Together, they started a bakery in North Bend, Oregon. Periodically, his voice cut into the dispatches. More information as we learn more, Alaska Airlines wrote on Twitter around 9:20 p.m. on the west coast. Powered by. Its not clear how he pulled off the intense maneuvers captured on video. Rainier, the Olympic Mountains). 2007-2023 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. [20] A veteran pilot said the maneuver "seemed pretty well executed, without either stalling or pulling the wings off. 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. Our first date, he kind of cornered me into it, Hannah Russell said to the site. "Heroes" - Peter Gabriel "Guides" Well chalk it up to that. [20] They married in 2012. Just kind of soaring around, he told air traffic control. Stay tuned., Richard Russell, Rich: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. Oh, a purple one! Russell exclaimed. I would like to apologize to each and every one of them. pic.twitter.com/Ra4LcIhwfU. [37], Horizon Air CEO Gary Beck stated that, as far as the company knew, Russell did not have a pilot's license. More information as we learn more. Russell had no formal training as a pilot and did not have his pilots license. Privacy, Richard Russell Who Stole Plane Near Seattle Raises Troubling Security Questions, Richard Russell Details emerge of a compassionate man after Seattle plane heist and fiery crash, Richard Russell pilot of stolen Horizon Air plane had lighthearted tone before deadly crash, Pilot arrested after threatening to crash plane into Mississippi Walmart and eventually landing in a field, police say, Pilot threatening to crash hijacked plane into Walmart in Tupelo, Mississippi. He went sightseeing along the Olympic mountain range. Who Is Richard Russell's Wife? Meet Hannah Russell And Family [1][7][8][9] In response, two McDonnell Douglas F-15C Eagles of the Oregon Air National Guard's 142nd Fighter Wing under the command of NORAD[10] were scrambled at around 20:15 local time[11] from Portland Air National Guard Base to intercept it. Or that he appeared to be a happy, regular guy. [6], The aircraft was stolen from Plane Cargo 1 at the north end of SeaTac Airport[6] and maneuvered to runway 16C via taxiways. Russell was well-liked by his co-workers, according to The Seattle Times. Tower tracking flight and in contact. Plane is a Q4. Although he was born in Key West, Fla. he moved to Wasilla when he was 7, according to a website he made in 2017. (More info in comments) 2 years ago today, Richard Russell, an airport ground service agent with no piloting experience, stole an Alaska Airlines Dash 8 and performed various stunts over the Puget Sound before crashing the plane on a sparsely populated island. As of 2019[update], this clean up effort was still ongoing, with pieces of aircraft wreckage still being located on the island after the first anniversary of the incident. Perhaps it was because the only life he seemed to have taken was his own. A 2012 article in the World described how Russell met his wife. 'The man who always keeps me laughing': Airplane hijacker's wife gushes Ah, Rich, dont say stuff like that, the controller said. Richard Russell had a website that appears to have been for a college communications class. He was always smiling.. Who's Afraid of the Rorschach Inkblot Test? 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. He doesnt sound confident in his ability to land back at SeaTac. He left no children. "[34], Richard Russell was a Horizon Air ground service agent from Sumner, Washington. Was doing stunts in air or lack of flying skills caused crash into Island. The Sheriffs Department added, Two military F 15 chased plane but was not involved in crash and confirmed, No passengers on plane.. Wikipedia. 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. [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]. Russell said to dispatchers, You think if I can land this successfully, Alaska will give me a job as a pilot? and the Air Traffic Control tower said, I think they will give you a job doing anything if you pull this off. He replied, according to some sites, Yeah right! It was a strange day when Horizon Airlines Employee Richard "Beebo" Russell stole a plane in the middle of his working shift. An airline employee conducted an unauthorized takeoff without passengers at Sea-Tac; aircraft has crashed in south Puget Sound. 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. SeaTac air traffic control made radio contact with Russell, the sole occupant, who described himself as a "broken guy, got a few screws loose, I guess." Britain is in the grip of a male suicide crisis. [37] During his communication with air traffic control, Russell made a complaint about wages, stating: "Minimum wage, we'll chalk it up to that. Never really knew it, until now, Richard Russell said at one point. Or he could have had grim plans to take his own life. Others reported that the man had supposedly buzzed Mt. Maybe that will grease the gears a little bit with the higher-ups, he said at another point. I feel really bad for Richard and for his family. It was worth it, he said, to conveniently travel to Alaska, where he grew up, to visit family. [33], On November 9, the FBI stated that it had completed its investigation. bit.ly/subAIRBOYD Various scanner recordings from liveatc.net and broadcastify.com SEA Ground, Tower, Departure/Approach. He was a faithful husband, a loving son, and a good friend. 