"I lift a lot of bags. At one point, he apologizes and says he is a "broken guy" with "a few screws loose. 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. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. In a humorous YouTube video he posted last year, he talked about his job and included videos and photos of his various travels. "NORAD fighters did not fire upon the aircraft," North American Aerospace Defense Command said Saturday morning in a news release. 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. Neither the men nor the plane has ever been seen again. After Russell talked periodically with air traffic controllers for about an hour, the plane crashed at Ketron Island,officials said. Recently fired airline mechanic Armando Nieto Jaramillo, 23, stole a military HS-748 transport plane from Bogot-Eldorado Airport and crashed it soon after takeoff, killing himself and three people on the ground. The Q400 is a turboprop aircraft with 76 seats. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. "Nah, I mean, I don't need that much help. "I always felt bad for the guys and gals who handled luggage. 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? All Rights Reserved. Richard B. Russell reportedly stole a Horizon Air plane for a joyride before crashing and killing himself near Seattle. The cause of the crash wasn't immediately known, but the F-15s did not bring the plane down, Eckrote said. You did that. "There is a runway just off to your right side in about a mile," the controller says, reffering to an airfield at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. The man has been identified as Richard Russell, a law enforcement official familiar with the investigation confirmed to CNN on Saturday night. In the days leading up to the theft and subsequent crash, employees and family didn't notice anything wrong with him, investigators wrote in the updated report. By Louis Lucero II and Melissa Gomez. August 22, 1979. That's just not safe.". After the plane approached Ketron Island, Waldron saw a thick column of smoke followed by a loud explosion, he said. "A couple of the turns, it looked like what we call in basic flight training a 'coordinated turn,' meaning that he not only used the yoke but you also coordinate with the rudders and you do the turns. 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. A curious and ultimately tragic story from 2018 finally has a little more context, thanks to security camera footage. Richard Russell, 29, walks through employee security screening at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The Seattle FBI office said Sunday that it had recovered the flight data recorder and components of the cockpit voice recorder from the Horizon plane. On board was 29-year-old Richard Russell, a baggage handler for Horizon Air who is also flying the plane for unknown reason. 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. "My husband and I are recently former Boeing employees, and we were wondering why a jet was near the passenger airplane," she said. Ben Charles Padilla, an aircraft mechanic who held a private pilots license and was a certified flight engineer, was repairing a 727 airliner in Luanda, Angola for a Florida-based company named Aerospace Sales and Leasing. In the footage, Mr Russell can be seen calmly moving through the airport wearing a black shirt that says "The Sky's No Limit." 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 Each Thursday Ticket Takeover we giveaway prizes all day for different concerts, events, and more! CNN's Kyung Lah reports.. / CBS/AP. / CBS/AP. 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. "I lift a lot of bags. "Seattle Ground, Horizon Guy. On the other hand, Russell was reported to have been profoundly troubled, whereas Malaysian authorities were unable to find any evidence that Shah suffered from mental illness or was undergoing any kind of stress in his life. The theft illustrated what aviation experts have long known: One of the biggest potential perils for commercial air travel is airline or airport employees causing mayhem. The 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 . Jason Silverstein contributed to this report. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. The 76-seat Horizon Air turboprop plane took off without authorization at 7:32 p.m. local time Friday, with Russell, who was not a pilot, at the controls, officials said. Airline officials believe he was in uniform and worked a shift Friday, Tilden said. 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. Nearby co-workers weren't even aware of Russell's actions, which happened six hours into his shift, according to reporters. "Russell had a few unexcused absences, but nothing considered significant.". 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. The FBI also said it found human remains among the wreckage. It was empty, parked at a Seattle-Tacoma International Airport cargo and . July 4, 1986. NORAD scrambled two F-15 to try to shepherd Russell away from populated areas of Seattle, but at 8:46 PM, Russell crashed the plane into an uninhabited part of Ketron Island in Puget Sound. video Plane crashes near Seattle airport. 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,. Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. 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. There were no passengers aboard. ", "I've got a lot of people that care about me," the man later said. Relatives of Richard Russell say they are "stunned and heartbroken" after the airline worker stole a passenger plane Friday from the Seattle-Tacoma . I hope they can make it through this.". 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. That includes both domestic and international flights. 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. 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. Win Your Trip to Our 2023 iHeartRadio Music Awards! Please enter valid email address to continue. 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? "It's going to disappoint them to hear that I did thisJust a broken guy, got a few screws loose, I guess.". "Russell was known as a quiet guy who read a lot," according to one witness statement. 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. 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. Join the Celebration of a Lifetime! He did not survive the crash. His family says it's clear he didn't mean to harm anyone. Scroll down to continue . It seemed like such miserable work and I never could imagine why anyone would want to subject themselves to all the constant noise, gas fumes, and heavy lifting. "We are devastated by these events, and Jesus is truly the only one holding this family together right now. "But the air traffic controller had to tell him how to set what they call the 'bugs' -- they're just little, sort of, little levers, or little notches on your indicator for your heading, which is kind of basic. Authorities said Russell did not have a pilot's license. 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. Colton Harris Moore only got 6 years for stealing a plane and crashing it. A ground service agent's tasks don't involve touching planes' controls, CNN aviation analyst Mary Schiavo said. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. New surveillance. When Rolling Stone published its article last year, no major regulatory or security changes had been implemented in response to Russells deadly flight. Lee Callahan in the morning, and the No Repeat Workday while you work! I don't want to. He complimented the controller: "You are very calm, collect, poised," he said. The NTSB is now processing the equipment. 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.

