Speculation has swirled over Russells intent. 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. I suspect that most of the time they want to hear some kind of post-mortem diagnosis: He was a paranoid schizophrenic. Russell had no formal training as a pilot and did not have his pilots license. [4] The New York Times Richard Russell Who Stole Plane Near Seattle Raises Troubling Security Questions, [5] The Washington Post Richard Russell Details emerge of a compassionate man after Seattle plane heist and fiery crash, [6] CBS News Richard Russell pilot of stolen Horizon Air plane had lighthearted tone before deadly crash, [10] CNN Pilot arrested after threatening to crash plane into Mississippi Walmart and eventually landing in a field, police say, [14] 4chan Pilot threatening to crash hijacked plane into Walmart in Tupelo, Mississippi, It's Been Almost 8 Years Since The 'Sad Satan' Phenomenon, And People Still Aren't Sure What Happened, If You're Always In The Passenger Seat, You Might Be A 'Passenger Princess', Controversial Ontario High School Teacher Placed On Leave By School Board, The 'Whatever' 'Dating Talk' Podcast Keeps Going Viral For 'Triggering' Its Young Woman Guests, 4chan Turns Disgraced Cartoonist Scott Adams Into A Meme. Sea-Tac airport confirmed the plane was down a short time later. This story has been shared 110,450 times. When I arrived, he was in the kitchen, in the middle of his Sunday morning ritual of cleaning his cleaning supplies. [20] A veteran pilot said the maneuver "seemed pretty well executed, without either stalling or pulling the wings off. And part of his job was to drive the tractor that backed the aircraft into position for takeoff. [34][35] The FBI stated, "Interviews with work colleagues, friends, and familyand review of text messages exchanged with Russell during the incidentdid not identify any information that would suggest the theft of the aircraft was related to wider criminal activity or terrorist ideology. Stay tuned., Another indicated, Seatac airspace closed. Oh- theyve probably got anti-aircraftnot quite ready to bring it down just yet. The cockpit recordings are widely available online and it would be hard not to feel compassion while listening to them. | "[43] Some co-workers said that Russell had probably trained himself to fly using amateur flight simulation software. New footage has been released from a 2018 incident in which an airline ground service agent named Richard Russell stole a turboprop plane from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and crashed it into an island in the Puget Sound. More information as we learn more, Alaska Airlines wrote on Twitter around 9:20 p.m. on the west coast. 0:00. Meanwhile, various tributes to Russell were uploaded to YouTube (shown below). Facebook Richard Russell plane crash video was released. In 2018, a Horizon Air employee, Richard Russell, stole a plane with no prior flying experience, making international headlines. A childhood friend remarked that Beebo was loved by everyone because he was kind and gentle to each person he met. Heres hoping that the next Rich crashes on a couch of a good listener. Old Medication, New Use: Can Prazosin Curb Drinking? Maybe that will grease the gears a little bit with the higher-ups, he said at another point. They turned him into a hero with the name, and with it came a lot of memes. Male is confirmed a suicidal male. Its burned quite a bit faster than I expected., He also said, Im gonna land it, in a safe kind of manner. The hardest part of stealing a commercial plane from an international airport was already over for Richard Russell. Theres something wrong with all of us. 2:18. In 1993, Lawnchair Larry Walters was named an At-Risk Survivor in the annual Darwin Awards. Rest in peace Rich. On August 10, 2018, a Horizon Air Bombardier Q400 was stolen from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac) in Seattle, Washington. My names Richard Russell, Im 27 and currently living in Sumner, WA with my incredible wife Hannah. On behalf of the family, we are stunned and heartbroken. I sure married a nice pair of calves! she joked with a photo of the couple. That means I lift a lot of bags so many bags, he says. He also posted audio clips of interviews he conducted to SoundCloud for what appears to have been a multimedia college class. Russells social media accounts have become funeral guestbooks, digitized for the world. At one point, he says to the utterly professional air traffic controller, Im sorry about this. Live aviation audio from the tower said, at one point, that dispatchers were urging Rich Russell to try to land that airplane safely and not hurt anybody while dealing with a snarl of stalled planes on the ground. Videos posted to social media showed the other side of his skills. His familys brief statement did not address any potential mental health issues. 