Richard Russell, AKA Rich, the man who took the Sea-Tac plane and crashed it. Airport (@flySEA) August 11, 2018. It is impossible to encompass who he was in a press release. I never thought I would work as a ground service agent, Russell wrote. Russell, a ground services worker for Horizon Air, was permitted to get very . How Russell, who did not hold a pilots license, learned to fly the twin-turboprop Bombardier Q400 that had been parked up for the night is unclear. Listening to the audio recordings, I feel nothing but sadness for Rich, for the man who stole that plane at #SeaTac and committed suicide. The thief, Richard "Beebo" Russell, had just disconnected the tow bar of a tug vehicle he'd used to pivot the plane out of its parking spot. They dont steal airplanes. Russell said on the aviation audio, This is probably jail time for life, huh? He attended Washington State Global University Campus from 2016-2017, seeking a bachelors degree in social science. We are aware of an incident involving an unauthorized take-off of a Horizon Air Q400. 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. Before he took off, several people at the airport questioned what was going on. I'm listening through the archive of the radio chatter on the #seatac hijacking. We talk about workplace culture, what is the culture of an organization? He turned on planes auxiliary power units (essentially the battery), communicated with air traffic controllers and would have used the planes brakes in an emergency, but would never have turned on the engines or propellers, former co-workers said. "The greatest threat we have to aviation is the insider threat," said Erroll Southers, a former FBI agent and transportation security expert. My names Richard Russell, Im 27 and currently living in Sumner, WA with my incredible wife Hannah. I dont want to hurt no one. Ah, minimum wage. SEATTLE The story is as bizarre as it is tragic: An airline worker who had no business being in a cockpit somehow took off from a major airport in a turboprop passenger plane, dipped and soared in the skies above the Seattle area, and then crashed into an island on Puget Sound. 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. He was a faithful husband, a loving son, and a good friend. The recordings reveal that when a controller asked Russell if he need help controlling the aircraft, he responded, I dont need that much help. He chatted sometimes calmly and sometimes in a frenzied stream of consciousness with air traffic controllers who tried to guide him to a safe landing, as jets from the Air National Guards of Washington and Oregon flew alongside him, ready to take action. Russell says on the blog that he liked his job because it allowed him to travel back to Alaska to see his family. 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. I will build you up again and you will be rebuilt. In the article, Russell described himself as laid back and easy going. Richard Russell, AKA Rich or Beebo Russell, was named as the airport mechanic who stole a Horizon plane at Sea-Tac and crashed it. He then boards an empty 70-seater plane and took off. 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. "Here we have an employee who was vetted to the level to have access to the aircraft and had a skill set proficient enough to take off with that plane.". 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 . Tragic as Russell's death was, he could have inflicted vastly more damage had he been so inclined. New video of 2018 Horizon Air plane heist at Sea-Tac | king5.com After five hours, he arrived in a tow vehicle near the plane. 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. There is a runway just off to your right side in about a mile, the controller says, referring to an airfield at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. Rich, you said you had 2100 pounds of fuel left? the controller responded. They may not admit for a few days. "He was a quiet guy. Never before seen Footage of Richard Russell Final Flight [8/10/2018] Its gonna be crazy, he said at one point in air traffic control transmissions. 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. 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. He also included photos of his wedding and traveling he'd done in the mountains and other sites he'd seen, including some ancient ruins. On LinkedIn, he wrote that he was owner/operator of Hannah Maries Bakery from 2012 through 2015 in North Bend, Oregon. Normal operations at Sea-Tac Airport have resumed. I just thought it was another one of his jokes, Fan said. 