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.

. Moore stole (or stole and crashed) multiple airplanes, multiple boats, dozens of cars, etc. Details of man who sources say stole airplane from Sea-Tac, Officials: Man who stole plane, died in crash not a pilot, Woman faces decades in prison after lying about murder, Do you have an investigative story tip? Ah, dammit. Other pilots and SeaTac's tower exchange information about Mr Russell as they quickly realise that something unusual is going on. .css-v1xtj3{display:block;font-family:FreightSansW01,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-weight:100;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:0;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-v1xtj3:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-v1xtj3{font-size:1.1387rem;line-height:1.2;margin-bottom:1rem;margin-top:0.625rem;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-v1xtj3{line-height:1.2;}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.css-v1xtj3{font-size:1.18581rem;line-height:1.2;margin-bottom:0.5rem;margin-top:0rem;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-v1xtj3{font-size:1.23488rem;line-height:1.2;margin-top:0.9375rem;}}A 777 Nearly Plunged Into the Ocean After Takeoff, Sudden FAA Failure Grounds U.S. Russell, 29 is presumed dead. "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.". That includes both domestic and international flights. ", Referring to audio recordings of Russell talking to air traffic control during his hour-long flight, the statement said his "intent was not to harm anyone. Russell flew the plane for over an hour before crashing. Aug. 12, 2018. He later stole the plane and eventually crashed it into an island in Puget Sound. The jets' capability was appropriate to the potential task, one of the sources said, without offering details. 4.3M views 7 months ago A newly released video sheds new light on the moments leading up to Richard Russell crashing a plane. Copyright 2018 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. 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. 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 . CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much He eventually climbs inside the cockpit and fires up the engine. "Tower, you need to call and scramble now," one Alaska Air pilot called out. Officials don't believe Russell had a pilot's license, and they don't know how he knew to fly the plane. he joked. . A 777 Nearly Plunged Into the Ocean After Takeoff, In audio recordings released over the internet, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. Also see | 'I was blown away': Stepbrother of man who stole plane speaks out. Investigators headed Saturday to the crash site to recover the plane's data recorders and Russell's remains as part of a criminal probe, authorities said. The Pierce County Medical Examiners Office has confirmed the remains belong to Richard Russell, who took the empty Horizon Air turboprop plane from Sea-Tac Airport. Witnesses described the surreal scene after the plane left the airport. I feel really bad for Richard and for his family. 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. About to take off. For one, Russell shouldn't have been able to board the plane alone, he said. With its premium plus plan, youll be able to browse flight deals going for up to 90% off in business, premium economy, and economy class. They say says this is a complete shock. The man could be heard on audio recordings telling air traffic controllers that he is "just a broken guy." 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. Also see | Cockpit audio from worker who stole empty plane from Sea-Tac Airport. Human remains were found in wake of Friday's tragic plane crash. The worker performed several aerial stunts in the stolen aircraft before ultimately crashing on Ketron Island. Later, a controller discusses getting a pilot on the radio to help Russell control the aircraft. In audio recordings released over the internet, Russell can be heard chatting in an upbeat, enthusiastic tone with the air traffic controllers trying to talk him down. We deliver the best in breaking news, live video coverage, original journalism and segments from your favorite NBC News Shows.Connect with NBC News Online!NBC News App: https://smart.link/5d0cd9df61b80Breaking News Alerts: https://link.nbcnews.com/join/5cj/breaking-news-signup?cid=sm_npd_nn_yt_bn-clip_190621Visit NBCNews.Com: http://nbcnews.to/ReadNBCFind NBC News on Facebook: http://nbcnews.to/LikeNBCFollow NBC News on Twitter: http://nbcnews.to/FollowNBC#Surveillance #Horizonair #hijacking 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. It did not elaborate. 