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. [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). [29] An operational supervisor for Horizon Air described Russell as "a quiet guy" who was "well liked by the other workers". "Got a few screws loose, I guess. I would like to apologize to each and every one of them. Hearing a diagnosis would comfort them somehow. Disclaimer: I am in no way proficient in the arts.. At another point, Richard Russell said, Im down to 2100; I started at like 30-something.. Yay air force . The aircraft had been in maintenance status and was parked in an otherwise-vacant space for work on the plane's, New Footage Shows Moments Before Seattle Man Crashed Plane in 2018, A newly released video sheds new light on the moments leading up to Richard Russell crashing a plane. [45] The aircraft was worth $30million, all of which was paid under the company's insurance policy "with no deductibles. Richard Russell: Man who stole SeaTac plane was warm and compassionate A Tale of Two White Men - Medium The incident resulted in Russell losing his life when he crashed on Ketron Island in Puget Sound, but people on sites like 4chan refused to let his story end there. Magazines, Digital An airline employee conducted an unauthorized takeoff without passengers at Sea-Tac; aircraft has crashed in south Puget Sound. It was a lie. On his blog, Richard talks about how he and his wife once ran a bakery. Filed under The candle that burns twice as bright burns half as long, another said. He worked at the airline for more than three years, authorities said. Seattle plane hijacker Richard Russell's haunting final words 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. Yeah I dont know what the burnageis like on a takeoff but yeah. The libs are trying to solve the housing crisis in deep blue areas by having teachers live with their students. But is true.., Here is a statement from the family of Richard Russell, the Horizon Air employee who stole a plane, crashed it into Ketron Island.This is a complete shock to us. He was 29 years old and a member of the ground crew at the Seattle-Tacoma Airport, earning minimum wage. After Russell performed an unauthorized takeoff, two McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle fighters were scrambled to intercept the aircraft. He attended Washington State Global University Campus from 2016-2017, seeking a bachelors degree in social science. He flew around as an air traffic controller calmly tried to reason with him. pic.twitter.com/ziBAYv7cgn, Jimmy Thomson (@jwsthomson) August 11, 2018. Teachers are quitting and they will have no one to run their schools, but they still won't give in and support solutions that would hurt property values. Richard Russell Plane Crash Video From Seattle, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. Failing to convince Hannah of Alaskas greatness, we settled on Sumner because of its close proximity to her family., Richard added, I, meanwhile, obtained a job working for Horizon Airlines (partnered with Alaska Airlines) so Im able to fly to Alaska at my leisure. He also posted audio clips of interviews he conducted to SoundCloud for what appears to have been a multimedia college class. "[43] Some co-workers said that Russell had probably trained himself to fly using amateur flight simulation software. 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. About to take off. His familys brief statement did not address any potential mental health issues. Its burned quite a bit faster than I expected., He also said, Im gonna land it, in a safe kind of manner. "[16][19] He added that he "wasn't really planning on landing it. It is not surprising that I thought of Larry Walters when I first heard about Richard Russell. Hey, I found myself in a predicament. Russell, the sole occupant during the flight, did not survive. For Richard Russell | kirkforlatt [4][6][9] A tow boat crew was the first to respond. Russell, who was a ground service employee for Horizon Air and did not have a pilots license, took the twin-engine turboprop plane from a maintenance area where it was parked at the airport. Its burned quite a bit faster than I expected., He also said, Im gonna land it, in a safe kind of manner. 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 was a suicidal airport ground services worker who stole an airplane from Sea-Tac International Airport. As part of his job, Patterson was responsible for fuelling the aircraft. We consider ourselves bakery connoisseurs and have to try a new one every place we go. His website is filled with photos and videos of his travels and was previously linked to his Instagram account. It was recovered along with the cockpit voice recorder, authorities said Sunday, amid a streak of disintegrated debris. Just a broken guy, got a few screws loose I guess. A black family confronts a 70-year-old killing and a white mans exoneration, A Horizon Air employee described as suicidal stole an empty plane at Seattles airport and crashed it into a nearby island on Aug. 10. He hoped perhaps to commission in the military after graduation. All Rights Reserved. Ive got a lot of people that care about me. The episode has also suggested that Russell was more complicated than the easygoing persona of his known online footprint. On YouTube, he also went by the name Beebo Russell. Facebook "[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. I would like to apologize to each and every one of them. The new footage appears to show Russell wearing a shirt that reads "The Sky's No Limit . Russell, a ground services worker for Horizon Air, was permitted to get very close to passenger aircraft. Legal Information: Know Your Meme is a trademark of Literally Media Ltd. By using this site, you are agreeing by the site's terms of use and privacy policy and DMCA policy. I usually have to work outsidebut it allows me to do some pretty cool things too.. 