Russell was credentialed to be in secure areas at the airport, said Brad Tilden, CEO of Alaska Air Group, which owns Horizon Air. New video of 2018 Horizon Air plane heist at Sea-Tac | king5.com Videos Show Richard Russell's Final Moments Before Shocking Plane Crash While investigators concluded Russell intentionally crash the plane, his motive still remains a mystery. Without communicating to air traffic controllers, he cut off another airplane and then managed to get the plane onto the runway and airborne. "Most importantly," he said in a voiceover about his job, "I get to visit those I love most. Russell echoed those claims in his last conversation with air traffic control. Send us an email at investigate@kiro7.com, Multiple western Washington residents indicted in connection to coast-to-coast drug ring, Bank accidentally left unlocked in Fresno, police say, Powerball jackpot winner identified as longtime Boeing employee, Officials: Mother identified as shooter in murder-suicide in Ohio, Court finds Federal Way gun store in contempt of court. 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 . We may earn commission if you buy from a link. Moore stole (or stole and crashed) multiple airplanes, multiple boats, dozens of cars, etc. Weve got the Weekend Ticket Takeover! 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. Richard Russell: quiet, well-liked Seattle airport worker who stole a plane He said his actions were "going to disappoint" the people who cared for him, and described himself as "just a broken guy" with "a few screws loose, I guess.". Win Tickets to KISS at Climate Pledge Arena on November 6, 2023. His 75-minute flight during the golden twilight took him south and west, toward the Olympic Mountains. "I would like to apologize to each and every one of them. The perpetrator, 29-year-old Richard Russell, was a Horizon Air ground service agent with no piloting experience. "Although investigators received information regarding Russells background, possible stressors, and personal life, no element provided a clear motivation for Russells actions.". This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. After Russell performed an unauthorized takeoff, two McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle fighters were scrambled to intercept the aircraft. They said it's not clear whether he had ever taken flight lessons or used flight simulators, or where he gained the skills to take off. Remains of airline worker who stole, crashed plane found on island in "Oh man. Hell of a crime spree for a 19 year old. "I never thought I would work as a Ground Service Agent (GSA) for an Airlines company," he wrote in a blog post in September 2017. "He was a quiet guy," Rick Christenson, an operational supervisor with the airline who retired in Maytold The Seattle Times. The reason I left is in February of 2016 they were short staffed and they had me run three planes in the same time, Reeves said. ", "I've got a lot of people that care about me, and it's going to disappoint them to hear that I did this," Russell says. Copyright 2018 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. 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. Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in, On the day of his tragic flight, Mr Russell wore a shirt that said The Sky is No Limit, Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile, Air Traffic Control audio reveals conversation with man who stole Alaska Airlines plane. It was a strange day when Horizon Airlines Employee Richard "Beebo" Russell stole a plane in the middle of his working shift. New video shows crash site of stolen plane 02:22 CNN Richard Russell was a funny, gentle and hardworking man, said family and a colleague of the airline employee who stole a passenger. Video from a witness on the ground shows the plane at one point pulling up for a loop, putting the aircraft upside-down and then pulling back up just feet above a body of water. "Seattle Ground, Horizon Guy. 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. 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. 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. ", "I've got a lot of people that care about me," the man later said. I was kinda hoping that was going to be it. The rest of Mr Russell's time in the air was well documented, thanks to his regular contact with SeaTac's tower. Its the first time that weve had a commercial aircraft stolen off the ramp of an active airport, Steven Armstrong, vice director of operations for the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), told Rolling Stone. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. "You think if I land this successfully, Alaska will give me a job as a pilot?" New Footage Shows Moments Before Seattle Man Crashed Plane in - YouTube 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. Please dont hesitate to utilize this resource. Enter for your chance to win a visit to the Disneyland Resort with 96.5 JACK FM! "Yeah, he knew how to fly," she continued. No one noticed the plane had disappeared until Mr Russell was in the air. "We are devastated by these events, and Jesus is truly the only one holding this family together right now. Russell repeatedly says he would do a roll. 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. Not long before the crash, a pilot who'd been helping controllers advise Russell appears to mention the maneuver. The cause of the crash wasn't immediately known, but the F-15s did not bring the plane down, Eckrote said. "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. The Q400 is a turboprop aircraft with 76 seats. Reeves said he left Horizon because workers are overworked and underpaid. 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. strangest, scariest, most bizarre events of 2018. By Louis Lucero II and Melissa Gomez. he joked. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. The plane was a Bombardier Q400, a turboprop that seats 76 people, owned by Horizon Air, part of Alaska Airlines. The black boxes will hopefully give investigators more clues as they try to figure out why Russell flew the plane into the ground. Besides his other duties, he was qualified to tow aircraft, said Gary Beck, Horizon Air's president and chief executive officer. Like a lot of bags. appreciated. 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. 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. He also told the controller he "wasn't really planning on landing" the aircraft, and he described himself as "just a broken guy.". I mean, I would hope it is, for a guy like me. Who Was Richard Russell? Man Steals Airplane and Crashes | Time "So, (he) had some knowledge but clearly wasn't a commercial pilot.". CNN's Kyung Lah reports. Im coming home! But it was not to be. That's just not safe.". "There is a protocol to not allow anyone singularly to get onboard an aircraft," Soucie said. On board was 29-year-old Richard Russell, a baggage handler for Horizon Air who is also flying the plane for unknown reason. 