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In the footage, Mr Russell can be seen calmly moving through the airport wearing a black shirt. Russell had no piloting experience, but he managed . Enter for your chance to win a visit to the Disneyland Resort with 96.5 JACK FM! 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. Ultimately the FBI determined that Mr Russell intentionally brought the airplane into a dive onto a small island in Puget Sound, where he died. 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. Others include how, nearly 17 years after the 9/11 attack, someone can simply take a passenger plane from a major U.S. airport without authorization. (AFP/Getty Images) Russell, 29, flew the plane for 75 . 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. It was a strange day when Horizon Airlines Employee Richard "Beebo" Russell stole a plane in the middle of his working shift. We may earn commission if you buy from a link. 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. Airports nationwide will now look at whether their security procedures need to change, CNN safety analyst David Soucie said. Mr Russell was at times jovial at one point he assured SeaTac's tower that he didn't need help controlling the airplane because he had played some video games and questioned if it could do a backflip and was at others melancholic. May 25, 2003. 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 crashed 25 miles away. Discovery Company. New video shows crash site of stolen plane. 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. The plane was a Bombardier Q400, a turboprop that seats 76 people, owned by Horizon Air, part of Alaska Airlines. Never really knew it until now.". . According to his Facebook page, which had limited public access, he was from Wasilla, Alaska, and lived in Sumner, Washington, and was married in 2012. The perpetrator, 29-year-old Richard Russell, was a Horizon Air ground service agent with no piloting experience. But could you start a left-hand turn, please?". 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. Siddiq Saunderson Moved to L.A. and Immediately Bought a Prius, Millennials and Zillennials Can't Get Enough of Manual Transmissions, Dollar Flight Club Premium Plus (Lifetime Subscription), Tesla Investor Day 2023 Was Pretty Great if You Ignored Elon. "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. 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Nah, Im a white guy.. The incident came about when a 29-year-old man stole an aircraft from Seattle-Tacoma International airport in August 2018. I don't know, man! All rights reserved. An hour and 45 minutes into the flight, Meyer crashed into the English Channel. Russell was recorded having multiple conversations with air traffic controllers who were trying to talk him into landing. Not long before the crash, a pilot who'd been helping controllers advise Russell appears to mention the maneuver. KIRO 7 spoke with Russells friend and former co-worker Robert Reeves who said Russell was a hard worker who loved aviation, but he admits Russell was unhappy with his pay. Even with this new footage at hand, its hard to figure out what made Russell embark on this brazen, fatal adventure. August 11, 2018 / 11:29 PM He first can be seen wandering through security, and is spotted again later on the tarmac. among other things. Nearby co-workers weren't even aware of Russell's actions, which happened six hours into his shift, according to reporters. The King County medical examiner ruled his death a suicide. "This is a complete shock to us," the family said in a statement Saturday night. His 75-minute flight during the golden twilight took him south and west, toward the Olympic Mountains. "Yeah, he knew how to fly," she continued. and last updated 2018-08-12 08:56:01-04. Padilla and an a recently hired assistant boarded the plane, taxied it to the runway, took off, and head out over the Atlantic Ocean. "He was getting really stressed about the financial situation he was in. While searching the crash site, investigators also located human remains among the aircraft materials. First published on August 11, 2018 / 4:48 PM. Jeff Wise is a New York-based science journalist specializing in aviation and psychology. Foote served four and a half months in the brig and later went on to become a test pilot in civilian life. "I would like to apologize to each and every one of them. Horizon airline employee, 28-year-old Richard 'Bebo' Russell, stole a plane and took off before crashing into remote Pierce County island Win Tickets to Weezer with Spoon and White Reaper at White River Amphitheater on August 20th!