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. Criss said that Russell never talked about planes or flying as a kid. Russell was interviewing several unidentified co-workers about how they liked working at Horizon. During exchanges with air-traffic controllers, captured by aviation journalist Jon Ostrower, Russell repeatedly referred to his experience with computerized flight-simulator programs or what he called video games. He also wrote about his hopes for the future, which included being a manager at the company or becoming a military officer. You had people up working in the restaurants, everybody else at the airport made $15.. Duke of Gloucester - who stepped into the breach after his brother's Audio captured emotional conversations between the man, named as Rich, and air traffic controllers trying to help him land safely. Russell was a ground-service agent at Horizon, part of a two-person tow team that turned around airplanes. I think I might mess something up there too. Male is confirmed a suicidal male. Normal operations at Sea-Tac Airport have resumed, the airport wrote. Thanks for contacting us. (@luketadams) August 11, 2018. I dont want to hurt no one. 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. Our first date, he kind of cornered me into it, Hannah Russell said to the site. Anyone can read what you share. Speaking with the Seattle Times, one of Russells former co-workers described him as a quiet, well-liked young man. Happy birthday to the man who keeps me laughing and always improves the view ? she wrote with one in 2017. He was always happy, every time we saw him, it was like he had these giant ear-to-ear grins, Fan said. An airline employee conducted an unauthorized takeoff without passengers at Sea-Tac; aircraft has crashed in south Puget Sound. 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. On Facebook, his favorite quotes were religious in nature, including, God IS Love and No Guilt in Life, No Fear in Death, this is the Power of Christ in Me, and a non religious line, This is America.. Horizon airline employee, 28-year-old Richard 'Bebo' Russell, stole a plane and took off before crashing into remote Pierce County island At a news conference on Saturday, the chief executive of Horizon Air Industries, Gary Beck, said Mr. Russell did not have a pilots license. On Facebook, he had liked the Republican Party and conservative personalities like Sean Hannity and Ben Shapiro. 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. Never really knew it, until now, Richard Russell said at one point. 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. Below are some of the clips. Pilots kept plane out of harms way and people on ground safe. #iflyalaska #akedchat.. He said he met "Hannah" in Coos Bay . The plane was not scheduled for a flight when Mr. Russell commandeered it. This is not a terrorist incident. I hope they can make it through this. He said that airline employees go through background checks. Mike Criss, a family friend, whose son had been close friends with Russell since second grade, saidthat hed last talked to Russell in February. There is the runway just about a mile off your right side, do you see that? Harrowing audio revealed Russell joking with the controllers who begged him to land the 76-seater plane before it nosedived and burst into a fireball 25 miles away. 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. The chilling footage of his final moments next shows Russell jumping onto the plane and presumably getting into the cockpit. Im going to disappoint them to hear that I did this. Its going to disappoint them to hear that I did this just a broken guy, got a few screws loose, I guess.". I enjoy the flexibility of the schedule and the flight benefits, one co-worker told Russell. 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. FBI releases classified documents from 2018 Horizon Air plane theft At one point, an air traffic controller asked if Mr. Russell felt comfortable flying. 'He was loved by everyone' - 'heartbroken' family pays tribute to man "You think if I land this successfully, Alaska will give me a job as a pilot?" One air traffic controller called the man "Rich,"and tried to persuade him to land the airplane. Christenson told The Seattle Times it was difficult to listen to the audio as Russell communicated with an air traffic controller. Like, a lot of bags. This is going to be hilarious.'. Videos taken by onlookers during Mr. Russells flight showed the plane doing deep dives, broad loops and at least one upside-down roll. Here's what we know about the mechanic who joked with air traffic controllers before crashing the jet into a small island. Tower tracking flight and in contact. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. Richard Russell, Who Stole Plane Near Seattle, Raises Troubling Security Questions Richard B. Russell, a ground service agent at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. ", First published on August 13, 2018 / 5:34 AM. "Nah, I'm a white guy." 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. \"I always felt bad for the guys and gals who handled luggage. SEATTLE -- He cracked jokes, complimented the professional demeanor of an air traffic controller and apologized for making a fuss. Every time hed come into work hed always have a stack full of books, said Brown, who didnt recall the titles. 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. However, late in the evening of August 10, 2018, tower audio indicated that some planes were being released. 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.