole an Alaska Airlines plane and took it for a joyride before fatally crashing it. Quite a scary experience. Criss said his son talked to Russell the week before the crash and nothing seemed amiss. Happy birthday to the man who keeps me laughing and always improves the view ? she wrote with one in 2017. He remembers growing up in Wasilla, camping and video games and building forts in the woods. Who was Richard Russell? Richard Russell was a suicidal airport ground services worker who stole an airplane from Sea-Tac International Airport. I would hope it is for a guy like me. People on Twitter who were following the aviation audio reported that the man attempted a barrel roll with the plane at one point. Fan, Russells childhood friend, remains in disbelief that his friend actually did this. 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. He said he met "Hannah" in Coos Bay . 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 hope this doesnt ruin your day, he said to the controller, adding that he was grateful to be kept away from other aircraft. The recordings reveal that when a controller asked Russell if he need help controlling the aircraft, he responded, I dont need that much help. On social media, Richard Russell quickly became something of a folk hero, but people also felt sadness and empathy for his pain and his plight. Hannah and Beebo met at a Campus Crusade for Christ gathering at Southwestern Oregon Community College last year, the site reported. But what happened at Seattle Airport? Like a lot of bags. Im in the air right now. I dont need that much help; Ive played some video games before, he told the controllers trying to help him. 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. Authorities said he used a tractor to rotate the plane 180 degrees, positioning it so that he could taxi toward a runway. We had a ground stop for quite a while here, a dispatcher says. No one else was believed to be on board, and officials confirmed Mr. Russell was killed. Latest update from tower indicates no interest on his part to land the plane. Anyone can read what you share. He also told the controller he "wasn't really planning on landing" the aircraft, and he described himself as "just a broken guy.". Before takeoff, the pilot explains someone stole an airplane, and is flying around near Mt. He preciously worked as a ground service agent at Horizon from 2015 to present. I feel really bad for Richard and for his family. The FBI also said it found human remains among the wreckage. Just a broken guy, got a few screws loose, I guess. More: How did an airline worker manage to steal a commercial aircraft? I hope they can make it through this. He said that airline employees go through background checks. Before he took off, several people at the airport questioned what was going on. Then, it segues into a montage of photos from Russells trips to Alaska, France, Ireland, and other places before ending with a scene from a family gathering. I'm listening through the archive of the radio chatter on the #seatac hijacking. It read: This is a complete shock to us. Other audio reported a ground stop was underway at SeaTac, the airport that services Seattle and Tacoma, Washington. The 2023 Met Gala theme explained, Met Gala 2023 looks: See photos of the show-stopping red carpet arrivals, Mother stung over 75 times by bees but her "quick thinking" saves kids, King Charles III's net worth and where his wealth comes from. This is going to be hilarious.'. Richard Russell cracked jokes in transmissions with controllers, apologized for making fuss, but his actions were anything but humorous . Maybe that will grease some gears a little bit with the higher-ups.. Commercial aircrafts are complex machines, Mr. Beck added. Im going to disappoint them to hear that I did this. Unclear if passengers are on board. Audio captured emotional conversations between the man, named as Rich, and air traffic controllers trying to help him land safely. The plane didn't require a key, but it did require buttons and switches to be activated in a particular order. Mechanic, Richard Russell, 29, stole a plane from Seattle Airport and joked with air traffic controllers before crashing into an island. We are stunned and heartbroken, according to the statement, which described Mr. Russell as a faithful husband, a loving son and a good friend. 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I will build you up again and you will be rebuilt. In the article, Russell described himself as laid back and easy going. Ed Troyer, a spokesman for the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, said on Twitter the man was suicidal and there was no connection to terrorism. 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 episode raised questions about the little-known details of life on the tarmac, in the loading, fueling and cleaning operations of airplanes unglamorous work that is critical to public safety but often poorly paid. Russell also mentions his job at Horizon in the blog. Plane stolen from Seattle airport chased by fighter jets video, family members said in a statement they were heartbroken, one of Russells former co-workers described him as a quiet, well-liked young man. SEATTLE -- He cracked jokes, complimented the professional demeanor of an air traffic controller and apologized for making a fuss. But it allows me to do some pretty cool things, too, he added, segueing to footage of a flight tour over Ketchikan, Alaska, followed by images of several countries including France, Ireland and Mexico. Now, in new footage of the moments before he took off, the 29-year-old can be seen walking through airport security with a The Skys No Limit T-shirt. Russells dramatic theft and crash prompted increased security checks at Sea-Tac and calls for a nationwide review of security measures. 