Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Authorities said Russell did not have a pilot's license. Newly released video shows the fiery scene firefighters encountered after an airplane stolen from Sea-Tac Airport crashed on Ketron Island. Im coming home! But it was not to be. 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 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. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. I feel really bad for Richard and for his family. Please enter valid email address to continue. 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. The agency says the 28-year-old's loved ones hosted an intervention for him, who "seemed fine" besides increased drinking. Video from Friday showed the Horizon Air Q400 doing large loops and other dangerous maneuvers as the sun set on the Puget Sound. Win Your Trip to Our 2023 iHeartRadio Music Awards! An FBI investigation found Alaska Airlines ramp employee Richard Russell intentionally crashed the aircraft after flying for more than an hour. Potential targets included tens of thousands of fans assembling at Safeco Field, about 12 miles away, for a sold-out Pearl Jam concert just as he took off. 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. "My husband and I are recently former Boeing employees, and we were wondering why a jet was near the passenger airplane," she said. strangest, scariest, most bizarre events of 2018. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. Russell, 29 is presumed dead. The plane had been parked in a maintenance area and was not scheduled for a passenger flight, Tilden said. Later that day he stole an Alaska Air turboprop aircraft and crashed it into a remote island in Puget Sound. On his Facebook page, which had limited public access, he said he was from Wasilla, Alaska; lived in Sumner, Washington; and was married in 2012. When Rolling Stone published its article last year, no major regulatory or security changes had been implemented in response to Russells deadly flight. It was empty, parked at a Seattle-Tacoma International Airport cargo and . "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've played some video games before," Russell responds. appreciated. "The FBI is going to be thorough, which means taking the time needed to scour the area, delve into the background of the individual believed responsible for Friday night's incident, and review every aspect with all appropriate public and private partners," the FBI's Seattle office tweeted Saturday afternoon. The jets' capability was appropriate to the potential task, one of the sources said, without offering details. It evens out in the end.". "Last night's event is going to push us to learn what we can from this tragedy so that we can ensure this does not happen again at Alaska Air Group or at any other airline," Brad Tilden, CEO of Alaska Airlines, told a news conference Saturday. Richard "Beebo" Russell, the Horizon Air employee who stole a plane from Sea-Tac Airport on Friday night, performed midair acrobatics over Puget Sound and then crashed into an island, was an. Domestic Flights, Airplane Door Rips Open Midflight on Russian Plane, Airport Worker Ingested Into Jet Engine, Dies, The Concorde Disaster, Battle Tanks, and More. 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. They said it's clear Russell didn't intend to harm anyone, and "he was right in saying that there are so many people who loved him. The sheriff's department described Russell as suicidal. The Associated Press contributed to this report. August 22, 1979. The fuselage was fragmented and appeared to be upside down, said Debra Eckrote, regional chief for the National Transportation Safety Board. The plane didn't require a key, but it did require buttons and switches to be activated in a particular order. Even with this new footage at hand, its hard to figure out what made Russell embark on this brazen, fatal adventure. It wasn't immediately clear what training, if any, Russell had in flying planes. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. He was in the air for about an hour. FBI released more information about Russell and the incident earlier this year, including witness statements from family, friends, and co-workers. Cooper? Human remains were found in wake of Friday's tragic plane crash. "Oh man. While investigators concluded Russell intentionally crash the plane, his motive still remains a mystery. By Jeff Wise Published: Aug 13, 2018 JASON REDMOND // Getty Images If you miss out on Thursday, no worries! Also see | 'I was blown away': Stepbrother of man who stole plane speaks out. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Padilla and an a recently hired assistant boarded the plane, taxied it to the runway, took off, and head out over the Atlantic Ocean. "There is a protocol to not allow anyone singularly to get onboard an aircraft," Soucie said. He was immediately killed. 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. 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? 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. Airline officials believe he was in uniform and worked a shift Friday, Tilden said. Moore stole (or stole and crashed) multiple airplanes, multiple boats, dozens of cars, etc. He left prison after less than 5 years, on parole. A Warner Bros. The FBI released the findings of its investigation earlier this week, concluding 28-year-old ramp agent Richard Russell, also known as Bebo, stole the Horizon airplane and intentionally crashed it into the south end of Ketron Island. A blog that appeared to belong to Russell as part of a multimedia content creation class at Washington State University focused on his job on a ground service agent. 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. All Rights Reserved. Richard Russell Posted a Video on YouTube About Being a Baggage Handler Play VideoVideo related to richard russell, 'rich': 5 fast facts you need to know 2018-08-11T15:04:15-04:00 In a. You know?". He is the author of The Plane That Wasn't There: Why We Haven't Found MH370. Data from the flight data recorder showed there was a significant sideslip on the airplane during the last minute of the flight, but the airplane appeared to stay in control, according to the FBI report. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. New video shows the crash site and blogging made by Richard Russell, the airline worker who stole and crashed a plane from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Richard Russell, 29, can be seen at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport driving a pushback tractor with an Alaska Air turboprop attached. Russell responds: "Awwww-right. Nah, Im a white guy.. Meyer had recently been passed over for promotion and had been arrested for drunk and disorderly conduct. Win Tickets to Weezer with Spoon and White Reaper at White River Amphitheater on August 20th! After proceeding through the pre-flight checklist and moving the pushback tractor, Mr Russell began rolling the plane toward a runway. Nearby co-workers weren't even aware of Russell's actions, which happened six hours into his shift, according to reporters.