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. [25][26] No injuries were reported to residents of the sparsely populated island despite the crash site being in close proximity to at least one cabin, which was occupied at the time of the incident. "Sky King" is a nickname given to 29-year-old ground service operator Richard Russell after he stole a Horizon Air Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 airliner from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac) and died after crashing on Ketron Island in Puget Sound. We believe there are no passengers on board. Oh- theyve probably got anti-aircraftnot quite ready to bring it down just yet. People contended that he didnt want to die "he just wanted to feel alive for once in his life.. The story, despite seeming near-mythic, is true. Location of SeattleTacoma International Airport (north) and Ketron Island (south) within northwestern Washington state. He was a faithful husband, a loving son, and a good friend, the family said in the statement, which was read by a friend, Mike Mathews, ABC reported. 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. Russell, who worked for Horizon Air, a regional subsidiary of Alaska Airlines, flew the plane for 73 minutes before crashing it into remote Ketron Island, which has fewer than 20 residents. ", "Plane Thief Said He Trained on Games, Didn't Plan to Land", "NORAD: Fighter jets were trying to direct stolen plane over Pacific Ocean when it crashed", "Towboat crew dropped everything to respond to Ketron Island crash", "Firefighters battle more than flames after Ketron Island plane crash", "Seattle plane crash: 'heartbroken' family remember gentle man who meant no harm", "Ketron Island residents grateful Horizon Air plane didn't crash into homes", "Thanks to everyone for sharing accurate information, insuring the public's safety. We are aware of an incident involving an unauthorized take-off of a Horizon Air Q400. 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.. Many saw Russell as a man suffering from depression and sympathized with him. Richard "Skyking" Russell : r/lostgeneration He then flew around the area for about an hour, speaking at times with air traffic controllers and apologizing to loved ones for what he was about to do. The FBI is investigating the stunning heist, which has raised concerns about the security of commercial aircraft and mental health issues among airline workers nearly 17 years after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. They turned him into a hero with the name, and with it came a lot of memes. Normal operations at Sea-Tac Airport have resumed. The wife of an airline employee who hijacked a plane in Seattle had recorded their seven happy years of marriage on Instagram, calling him 'the man who keeps me laughing'.. Richard Russell has . 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. At one point, Rich reported that he threw up all over the cockpit, according to the audio. Happy birthday to the man who keeps me laughing and always improves the view ? she wrote with one in 2017. On that day, Twitter[11] user @CityKing_Gank_ posted a clip of Patterson flying the plane over his town, garnering over 17,000 likes and 4,000 retweets in six days (shown below). 0:00. As the voice recording shows, Beebos intent was not to harm anyone and he was right in saying that there are so many people who loved him.. [46][47], N449QX, the aircraft involved in the incident, pictured 2 months before the crash. A friend wrote on Facebook, So heart brokenhe was such a kind person to me. Hey all! He was dubbed Sky King and tributes were offered to him. The federal agencies will lead the investigation. On behalf of the family, we are stunned and heartbroken. Seattle-Tacoma Intl. This dives into the psychology and reason of why he Hi-jacked a plane and . Authorities described him as suicidal.. This story has been shared 176,044 times. 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.. Im going to disappoint them to hear that I did this. I wouldnt want to do that. 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. Russells family released a statement to the news media expressing great shock and remembering Russell for his compassion. This is "Sky King ~ Richard Russell" by Nibbus Jimmus on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them. Theyre not as easy to fly as, say, a Cessna 150, Beck said. 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. 0. [44], In the days after the crash, clean up and recovery crews contracted by Alaska Airlines and their insurers were present on the island to remove debris. [28] It described the perpetrator, identified as 29-year-old Richard Russell,[29][30] as suicidal and said his actions did not constitute a "terrorist incident". quote: On August 10, 2018, a Horizon Air Bombardier Q400 was stolen from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac) in Seattle, Washington. I was dead set against it. Their business contained a sign that read, I have loved you with an everlasting love. Heres hoping that the next Rich crashes on a couch of a good listener. Audio starts with another aircraft reporting the Q400 exiting the maintenance/cargo area and taking off without clearance. The video was widely circulated online and by major news publications (shown below). "Sky King" is a nickname given to 