I've played some video games before," Russell responds. The footage shows him going through security wearing a T-shirt. Win Your Trip to Our 2023 iHeartRadio Music Awards! Video from Friday showed the Horizon Air Q400 doing large loops and other dangerous maneuvers as the sun set on the Puget Sound. "Seattle Ground, Horizon Guy. "We heard the jet because our windows were down while we were waiting in the ferry line to go to Anderson Island, which is adjacent to Ketron Island.". Like a lot of bags. 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. KINGs Madison Wade reports. Subscribe to NBC News: http://nbcnews.to/SubscribeToNBC Watch more NBC video: http://bit.ly/MoreNBCNewsNBC News Digital is a collection of innovative and powerful news brands that deliver compelling, diverse and engaging news stories. 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 SEATAC, Wash. - It was a shocking scene above the Puget Sound, as Horizon Airlines employee Richard Russell stole and flew a turboprop from Sea-Tac Airport while air traffic tried to talk him . Nearby co-workers weren't even aware of Russell's actions, which happened six hours into his shift, according to reporters. I hope they can make it through this.". "I always felt bad for the guys and gals who handled luggage. SeaTac's tower began asking who was piloting the airplane, which culminated in the first of Mr Russell's exchanges with control that day. Later that day he stole an Alaska Air turboprop aircraft and crashed it into a remote island in Puget Sound. Did you encounter any technical issues? 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. That includes both domestic and international flights. Authorities said Russell did not have a pilot's license. While in the air, Meyer, whod been married eight weeks before, called his wife and said, Guess what? 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. 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. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Besides his other duties, he was qualified to tow aircraft, said Gary Beck, Horizon Air's president and chief executive officer. "This is a complete shock to us," the family said in a statement Saturday night. 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. 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. "Yeah, he knew how to fly," she continued. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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. Onlooker John Waldron took video that shows the plane rolling inverted at low altitude, then pulling into a half-loop in a aerobatic high-g maneuver called a split S. Whether through skill or luck, Russell managed to pull the plane out of its rapid descent just above the wave tops. Lee Callahan in the morning, and the No Repeat Workday while you work! I mean, I would hope it is, for a guy like me. 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. 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. It was empty, parked at a Seattle-Tacoma International Airport cargo and . 2023 Cox Media Group. On board was 29-year-old Richard Russell, a baggage handler for Horizon Air who is also flying the plane for unknown reason. The NTSB is now processing the equipment. "Never really knew it till now," he said. 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. Each Thursday Ticket Takeover we giveaway prizes all day for different concerts, events, and more! "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. Even with this new footage at hand, its hard to figure out what made Russell embark on this brazen, fatal adventure. The Associated Press contributed to this report. He said he wanted to create projects showing the contrast between his hard work on the ground and his high-flying free time traveling the globe. 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 Also see | 'I was blown away': Stepbrother of man who stole plane speaks out. Officials don't believe Russell had a pilot's license, and they don't know how he knew to fly the plane. "I would like to apologize to each and every one of them. About to take off. His family says it's clear he didn't mean to harm anyone. 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. Airline officials believe he was in uniform and worked a shift Friday, Tilden said. 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. 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. "You think if I land this successfully, Alaska will give me a job as a pilot?" But the plane slammed into tiny Ketron Island, a sparsely populated island southwest of Tacoma. 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 statement said Russell, 29, was "a faithful husband, a loving son and a good friend. "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. Jeff Wise is a New York-based science journalist specializing in aviation and psychology. 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. "I lift a lot of bags. MH370 captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah was a flight-sim enthusiast who is known to have taken a simulated flight path similar to the one authorities believe the plane ultimately took into the southern Indian Ocean. No one noticed the plane had disappeared until Mr Russell was in the air. Horizon's parent company, Alaska Airlines, refused to comment on claims of workers being overworked or underpaid. That's just not safe.". "There is a protocol to not allow anyone singularly to get onboard an aircraft," Soucie said. The black boxes will hopefully give investigators more clues as they try to figure out why Russell flew the plane into the ground. John Waldron was walking along a trail near the bay when he noticed the two military jets following a plane doing aerobatics. The incident, which the FBI's Seattle office did not consider terrorism, raises questions about airport security. "It's going to disappoint them to hear that I did thisJust a broken guy, got a few screws loose, I guess.". By Louis Lucero II and Melissa Gomez. He was immediately killed. It was a strange day when Horizon Airlines Employee Richard "Beebo" Russell stole a plane in the middle of his working shift. 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. After Russell performed an unauthorized takeoff, two McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle fighters were scrambled to intercept the aircraft. "Congratulations. 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. The man could be heard on audio recordings telling air traffic controllers that he is "just a broken guy." It evens out in the end.". Russell took off from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport at 7.32pm on Friday and flew, tailed by F-15 Eagle jets, until the plane crashed at 8.47pm into Ketron Island, located 25 miles. But the plane made turns and aerobatic maneuvers that suggest some skill, she said. CNN's Kyung Lah reports. "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.". The incident came about when a 29-year-old man stole an aircraft from Seattle-Tacoma International airport in August 2018. 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. 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. "Most importantly," he said in a voiceover about his job, "I get to visit those I love most. The jets' capability was appropriate to the potential task, one of the sources said, without offering details. Richard Russell, 29, can be seen at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport driving a pushback tractor with an Alaska Air turboprop attached. Airports nationwide will now look at whether their security procedures need to change, CNN safety analyst David Soucie said. We may earn commission if you buy from a link. 