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.
. I've played some video games before," Russell responds. The black boxes will hopefully give investigators more clues as they try to figure out why Russell flew the plane into the ground. "We are devastated by these events, and Jesus is truly the only one holding this family together right now. "I would like to apologize to each and every one of them. Like a lot of bags. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ", "Well," a controller responds, "we're not going to worry or think about that. 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. Like a lot of bags. Maybe that will grease some gears with the higher up, Russell said to air traffic controllers. Scroll down to continue . The black boxes are now being sent to the National Transportation Safety Board for processing. New surveillance. 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. I hope they can make it through this.". 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 . he joked. On board was 29-year-old Richard Russell, a baggage handler for Horizon Air who is also flying the plane for unknown reason. 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 plane was a Bombardier Q400, a turboprop that seats 76 people, owned by Horizon Air, part of Alaska Airlines. Nearby co-workers weren't even aware of Russell's actions, which happened six hours into his shift, according to reporters. 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. Besides his other duties, he was qualified to tow aircraft, said Gary Beck, Horizon Air's president and chief executive officer. Russell, a 3-1/2-year Horizon employee, worked as a ground service agent. Jason Silverstein contributed to this report. About to take off. It wasn't immediately clear what training, if any, Russell had in flying planes. 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. Russell was credentialed to be in secure areas at the airport, said Brad Tilden, CEO of Alaska Air Group, which owns Horizon Air. 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 . Airports nationwide will now look at whether their security procedures need to change, CNN safety analyst David Soucie said. 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. It's unclear exactly what Mr Russell is doing during this time, but he eventually takes control of a pushback tug and readies the Alaska Air plane for takeoff. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. Horizon's parent company, Alaska Airlines, refused to comment on claims of workers being overworked or underpaid. Russell took the Q400 from a cargo area at the north end of Sea-Tac Airport on August 10. "He was getting really stressed about the financial situation he was in. 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. CNN's Kyung Lah reports.. 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 newly published video, coupled with Rolling Stones detailed reconstruction of the events of August 10, 2018, paint the picture of a cheerful, gregarious fellow. 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. video Plane crashes near Seattle airport. Just a broken guy, got a few screws loose, I guess. Airline officials believe he was in uniform and worked a shift Friday, Tilden said. August 22, 1979. strangest, scariest, most bizarre events of 2018. He's worked at Horizon longer than I did, and he still wasn't making $15 an hour, Reeves said. 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. Witnesses described the surreal scene after the plane left the airport. Padilla and an a recently hired assistant boarded the plane, taxied it to the runway, took off, and head out over the Atlantic Ocean. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? There were no passengers aboard. 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. It evens out in the end.". 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. 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Copyright 2018 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. Each Thursday Ticket Takeover we giveaway prizes all day for different concerts, events, and more! 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. In a humorous YouTube video he posted last year, he talked about his job and included videos and photos of his travels. After Russell performed an unauthorized takeoff, two McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle fighters were scrambled to intercept the aircraft. "Seattle Ground, Horizon Guy. 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. Aug. 12, 2018. When Rolling Stone published its article last year, no major regulatory or security changes had been implemented in response to Russells deadly flight. He later stole the plane and eventually crashed it into an island in Puget Sound. Win Tickets to KISS at Climate Pledge Arena on November 6, 2023. 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. While searching the crash site, investigators also located human remains among the aircraft materials. In a statement, the family says Richard Russell, whose nickname was "Beebo," was warm, kind and gentle. "Russell had a few unexcused absences, but nothing considered significant.". 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? 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 . A Warner Bros. Lastly, we've been reporting a lot only on the most famous case of suspected pilot suicide, Malaysian Airlines Flight 370, and this weekend's tragedy bears at least a few similarities. Meyer had recently been passed over for promotion and had been arrested for drunk and disorderly conduct. 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. How was a man able to steal and pilot a plane? While investigators concluded Russell intentionally crash the plane, his motive still remains a mystery. "Nah, I mean, I don't need that much help. (AFP/Getty Images) Russell, 29, flew the plane for 75 . ", The statement said Russell, 29, was "a faithful husband, a loving son and a good friend. The jets were not involved in the crash, it said. 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. The incident, which the FBI's Seattle office did not consider terrorism, raises questions about airport security. A ground service agent's tasks don't involve touching planes' controls, CNN aviation analyst Mary Schiavo said. I was kinda hoping that was going to be it. An air traffic controller called him "Rich," and tried to convince him to land the airplane. 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. By Jeff Wise Published: Aug 13, 2018 JASON REDMOND // Getty Images Foote served four and a half months in the brig and later went on to become a test pilot in civilian life. A beautifully-written Rolling Stone article published in summer of 2021 tells the story of Russells life up to the moment he towed the plane onto the runway and hopped in the cockpit, attempting to find meaning or motive to help explain why this goofy, God-fearing baggage handler decided to steal a plane he likely knew he couldnt successfully land. 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. In the footage, Mr Russell can be seen calmly moving through the airport wearing a black shirt. Author: Elisa Hahn Published: 11/14/2018 5:51:22 PM Join the Celebration of a Lifetime! Photos show first responders that night sleeping outside on the ground. 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. 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. First published on August 11, 2018 / 4:48 PM. U.S. Air Force Sergeant Paul Meyer, a 23-year-old crew chief stationed at Mildenhall Air Base in England, stole a C-130 cargo plane and took off. After the plane approached Ketron Island, Waldron saw a thick column of smoke followed by a loud explosion, he said. In fact, there have been a number of occurrences in recent decades in which ground personnel made off with aircraft. In a final video project set to cheery music, Russell included selfies from airport grounds and photos from his many trips. The photos provided some of the most compelling images: tree trunks sheared in half by the impact of the crash and parts of the Horizon Air Q400 Turboprop littered throughout the debris field. "It seemed like he was well liked by the other workers. 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.