Minimum wage, we'll chalk it up to that. 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. Newly released video shows the fiery scene firefighters encountered after an airplane stolen from Sea-Tac Airport crashed on Ketron Island. The man could be heard on audio recordings telling air traffic controllers that he is "just a broken guy." Enter for your chance to win a visit to the Disneyland Resort with 96.5 JACK FM! "Tower, you need to call and scramble now," one Alaska Air pilot called out. 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. 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. I hope they can make it through this.". Win Tickets to Weezer with Spoon and White Reaper at White River Amphitheater on August 20th! He was immediately killed. .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. 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. John Waldron was walking along a trail near the bay when he noticed the two military jets following a plane doing aerobatics. The Port of Seattle just released the CCTV footage of 29-year-old Richard Russell towing the Alaska Airlines' Q400 Turboprop into position back in 2018 at the Seattle-Tacoma International. 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. The FBI has recovered the flight data recorder and components of the cockpit voice recorder from the Horizon aircraft that crashed onto Ketron Island Friday night. Having to rely on the ferry system for transport, the first 40 responding firefighters stayed at the scene throughout the night. He managed to proceed with his plan unmolested largely because no one thought twice about the baggage handler working in the airport's restricted spaces. He was in the air for about an hour. Late Friday, a Horizon Air employee believed to be Russell stole an empty turboprop plane, took off from SeaTac and crashed on Ketron Island, a small island in the Puget Sound that is home to about two dozen residents. Relatives of Richard Russell say they are "stunned and heartbroken" after the airline worker stole a passenger plane Friday from the Seattle-Tacoma . The incident is bizarre and tragic, but it is not unprecedented. 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. ", The statement said Russell, 29, was "a faithful husband, a loving son and a good friend. "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. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. "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. "He was getting really stressed about the financial situation he was in. He's worked at Horizon longer than I did, and he still wasn't making $15 an hour, Reeves said. "Yeah, he knew how to fly," she continued. May 25, 2003. 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. "Most importantly," he said in a voiceover about his job, "I get to visit those I love most. Russell responds: "Awwww-right. An FBI investigation found Alaska Airlines ramp employee Richard Russell intentionally crashed the aircraft after flying for more than an hour. He was immediately killed. 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. Richard Russell, 29, can be seen at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport driving a pushback tractor with an Alaska Air turboprop attached. "NORAD fighters did not fire upon the aircraft," North American Aerospace Defense Command said Saturday morning in a news release. "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.". 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,. 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. (DAILY NEWS VIDEO) . 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. The plane was a Bombardier Q400, a turboprop that seats 76 people, owned by Horizon Air, part of Alaska Airlines. 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. Copyright 2018 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. 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. Also see | 'I was blown away': Stepbrother of man who stole plane speaks out. Other pilots and SeaTac's tower exchange information about Mr Russell as they quickly realise that something unusual is going on. 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. Russell had no piloting experience, but he managed . Lee Callahan in the morning, and the No Repeat Workday while you work! 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. All rights reserved. "So, (he) had some knowledge but clearly wasn't a commercial pilot.". 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. Russell echoed those claims in his last conversation with air traffic control. ", Russell posted collages of photos from his trips around the world, writing that travel was "what keeps me going in the most unfavorable circumstances.". 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. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. 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. 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The tower alerted the Portland Air National Guard base, which dispatched a group of US Air Force F-15s to intercept the rouge aircraft. 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. 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? I don't need that much help. 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 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'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. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Richard B. Russell reportedly stole a Horizon Air plane for a joyride before crashing and killing himself near Seattle. Later that day he stole an Alaska Air turboprop aircraft and crashed it into a remote island in Puget Sound. Airline officials believe he was in uniform and worked a shift Friday, Tilden said. 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. 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 . One sketch that he posted included a drawing of a Q400 plane, the same kind of plane involved in Friday's crash. 2. "There is a protocol to not allow anyone singularly to get onboard an aircraft," Soucie said. In a final video project set to cheery music, Russell included selfies from airport . 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. 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. "My husband and I are recently former Boeing employees, and we were wondering why a jet was near the passenger airplane," she said. The Associated Press contributed to this report. 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 airport and into the 76-seat plane that he flew to his death. 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. 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. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much 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. It wasn't immediately clear what training, if any, Russell had in flying planes. "Seattle Ground, Horizon Guy. 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. Domestic Flights, Airplane Door Rips Open Midflight on Russian Plane, Airport Worker Ingested Into Jet Engine, Dies, The Concorde Disaster, Battle Tanks, and More. 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. Without communicating to air traffic controllers, he cut off another airplane and then managed to get the plane onto the runway and airborne. Moore stole (or stole and crashed) multiple airplanes, multiple boats, dozens of cars, etc. Jeff Wise is a New York-based science journalist specializing in aviation and psychology. First published on August 11, 2018 / 4:48 PM. Also see | Stolen plane narrowly missed family inside Ketron Island cabin. The black boxes are now being sent to the National Transportation Safety Board for processing. I was kinda hoping that was going to be it. "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. The cause of the crash wasn't immediately known, but the F-15s did not bring the plane down, Eckrote said. But the plane made turns and aerobatic maneuvers that suggest some skill, she said. He left prison after less than 5 years, on parole. "Never really knew it till now," he said. 