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, Russell wrote about himself and his wife online. Listening to the audio recordings, I feel nothing but sadness for Rich, for the man who stole that plane at #SeaTac and committed suicide. After Russell performed an unauthorized takeoff, two McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle . I had this dream for 20 years, and if I hadnt done it, I think I would have ended up in the funny farm. That is an example of what we clinicians call good insight.. We've received your submission. [46][47], N449QX, the aircraft involved in the incident, pictured 2 months before the crash. You have reached your limit of 4 free articles. Richard Russell Plane Crash Video From Seattle, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. I just want you to whisper sweet nothings into my ear, said Rich, who claimed he could fly the plane because he played video games. These statements should probably be considered the emotional projections of similarly disaffected people. The couple settled in Sumner, Wa., where Russell got a job at Horizon Air, a subsidiary of Alaska Air Group, so he could easily fly back to Alaska to see his own family. However, late in the evening of August 10, 2018, tower audio indicated that some planes were being released. Im going to disappoint them to hear that I did this. Wikipedia. A week after Richard Russell stole a Horizon plane from Sea-Tac Airport and crashed it on Ketron Island, there are few hints about why he did it or how he was able to fly the aircraft. Facebook/YouTube Men in the UK, aged 20 to 49, are more likely to die from . For the full details on "Sky King" meme and viral story, be sure to check out our entry on the meme here for even more information. The media also started sharing audio clips of ongoing conversations between Russell and an air traffic controller. 7 Ticking Time Bombs That Destroy Loving Relationships, The Single Best (and Hardest) Thing to Give Up, 3 Ways to Reclaim Your Hope and Happiness. [15] He said he was a "broken guy, got a few screws loose I guess. [10] According to reports, Patterson called 911 from the plane and threatened to crash it into a Mississippi Walmart. The man, known as Rich in air traffic control audio and dubbed the sky king on Twitter, broke hearts on social media as people followed the unauthorized flight before it came to a fatal end. Essential reporting and analysis from correspondents around the world. They deemed Russell the Sky King inspiring an outpouring of memes in his memorial and a possible . It was a lie. Second, psychiatric diagnosis also suggests simple solutions to complex problems: If he did it because he was mentally ill, we need more widely available mental health services.. Never actually wanted to hurt anyone. She foiled their plans. The video starts with images of what its like to work as a baggage handler for an airline, sometimes in the rainy weather. You seemed like a nice guy and a hell of a natural pilot., Seattle hijackers plane heist, midair stunts and fiery crash expose gaps in aviation security. A former coworker, Rick Christenson, told The Seattle Times: He was a quiet guy. Russell cites his position at Horizon in his blog as well. Well chalk it up to that. After 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 about why and how he undertook the ultimately fatal flight. He also had a pellet gun, with which he eventually shot several of the balloons, beginning his slow descent. [5] A nearby Alaska Airlines jet on the ground reported that the aircraft began a takeoff roll with its wheels smoking,[5] and an unauthorized take-off was made at 19:32 local time (02:32 UTC, August 11). He carried with him a CB radio, sandwiches, beer, and a camera. "Got a few screws loose, I guess. Damnit Andrew, peoples lives are at stake here, Rich said at one point in the audio, which you can listen to later in this article. My names Richard Russell, Im 27 and currently living in Sumner, WA with my incredible wife Hannah. The fighter jets were scrambled from Portland. [20], Videos and radio transmissions of the event were followed online, immediately sparking a meme dubbing Russell the "Sky King". [5], On September 3rd, 2022, it was reported that a 10-year Tupelo Aviation employee, Cory Wayne Patterson, stole a twin-engine plane from the Tupelo Regional Airport. This dives into the psychology and reason of why he Hi-jacked a plane and then crashed into his death. 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 worked as an assistant pastry chef and waitress, according to her social media account. 160. r/lostgeneration. "[17] He asked ATC if he could get a job as a pilot with Alaska Airlines if he successfully landed the aircraft. To be honest with you, commercial aircraft are complex machines. [9], On August 11th, 2018, journalist Jimmy Tomson tweeted out a series of audio clips in which Russell can be heard talking to an air traffic controller (shown below).[3]. I met Hannah in Coos Bay, Oregon in 2010 while we were both going to school, the about me section says. He was dubbed Sky King and tributes were offered to him. The man, known as Rich in air traffic control audio and dubbed the sky king on Twitter, broke hearts on social media as people followed the unauthorized flight before it came to a fatal end. About to take off. I hope they can make it through this. He said that airline employees go through background checks. Perhaps it was because the only life he seemed to have taken was his own. At one point in the dramatic audio, Richard Russell told the tower he was losing an engine. The Russell family released a statement Saturday evening, saying they were stunned and heartbroken over the incident and the loss of aman they called Beebo. The perpetrator, 29-year-old Richard Russell, was a Horizon Air ground service agent with no piloting experience. TikTok Influencers Son Murdered at Gas Station. Airport (@flySEA) August 11, 2018. Richard Russell was a suicidal airport ground services worker who stole an airplane from Sea-Tac . Russell, a ground services worker for Horizon Air, was permitted to get very close to passenger aircraft. The incident aircraft was a Bombardier Q400, owned by Horizon Air (and operating for Alaska Airlines) with the registration N449QX[2][3][4] and serial number 4410. No one else is thought to have been injured or killed, and the fighter jets did not fire . 