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 lift a lot of bags. The agency said that, had Mr Russell wanted, he could have recovered from the dive. He eventually climbs inside the cockpit and fires up the engine. All rights reserved. F-15 "pilots kept plane out of harms way and people on ground safe," the sheriff's office tweeted. 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. I mean, I would hope it is, for a guy like me. As a flight controller tried to persuade him to land, he wondered aloud about whether he had enough fuel to make it to the Olympics, talked of the beautiful view, and said he had a lot of people who cared about him, apologizing for what he was doing. New video released Wednesday shows what first responders found after a plane stolen from Sea-Tac Airport crashed on a south Puget Sound island last August. Richard Russell died in Friday's plane crash. 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. 4.3M views 7 months ago A newly released video sheds new light on the moments leading up to Richard Russell crashing a plane. New video shows crash site of stolen plane. That includes both domestic and international flights. 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. "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.". It's gonna be crazy," Mr Russel said. You did that. While in the air, Meyer, whod been married eight weeks before, called his wife and said, Guess what? 2023 Cox Media Group. Foote served four and a half months in the brig and later went on to become a test pilot in civilian life. Indeed, in transcripts of his conversation with air-traffic control as he zig-zags the stolen plane through the airspace above the 15th-largest city in the U.S. (some of which can be heard in the video above), Russells demeanor goes from awestruck, to giddy, to fearful, to guilty, as he seems to process in real-time the weight of what hes done, and the unlikelihood that hell survive. "I thought they were practicing for an air show," he said. Because there were no passengers or crew aboard the plane, it wasnt considered a hijacking, and authorities response to the event seems to indicate that nobody ever expected an airport employee to hop in a plane and go for a ride with no apparent intent to terrorize, kill, or even make a greater statement. 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,. Officials don't believe Russell had a pilot's license, and they don't know how he knew to fly the plane. The plane was a Bombardier Q400, a turboprop that seats 76 people, owned by Horizon Air, part of Alaska Airlines. After Russell talked periodically with air traffic controllers for about an hour, the plane crashed at Ketron Island,officials said. Join the Celebration of a Lifetime! Witnesses described the surreal scene after the plane left the airport. The job of a ground service agent includes directing aircraft for takeoff and gate approach, handling baggage and tidying and de-icing planes, authorities said. But could you start a left-hand turn, please?". Every time I traveled I would look out my plane window and see these sullen looking individuals leisurely pacing around, or hectically throwing bags into a cart. Four years ago, a 29-year-old man named Richard Russell managed to steal an Alaskan Airlines turboprop plane from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. "Most importantly," he said in a voiceover about his job, "I get to visit those I love most. "In this plane, he certainly knew how to retract the landing gear, he coordinated both engines, powered them up to get a coordinated takeoff," she said. Alaska Airlines flight 261 took off from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on the morning of August 10, 2018. Not long before the crash, a pilot who'd been helping controllers advise Russell appears to mention the maneuver. Lee Callahan in the morning, and the No Repeat Workday while you work! It did not elaborate. As the FBI investigation wrapped up earlier this week, West Pierce Fire and Rescue released some of the first footage from the scene through public disclosure. The Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office has confirmed the remains belong to Richard Russell, who took the empty Horizon Air turboprop plane from Sea-Tac Airport. The man could be heard on audio recordings telling air traffic controllers that he is "just a broken guy." "NORAD fighters did not fire upon the aircraft," North American Aerospace Defense Command said Saturday morning in a news release. August 11, 2018 / 11:29 PM In a humorous YouTube video he posted last year, he talked about his job and included videos and photos of his travels. He first can be seen wandering through security, and is spotted again later on the tarmac. ", The statement said Russell, 29, was "a faithful husband, a loving son and a good friend. John Waldron was walking along a trail near the bay when he noticed the two military jets following a plane doing aerobatics. He complimented the controller: "You are very calm, collect, poised," he said. By Louis Lucero II and Melissa Gomez. "Although investigators received information regarding Russells background, possible stressors, and personal life, no element provided a clear motivation for Russells actions.". The plane was a Q400, a Bombardier turboprop plane, one of about 40 the airline has in its fleet. Russell's family said in a statement that they were stunned and heartbroken. Never really knew it until now.". 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. He later stole the plane and eventually crashed it into an island in Puget Sound. 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. He was killed in the crash. 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Music from Green Day, Michael Jackson, Queen, Billy Joel, Tom Petty, Madonna, Pearl Jam, Fleetwood Mac, and more! His 75-minute flight during the golden twilight took him south and west, toward the Olympic Mountains. Horizon airline employee, 28-year-old Richard 'Bebo' Russell, stole a plane and took off before crashing into remote Pierce County island Despite the timing of the crash during prime fire season, the fires in the video seemed to be small and scattered. Authorities said he used a tractor to rotate the plane 180 degrees, positioning it so that he could taxi toward a runway. 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. Now, nearly four years after the event, authorities have released new video footage showing how 28-year-old Russell who went by the nickname "Beebo" got through. The incident is bizarre and tragic, but it is not unprecedented. 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