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. When Rolling Stone published its article last year, no major regulatory or security changes had been implemented in response to Russells deadly flight. While searching the crash site, investigators also located human remains among the aircraft materials. How was a man able to steal and pilot a plane? 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. Witnesses described the surreal scene after the plane left the airport. "Nah, I mean, I don't need that much help. 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. Colton Harris Moore only got 6 years for stealing a plane and crashing it. 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. Reeves said he left Horizon because workers are overworked and underpaid. 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. ", 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. He was killed in the crash. Minimum wage, we'll chalk it up to that. Russell had no piloting experience, but he managed . I feel really bad for Richard and for his family. The sheriff's department described Russell as suicidal. There were no passengers aboard. His 75-minute flight during the golden twilight took him south and west, toward the Olympic Mountains. I was kinda hoping that was going to be it. It was one of the strangest, scariest, most bizarre events of 2018: A baggage handler at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport moseyed onto the tarmac, hopped in an unoccupied Horizon Air passenger plane, taxied to an empty runway, and took off. Horizon airline employee, 28-year-old Richard 'Bebo' Russell, stole a plane and took off before crashing into remote Pierce County island One sketch that he posted included a drawing of a Q400 plane, the same kind of plane involved in Friday's crash. New video shows crash site of stolen plane. Weve got the Weekend Ticket Takeover! Find flight for cheapWith its premium plus plan, youll be able to browse flight deals going for up to 90% off in business, premium economy, and economy class. "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. "Russell was known as a quiet guy who read a lot," according to one witness statement. You know?". The King County medical examiner ruled his death a suicide. In a final video project set to cheery music, Russell included selfies from airport grounds and photos from his many trips. 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. An FBI investigation found Alaska Airlines ramp employee Richard Russell intentionally crashed the aircraft after flying for more than an hour. SEATTLE -- He cracked jokes, complimented the professional demeanor of an air traffic controller and apologized for making a fuss. August 22, 1979. Russell echoed those claims in his last conversation with air traffic control. 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. Worlds Largest Passenger Aircraft Will Fly Again, Russia May Use Military Aircraft for Civilians, A Livestream of Planes Trying to Land at Heathrow, Why a New 5G Rollout Is Making Airlines Nervous, The Complicated History of the Very First Flight, The VTOL Future of Flight That Never Took Off. Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. NTSB to investigate in-flight turbulence that left 1 passenger dead, Pittsburgh woman missing for 31 years found alive in Puerto Rico, stole an airplane from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Investigators work to determine how a man was able to pilot a stolen plane. One sketch that he posted included a drawing of a Q400 plane, the same kind of plane involved in Friday's crash. 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? Despite the timing of the crash during prime fire season, the fires in the video seemed to be small and scattered. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. Foote was an experienced glider pilot and had undergone 100 hours of simulator flying in the Skyhawk and had hoped to become a military pilot before his ambitions were derailed by health issues. It wasn't immediately clear what training, if any, Russell had in flying planes. He did not survive the crash. Richard B. Russell reportedly stole a Horizon Air plane for a joyride before crashing and killing himself near Seattle. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much Ah, dammit. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. I don't want to. A fter 29-year-old airline employee Richard B. Russell stole a plane at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on Friday night and crashed it into Ketron Island in Puget Sound, questions remain. Investigators on Saturday were trying to retrieve the plane's flight data recorder and its cockpit voice recorder. Russell was credentialed to be in secure areas at the airport, said Brad Tilden, CEO of Alaska Air Group, which owns Horizon Air. It did not elaborate. 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,. Authorities said he used a tractor to rotate the plane 180 degrees, positioning it so that he could taxi toward a runway. 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. "I thought they were practicing for an air show," he said. Jason Silverstein 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. Hell of a crime spree for a 19 year old. They say says this is a complete shock. "I think I'm going to try to do a barrel roll, and if that goes good I'll go nose down and call it a night," Richard Russell said from the cockpit, according to a recording of his conversation with the controller. 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. Video released to KOMO News from the Port of Seattle capture the final moments of Richard Russell who took a Horizon Air plane from SeaTac Airport without authorization, performed acrobatic. "Everyone was literally frozen in place, muttering about what possibly happened," he said. Russell's family said in a statement that they were stunned and heartbroken. 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. What was the richard russell plane crash story all about. August 13, 2018 / 5:34 AM and last updated 2018-08-12 08:56:01-04. Nearby co-workers weren't even aware of Russell's actions, which happened six hours into his shift, according to reporters. Scroll down to continue . Without communicating to air traffic controllers, he cut off another airplane and then managed to get the plane onto the runway and airborne. By Jeff Wise Published: Aug 13, 2018 JASON REDMOND // Getty Images A curious and ultimately tragic story from 2018 finally has a little more context, thanks to security camera footage. Tragic as Russell's death was, he could have inflicted vastly more damage had he been so inclined. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. He eventually climbs inside the cockpit and fires up the engine. The whole saga took place late on a Friday night in the west-coast time zone; by Monday morning, the constant news churn of the middle years of the Trump presidency seemed to have pushed any follow-up coverage of the Horizon Air crash out of the headlines. It's gonna be crazy," Mr Russel said. "We are devastated by these events, and Jesus is truly the only one holding this family together right now. Now let's land that airplane safely and don't hurt anybody on the ground," the helping pilot radios. "Russell had a few unexcused absences, but nothing considered significant.". It's unclear exactly what Mr Russell is doing during this time, but he eventually takes control of a pushback tug and readies the Alaska Air plane for takeoff. "NORAD fighters did not fire upon the aircraft," North American Aerospace Defense Command said Saturday morning in a news release.