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. Before takeoff, the pilot explains someone stole an airplane, and is flying around near Mt. USA TODAY. Just kind of soaring around, he told air traffic control. One man wrote on Twitter, Some dude stole a plane from #Seatac (Allegedly), did a loop-the-loop, ALMOST crashed into #ChambersBay, then crossed in front of our party, chased by fighter jets and subsequently crashed. Its gonna be crazy, he said at one point in air traffic control transmissions. Around 9 PM Pacific Time on August 10th, a 29-year-old man named Richard Russell, stole a Q400 airplane from Seattle Tacoma International Airport and went for a joyride into the abyss. On 4chan,[7][8] threads dedicated to Russell were submitted over the next several days, many of which contained photoshops, image macros and fan arts praising the incident and referring to Russell as "Sky King" (shown below). The individual did use a pushback tractor to rotate the aircraft 180 degrees so he could then taxi the aircraft, Pohl said at the news conference Saturday. The airline confirmed that an unauthorized take-off occurred. The video shows Russell wearing a shirt that reads The skys no limit, as he passed through security at the airport, where he worked. He spoke of wanting to do "a couple maneuvers to see what it [the aircraft] can do", and requested the coordinates of an orca that had been brought to national attention, saying, "I want to go see that guy." Hello, Love. #seatac pic.twitter.com/OVtJqphgqo. He is not a pilot and does not know how to land the plane. Im praying for #Rich tonightnot just the guy who stole a plane from #SeaTac, but every guy like Rich who (it seemsbut Ill admit Im assuming a lot here) is suffering and cannot find a better way out. Without Him we would be hopeless. I hope they can make it through this. He said that airline employees go through background checks. A Port of Seattle official, Mike Pohl, said that Russell used an airport tractor to pull the parked plane onto a runway, which he would have known how to do, as part of his job in ground service was towing airplanes. Lee Goldberg. 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. He and his wife Hannah started a bakery in Oregon in their early 20s, according to a 2012 story in a local paperthat depicted a happy, determined couple. The incident led to a dramatic and tragic night on August 10, 2018, as aircraft were grounded at Sea-Tac while fighter jets followed the man and air traffic controllers tried unsuccessfully to help him land the aircraft. It was worth it, he said, to conveniently travel to Alaska, where he grew up, to visit family. Happening right now. I dont want to hurt no one. Never really knew it until now. They deemed Russell the Sky King inspiring an outpouring of memes in his memorial and a possible copycat this September. Although he didnt have a pilots license, Russell knew how to work the plane from his experience as an airport employee, the FBI previously said. Apparently someone stole a plane from SeaTac? We love you bud. (Video: Elyse Samuels/The Washington Post). I was kind of hoping that was gonna be it, you know? SKY KING 2: RETURN OF THE SKY KING https://t.co/2Uk1sA2oXQ. Russell took the Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 turboprop from the northeast corner of the airport, according to the Times. I dont need that much help; Ive played some video games before, he told the controllers trying to help him. Authorities said Russell was suicidal. I don't want to. "[20], Rolling Stone magazine investigated the incident and reported in 2021 that some of Russell's friends and family believe he may have suffered brain injuries during his football years in high school and college. He and his wife had owned a bakery in Oregon but sold it to move closer to her family. At one point, Rich reported that he threw up all over the cockpit, according to the audio. Human remains were recovered from the site, the FBI said Sunday, and Russell is presumed dead in the crash. The incident spawned numerous image macros, photoshops and fan arts on 4chan and other online communities. He was very, very friendly automatically willing to bring everyone in, Hannah Holmes, who also participates in Young Life, told The Seattle Times. On YouTube, he also went by the name Beebo Russell. The libs are trying to solve the housing crisis in deep blue areas by having teachers live with their students. Weird times., CBS News reporter Kris Van Cleave wrote, FAA sources say it appears an airline employee stole a Horizon Air Turbo Prop from SeaTac and took off and crashed Ketron Island outside Seattle. He shared a tweet from a woman named Victoria, who wrote, Sitting on a plane at SeaTac Airport, a Horizon employee just hijacked an airplane. U.S. Airlines Are Editing Their Websites to Remove Taiwan's Name at China's Request, What America's Richest Ski Town's Handling of COVID-19 Shows. Gary Beck, chief executive of Horizon Air, told reporters Saturday that the acrobatics and maneuvers, including barrel rolls and one loop that brought Russell feet from the waters surface, wereincredible.. Russell wrote that he was pursuing his Bachelor of Social Sciences and hoped to work his way up to a management position at Horizon Air or to join the military or law enforcement. Russell was active in his local community, serving as a leader at Young Life, a Christian youth ministry. Family Left Heartbroken After Airline Worker Steals and Crashes Plane. In the coming days, articles about the incident were published in The New York Times,[4] CBS News[6] and The Washington Post. 