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, Who Stole Plane Near Seattle, Raises Troubling Security Questions Richard B. Russell, a ground service agent at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Those guys will rough me up if I try and land there, Russell responded, later adding, "This is probably jail time for life, huh? Richard Russell, pilot of stolen Horizon Air plane, had lighthearted 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 I would like to dedicate this blog to the life of a ramper and highlight the remarkable contrast between our work and rest.. Its blast, man, Mr. Russell replied. In a statement, the family said Richard Russell, whose nickname was "Beebo," was a faithful husband, loving son and good friend. Ive played some video games before.. FBI releases classified documents from 2018 Horizon Air plane theft Russell said on the aviation audio, This is probably jail time for life, huh? 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. When he saw smoke rising from the woods, he realized the worst had happened. However, late in the evening of August 10, 2018, tower audio indicated that some planes were being released. New video of 2018 Horizon Air plane heist at Sea-Tac | king5.com Richard Russell, AKA Rich, the man who took the Sea-Tac plane and crashed it. There were no passengers aboard. Its burned quite a bit faster than I expected., He also said, Im gonna land it, in a safe kind of manner. It was all over in about an hour. 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,. I would like to apologize to each and every one of them. A week after Russell stole a 76-seat passenger planefrom Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, traversing the Puget Sound region for more than an hour before crashing to his death on Ketron Island, there are few hints as to why he did it or how he was able to fly a commercial airplane. Richard Russell, a ground control agent, died after he stole the plane at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in August 2018 and drove it into the ground of a remote island in the Puget. He is believed to have died when the plane crashed into Ketron Island, about 30 miles south of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, setting off a large forest fire. Ive got a lot of people that care about me. Like a lot of bags. richard russell audio transcript At one point, Rich asked for help in getting the cabin depressurized, complaining he was getting lightheaded. ", Hear audio conversation leading up to Seattle plane crash. FBI records released in case of Alaska Airlines worker who stole plane 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.. He complimented the controller: "You are very calm, collect, poised," he said. They wont let anyone leave the airport while hes up there. Our first date, he kind of cornered me into it, Hannah Russell said to the site. Its going to disappoint them to hear that I did this.. Powered by. 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. 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. Hannah, who had gone to culinary school, was detail oriented and ran the show, the newspaper reported, while her husband was more laid-back and eager to experiment with new and wild recipes.. The Russell he knew had always been a jokester, the class clown. Audio captured emotional conversations between the man, named as Rich, and air traffic controllers trying to help him land safely. #iflyalaska #akedchat.. Its gonna be crazy, he said at one point in air traffic control transmissions. HiIm a ground service agent. We consider ourselves bakery connoisseurs and have to try a new one every place we go. We present three-dimensional maps in monochromatic extinction A0 and the extinction parameter R0 within a few degrees of the Galactic plane. FBI: Richard Russell, who stole plane from Sea-Tac, acted alone, crashed on purpose; motive a mystery . Russell flew the plane around Seattle for an hour while National, New Video Shows Man Stealing Horizon Air Plane In 2018 Incident, 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. Its a complaint that Russell himself echoed in social-media postings, noting the dichotomy between a grueling, low-paying job and the globe-trotting trips that the job let him take. Wish me luck! (modern). For other inquiries, Contact Us. Those were among Richard Russells last words to a Seattle air traffic controller on Friday night before the 29-year-old airline employee crashed a stolen Alaska Airlines plane into a near-deserted island in Puget Sound. Mike Criss, a family friend, whose son had been close friends with Russell since second grade, saidthat hed last talked to Russell in February. ", Later the man said: "Ive got a lot of people that care about me. / CBS/AP. Russell, a ground services worker for Horizon Air, was permitted to get very . Newly Released Video Shows the Moment Richard Russell Stole a Plane at Sea-Tac Russell, a Seattle airport employee, took an empty Horizon Air passenger plane on a joyride that ended in a fatal . Without Him we would be hopeless. Everything We Know About Richard Russell, the Man Who Stole and - Vice I played video games before so, you know, I know what Im doing a little bit., Man, Im sorry about this. Authorities said they dont think he had a pilots license and arent sure how he was able to take off, much less perform complicated tricks in the air like a barrel roll. At one point, Russell told a controller he had played a lot of video games. 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. 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. I dont want to hurt no one. Richard Russell at his job as a ground service agent. Richard Russell: quiet, well-liked Seattle airport worker who stole a plane It makes me cringe,"he said. Horizon ground-service agents are also one of the few nonunionized groups of tarmac workers at Sea-Tac. Russells family released a statement to the news media expressing great shock and remembering Russell for his compassion. I enjoy the flexibility of the schedule and the flight benefits, one co-worker told Russell. Family of man who stole plane and crashed it 'stunned and heartbroken'
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