29-year-old ground service operator Richard Russell after he stole a Horizon Air Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 airliner from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac) and died after crashing on Ketron Island in Puget Sound. Video related to richard russell, rich: 5 fast facts you need to know, Click to subscribe! His conversation and tone is very casual. He was a faithful husband, a loving son, and a good friend, Mike Mathews read from the statement at a press conference. It is impossible to encompass who he was in a press release. To download the mp3, right-click here and choose "save link as" or "save target as." Around 9 PM Pacific Time on August 10th, 2018, a 29-year-old man named Richard Russell, stole a Q400 airplane from Seattle Tacoma International Airport and went for a joyride [] Would love your thoughts, please comment. The cockpit recordings are widely available online and it would be hard not to feel compassion while listening to them. At one point, Rich asked for help in getting the cabin depressurized, complaining he was getting lightheaded. Horizon Q4 prop hijacked by unauthorized person not a pilot. With this blog I hope to showcase all that Ive learned in Ms. Newmans Communications 210 class., His WordPress page includes a sketch that reads, Continuing with the theme of ground service work and travel benefits, I plan to create a simple logo that expresses both. Richard Russell: Family of man who stole plane 'stunned and heartbroken' [40] He was a hard-hitting football fullback in high school, scoring six touchdowns in his senior year, after which he moved to North Dakota to join the football team at Valley City State University. The majority of the memes are in celebration and memorial of Russell, while others are more trollish shitposts. 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. Its gonna be crazy, he said at one point in air traffic control transmissions. After taking off, an air traffic controller said, He needs some help controlling his aircraft. Russell responded: Nah, I mean, I dont need that much help. He did it because he was depressed. As David Hume observed, our brains habitually seek out causation and are restless until a cause, even an erroneous cause, is determined. To impress a woman, he arrived in a helicopter to take her on a classified mission, officials said. Weird times. I love my parents and sister this isn't your fault. What have I done? Nine-tenths of them are from a lower socioeconomic class. He and his wife had owned a bakery in Oregon but sold it to move closer to her family. [7], SeattleTacoma air traffic control (ATC) maintained radio contact with the occupant. The equipment was sent to the National Transportation Safety Board for processing. Confirmed info .. this is a single suicide male. Richard Russell had a website that appeared to have been for a college communications class. About. Sky King Richard Russell Quotes - Wise Famous Quotes He grins in selfies at work. The sketch on Richard Russells WordPress page. He had planned to seek a management position at Horizon Air or become a military officer after receiving his degree. Nah, Im a white guy. That last line has caused some controversy online. Phone scammers tried to rob a grandma in Canada. When I arrived, he was in the kitchen, in the middle of his Sunday morning ritual of cleaning his cleaning supplies. He would have flipped overhead switches and set the propellers of the Bombardier Q400 spinning before he roared away from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Maybe that will grease the gears a little bit with the higher-ups, he said at another point. [39] He was an avid traveler and attended Washington State University Global Campus, majoring in social science. He is flying around the airport, he does not know how to land it. 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. Facebook Richard Russell plane crash video was released. [23] The Q400 ultimately crashed at 20:43 local time[1] on Ketron Island in Puget Sound, Pierce County, Washington, killing the occupant and destroying the aircraft. The Sky King of Sea-Tac Airport. Excerpts taken from Mr. Ballen 's video on the Sky king.Top 3 stories that sound fake but are 100% real | Part 5:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zaa53S-8lDMMr.Ballen's Channel:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtPrkXdtCM5DACLufB9jbsAHIJACKED SEATTLE PLANE INSANE FOOTAGE, TRAFFIC CONTROL AUDIO, CRASH DAMAGE:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeYVtVg6aGs Raw: Family Press Conference For Suicidal Mechanic Who Stole Plane In Seattle:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5fFJgdhBm4Stepbrother of Richard \"Beebo\" Russell talks about stolen plane incident:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FvRMhQ44kYMusicFrom Internet Archive, Public Domain MusicThe Pachelbel Canon: by Orchestre De Chambre Jean-Franois Paillardhttps://archive.org/details/lp_the-pachelbel-canon-and-other-baroque-favo_orchestre-de-chambre-jean-franois-paillard/disc1/01.02.+Canon+In+D+For+Strings+And+Continuo.mp3Pachelbel's Canon in D:https://archive.org/details/PachelbelsCanoninD I think I might mess something up there too. Hello, Love. [27], The Pierce County Sheriff's Office both thanked the public for its accurate information, and acknowledged on August 11 that federal agencies would be leading the investigation, primarily the Seattle office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). But there appears to be no manifesto, no digital trail of warning signs from Russell.