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. "[18] Just a broken guy, got a few screws loose I guess. The footage shows him going through security wearing a T-shirt that says "the sky's no limit." At another point, Richard Russell said, Im down to 2100; I started at like 30-something.. Knowing what you value will help you build the most meaningful life possible. [4] It landed at SeattleTacoma International Airport at 13:35 local time the afternoon of the incident, after an in-service flight from Victoria, British Columbia. On August 11th, 2018, a post about the plane crash was submitted to 4chan's /pol/ board,[1] where an anonymous user replied "Sky King?" We are aware of an incident involving an unauthorized take-off of a Horizon Air Q400. quote: On August 10, 2018, a Horizon Air Bombardier Q400 was stolen from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac) in Seattle, Washington. Saw two fighter jets fly overhead then smoke pic.twitter.com/w0bveGUJQH, McKenna Brown (@mckenna_brown) August 11, 2018, A man named Ben Schaechter wrote on Twitter, Halfway down the runway on Alaska airlines out of Seattle and the pilot slams on the brakes and shares we must go back to the gate. He worked at the airline for more than three years, authorities said. If he was bipolar and did that, then I dont have to worry about doing that, because Im not bipolar. That is something that they do. in correct chronological orderthis took pIace over about 75 minutes. Published 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Patient, new father among 5 killed in medical flight crash, Medical aircraft crash in Nevada leaves 5 dead: report, 5 dead in small plane crash in Little Rock, Human error eyed as cause of Yeti Airlines crash that killed 72 people. Others said it was wrong to glorify him for an act that could have killed more people. 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. Wife of Richard Russel, Hannahh Russel documented her seven-year-long marriage to the 29-year-old on Instagram ( Source : co ) "After failing to persuade Hannah of Alaska's awesomeness, we landed on Sumner due to its proximity to her family," he wrote in his blog. If you or someone you know may be contemplating suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Or that he appeared to be a happy, regular guy. When I heard that Mr. Russells aircraft had gone down, I thought, The poor bastard. And then I thought, How many tens of thousands of people are out there who are just like him?, Larry Walters and Rich Russell were people just like us. I met my husband when a friend sent him over to my house to cure my hiccoughs. No one else is thought to have been injured or killed, and the fighter jets did not fire on him, authorities said. Tilden said that air traffic control was immediately aware that Russells take off in the aircraft was an unauthorized departure.. As Melville noted, We are all somehow dreadfully cracked about the head, and sadly need mending., Be wary of simple explanations of any human behavior, and of simple solutions for complex problems. "[16][19] He added that he "wasn't really planning on landing it. On August 10, 2018, Mr. Russell, known as Beebo to his friends and family, helped himself to a Horizon Air Bombardier Q400 turboprop and took it on a 75-minute joyride. Hijacker does not know how to land the plane. It is impossible to encompass who he was in a press release. A former coworker, Rick Christenson, told The Seattle Times: He was a quiet guy. Would love your thoughts, please comment. [45] The aircraft was worth $30million, all of which was paid under the company's insurance policy "with no deductibles. They opened a bakery and ran it for three years before selling it in 2015 to be closer to Hannahs family. Oh, a purple one! Russell exclaimed. [18] He was active in his church and a leader in the local Christian youth ministry Young Life. About. The equipment was sent to the National Transportation Safety Board for processing. I just want you to whisper sweet nothings into my ear, said Rich, who claimed he could fly the plane because he played video games. Richard Russell was a suicidal airport ground services worker who stole an airplane from Sea-Tac International Airport. But that flight was his last. [20], On April 14, 2022, the FBI released 500 pages of previously classified documents related to the investigation. Purportedly, when the arresting officers asked why he had risked his life with such a stunt, he said, A man cant just sit around., Later, he told the press, It was something I had to do. Residents of the island bore some of the cost for cleaning up, and negotiations were initiated for their reimbursement by Alaska Airlines' insurers. There wasnt anything particularly wrong with them. He then boards an empty 70-seater plane and took off. Psychology Today 2023 Sussex Publishers, LLC, Psychology and the Mystery of the "Poisoned" Schoolgirls. Phillip Hamilton. He claimed to have buzzed Mount Rainier. [33], On November 9, the FBI stated that it had completed its investigation. 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.
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