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. A Russian Air Force engineer made off with an Antonov An-26 transport plane from Kubinka Air Force Base near Moscow. It's gonna be crazy," Mr Russel said. At least 12 dead after winter storm slams South, Midwest, The Saturday Six: Dental device controversy, scientist's bug find and more, Trump speaks at CPAC after winning straw poll, 3 children killed, 2 others wounded at Texas home, Man charged for alleged involvement in 2 transformer explosions, Nikki Haley slams potential GOP contenders, and Trump and George W. Bush, Duo of 81-year-old women plan to see the world in 80 days, Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant to "take some time away" from the team after allegedly brandishing a gun in a club, Alex Murdaugh trial: What to know about the double murder case, FBI probes how airline employee stole plane, FBI investigating how airline employee stole plane before crashing, New details emerge about employee who stole, crashed airplane, NTSB to investigate in-flight turbulence that left 1 passenger dead, Pittsburgh woman missing for 31 years found alive in Puerto Rico, someone can simply take a passenger plane from a major U.S. airport without authorization, push us to learn what we can from this tragedy. 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. Horizon's parent company, Alaska Airlines, refused to comment on claims of workers being overworked or underpaid. "Everyone was literally frozen in place, muttering about what possibly happened," he said. F-15s were scrambled out of their base at Portland International Airport to intercept the plane. . July 4, 1986. Jason Silverstein contributed to this report. 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? On Friday, Horizon Air ground service agent .css-3wjtm9{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.125rem;text-decoration-color:#1c6a65;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:inherit;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-3wjtm9:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}Richard B. Russell got in one of the airlines Bombardier Q400 aircraft and took off from Seattles SeaTac Airport. F-15 fighter jets scrambled to intercept the Q400, which ultimately crashed into Ketron Island, about 30 miles from the airport. Scroll down to continue . I don't need that much help. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The King County medical examiner ruled his death a suicide. Russell's family said in a statement that they were stunned and heartbroken. But the plane made turns and aerobatic maneuvers that suggest some skill, she said. "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. "The greatest threat we have to aviation is the insider threat," said Erroll Southers, a former FBI agent and transportation security expert. 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? .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. The incident is bizarre and tragic, but it is not unprecedented. 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. Cooper? 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. Maybe that will grease some gears with the higher up, Russell said to air traffic controllers. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. 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. August 13, 2018 / 5:34 AM Also see | 'I was blown away': Stepbrother of man who stole plane speaks out. Russell was recorded having multiple conversations with air traffic controllers who were trying to talk him into landing. The jets' capability was appropriate to the potential task, one of the sources said, without offering details. Russell, 29 is presumed dead. 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 CNN's Kyung Lah reports.. The plane eventually crashed on sparsely populated Ketron Island, starting a fire in the woods but injuring no one outside the plane. 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. Ah, dammit. "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.". 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. The Sky Thief Richard Russell Plane Crash Video Gone Viral: What Having to rely on the ferry system for transport, the first 40 responding firefighters stayed at the scene throughout the night. Like a lot of bags. In the footage, Mr Russell can be seen calmly moving through the airport wearing a black shirt that says "The Sky's No Limit." 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. He had no purpose to be at that plane Friday evening "other than what he did do," Tilden said. The incident came about when a 29-year-old man stole an aircraft from Seattle-Tacoma International airport in August 2018. 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. "I thought they were practicing for an air show," he said. He was in the air for about an hour. The plane was a Bombardier Q400, a turboprop that seats 76 people, owned by Horizon Air, part of Alaska Airlines. / CBS/AP. In a final video project set to cheery music, Russell included selfies from airport grounds and photos from his many trips. Within minutes of the plane's takeoff, the military scrambled two armed F-15 jets from Oregon to follow it, according to local and airline authorities and two sources with knowledge of the situation. "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. He later stole the plane and eventually crashed it into an island in Puget Sound. Video captures Richard Russell doing tricks in stolen Horizon Air plane Plus we let you know whats going on locally with Lee Callahans Jacktivities! Videos Show Richard Russell's Final Moments Before Shocking Plane Crash John Waldron was walking along a trail near the bay when he noticed the two military jets following a plane doing aerobatics. He left prison after less than 5 years, on parole. New footage shows airport worker Richard Russell steal plane After the plane approached Ketron Island, Waldron saw a thick column of smoke followed by a loud explosion, he said. 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. Richard Russell died in Friday's plane crash. 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. Could 3 Particles on a Tie Lead Us to D.B. We may earn a commission from links on this page. 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. "He might have been talking to himself in the cockpit," so the voice recorder may provide additional information that wasn't recorded in radio traffic, she said. I've played some video games before," Russell responds. 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.