The NTSB is now processing the equipment. 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 . He said his actions were "going to disappoint" the people who cared for him, and described himself as "just a broken guy" with "a few screws loose, I guess.". He did not survive the crash. John Waldron was walking along a trail near the bay when he noticed the two military jets following a plane doing aerobatics. New video shows crash site of stolen plane. Plus we let you know whats going on locally with Lee Callahans Jacktivities! He also told the controller he "wasn't really planning on landing" the aircraft, and he described himself as "just a broken guy.". Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. He is the author of The Plane That Wasn't There: Why We Haven't Found MH370. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. Later that day he stole an Alaska Air turboprop aircraft and crashed it into a remote island in Puget Sound. 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. 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Weve got the Weekend Ticket Takeover! "So, (he) had some knowledge but clearly wasn't a commercial pilot.". 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. Discovery Company. It evens out in the end.". The newly published video, coupled with Rolling Stones detailed reconstruction of the events of August 10, 2018, paint the picture of a cheerful, gregarious fellow. May 25, 2003. "He was getting really stressed about the financial situation he was in. I've played some video games before," Russell responds. That includes both domestic and international flights. August 22, 1979. video Plane crashes near Seattle airport. and last updated 2018-08-12 08:56:01-04. The man has been identified as Richard Russell, a law enforcement official familiar with the investigation confirmed to CNN on Saturday night. "Although investigators received information regarding Russells background, possible stressors, and personal life, no element provided a clear motivation for Russells actions.". 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. "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. I don't know! Those guys will rough me up if I try and land there," the man responded, later adding, "This is probably jail time for life, huh? Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. strangest, scariest, most bizarre events of 2018. "NORAD fighters did not fire upon the aircraft," North American Aerospace Defense Command said Saturday morning in a news release. 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. 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. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. He flew until the plane ran out of fuel and died in the ensuing crash. In fact, there have been a number of occurrences in recent decades in which ground personnel made off with aircraft. He managed to proceed with his plan unmolested largely because no one thought twice about the baggage handler working in the airport's restricted spaces. The incident is bizarre and tragic, but it is not unprecedented. Author: Elisa Hahn Published: 11/14/2018 5:51:22 PM August 11, 2018 / 11:29 PM Win Tickets to Weezer with Spoon and White Reaper at White River Amphitheater on August 20th! 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. "I always felt bad for the guys and gals who handled luggage. ", The statement said Russell, 29, was "a faithful husband, a loving son and a good friend. The black boxes will hopefully give investigators more clues as they try to figure out why Russell flew the plane into the ground. Winter Weather Advisory expires for much of western Washington, Intertribal comedy sketch troupe performs 'Between Two Knees' at Seattle Rep, plane stolen from Sea-Tac Airport crashed, Stolen plane narrowly missed family inside Ketron Island cabin, released the findings of its investigation, Cockpit audio from worker who stole empty plane from Sea-Tac Airport, 'I was blown away': Stepbrother of man who stole plane speaks out. The FBI will lead the investigation, said Eckrote, the NTSB regional chief. The FBI also said it found human remains among the wreckage. "It's going to disappoint them to hear that I did thisJust a broken guy, got a few screws loose, I guess.". "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.". An FBI investigation found Alaska Airlines ramp employee Richard Russell intentionally crashed the aircraft after flying for more than an hour. The perpetrator, 29-year-old Richard Russell, was a Horizon Air ground service agent with no piloting experience. That includes both domestic and international flights. 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. They say says this is a complete shock. Despite the timing of the crash during prime fire season, the fires in the video seemed to be small and scattered. Foote served four and a half months in the brig and later went on to become a test pilot in civilian life. 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. ", Russell posted collages of photos from his trips around the world, writing that travel was "what keeps me going in the most unfavorable circumstances.". 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 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. Its not yet known exactly what pre-existing psychological conditions Russell may have had, but in the course of his conversation with air traffic controllers he expresses racial resentment. 2023 Cable News Network. I mean, I would hope it is, for a guy like me. Officials don't believe Russell had a pilot's license, and they don't know how he knew to fly the plane. 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,. Horizon airline employee, 28-year-old Richard 'Bebo' Russell, stole a plane and took off before crashing into remote Pierce County island More Videos Next up in 5 "The greatest threat we have to aviation is the insider threat," said Erroll Southers, a former FBI agent and transportation security expert. One sketch that he posted included a drawing of a Q400 plane, the same kind of plane involved in Friday's crash. FBI released more information about Russell and the incident earlier this year, including witness statements from family, friends, and co-workers. After Russell performed an unauthorized takeoff, two McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle fighters were scrambled to intercept the aircraft. The plane was a Q400, a Bombardier turboprop plane, one of about 40 the airline has in its fleet. July 4, 1986. How was a man able to steal and pilot a plane? 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. On Friday, Horizon Air ground service agent .css-3wjtm9{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.125rem;text-decoration-color:#1c6a65;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:inherit;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-3wjtm9:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}Richard B. Russell got in one of the airlines Bombardier Q400 aircraft and took off from Seattles SeaTac Airport. Ah, dammit. In a statement, the family says Richard Russell, whose nickname was "Beebo," was warm, kind and gentle. 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. Kathleen Reichel said she watched the planes pass by for about two minutes. Tragic as Russell's death was, he could have inflicted vastly more damage had he been so inclined. In a humorous YouTube video he posted last year, he talked about his job and included videos and photos of his travels. Richard Russell died in Friday's plane crash. Later, a controller discusses getting a pilot on the radio to help Russell control the aircraft. 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. Human remains were found in wake of Friday's tragic plane crash. 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. 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. He was immediately killed. I hope they can make it through this.". 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. 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. During an exchange with air traffic controllers, Russell mentioned he had some experience using flight simulator software. One sketch that he posted included a drawing of a Q400 plane, the same kind of plane involved in Friday's crash. You know?". 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. 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. 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. 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 .
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