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. Later, a controller discusses getting a pilot on the radio to help Russell control the aircraft. Like a lot of bags. Richard "Beebo" Russell (Screenshot from YouTube via AP) SEATTLE - The Horizon Air baggage handler who stole a commercial airplane from Sea-Tac Airport and took it for a 73-minute joy ride . Russell went by "Beebo" on social media. What was the richard russell plane crash story all about. 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. Join the Celebration of a Lifetime! 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. All Rights Reserved. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. 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 mean, I would hope it is, for a guy like me. 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 . ", "Well," a controller responds, "we're not going to worry or think about that. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. It was a strange day when Horizon Airlines Employee Richard "Beebo" Russell stole a plane in the middle of his working shift. Jason Silverstein contributed to this report. Kathleen Reichel said she watched the planes pass by for about two minutes. Richard Russell died in Friday's plane crash. "I always felt bad for the guys and gals who handled luggage. Richard B. Russell reportedly stole a Horizon Air plane for a joyride before crashing and killing himself near Seattle. During an exchange with air traffic controllers, Russell mentioned he had some experience using flight simulator software. 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. While in the air, Meyer, whod been married eight weeks before, called his wife and said, Guess what? Nearby co-workers weren't even aware of Russell's actions, which happened six hours into his shift, according to reporters. 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. In a final video project set to cheery music, Russell included selfies from airport grounds and photos from his many trips. Weve got the Weekend Ticket Takeover! 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. Ultimately the FBI determined that Mr Russell intentionally brought the airplane into a dive onto a small island in Puget Sound, where he died. May 23, 1969. Winter Weather Advisory expires for much of western Washington, Intertribal comedy sketch troupe performs 'Between Two Knees' at Seattle Rep, plane stolen from Sea-Tac Airport crashed, Stolen plane narrowly missed family inside Ketron Island cabin, released the findings of its investigation, Cockpit audio from worker who stole empty plane from Sea-Tac Airport, 'I was blown away': Stepbrother of man who stole plane speaks out. Airline and Seattle airport officials revealed the following at a news conference Saturday: In audio recordings of the incident posted on Broadcastify, Russell can be heard talking to air traffic controllers as they try to guide him to land the plane. At one point he asks the controller, Hey, do you think if I land this successfully, Alaska [Horizon Airs parent company, Alaska Airllines] will give me a job as a pilot? Told, You know, I think they would give you a job doing anything if you could pull this off, Russell replies, Yeah right! 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. July 13, 1994. he joked. "Oh man. The jets' capability was appropriate to the potential task, one of the sources said, without offering details. Neither the men nor the plane has ever been seen again. The sheriff's department described Russell as suicidal. A ground service agent's tasks don't involve touching planes' controls, CNN aviation analyst Mary Schiavo said. ", First published on August 13, 2018 / 5:34 AM. Could 3 Particles on a Tie Lead Us to D.B. 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Nearby co-workers weren't even aware of Russell's actions, which happened six hours into his shift, according to reporters. 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. "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. 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. They pursued the aircraft before it went down on Ketron Island, between Tacoma and Olympia. Authorities sent fighter jets to escort him, and the controller repeatedly tried to direct him to runways. "It seemed like he was well liked by the other workers. 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. Russell took the Q400 from a cargo area at the north end of Sea-Tac Airport on August 10. 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. 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. 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. A Warner Bros. He first can be seen wandering through security, and is spotted again later on the tarmac. Did you encounter any technical issues? 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. Authorities said he used a tractor to rotate the plane 180 degrees, positioning it so that he could taxi toward a runway. "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 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. F-15s were scrambled out of their base at Portland International Airport to intercept the plane. Worker who stole plane and crashed identified, See stolen plane flying moments before crash, Co-worker of man who stole plane speaks out, Official: Man taxied plane before stealing it, Airline worker's family releases statement, Airline issues statement after Seattle crash, Witness: Thought Air Force was practicing for show. Music from Green Day, Michael Jackson, Queen, Billy Joel, Tom Petty, Madonna, Pearl Jam, Fleetwood Mac, and more! 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. July 4, 1986. Foote served four and a half months in the brig and later went on to become a test pilot in civilian life. Maybe that will grease some gears with the higher up, Russell said to air traffic controllers. Im coming home! But it was not to be. By Jeff Wise Published: Aug 13, 2018 JASON REDMOND // Getty Images The plane didn't require a key, but it did require buttons and switches to be activated in a particular order. Not long before the crash, a pilot who'd been helping controllers advise Russell appears to mention the maneuver. video Plane crashes near Seattle airport. 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. "I lift a lot of bags. A Russian Air Force engineer made off with an Antonov An-26 transport plane from Kubinka Air Force Base near Moscow. 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. "I thought they were practicing for an air show," he said. After Russell performed an unauthorized takeoff, two McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle fighters were scrambled to intercept the aircraft. He passed a series of background checks to gain his position, as he didn't have any criminal convictions. 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. "You think if I land this successfully, Alaska will give me a job as a pilot?" Russell flew the plane for over an hour before crashing. One sketch that he posted included a drawing of a Q400 plane, the same kind of plane involved in Friday's crash. The Associated Press contributed to this report. "This is a complete shock to us," the family said in a statement Saturday night. The agency says the 28-year-old's loved ones hosted an intervention for him, who "seemed fine" besides increased drinking. New video shows crash site of stolen plane. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. Horizon airline employee, 28-year-old Richard 'Bebo' Russell, stole a plane and took off before crashing into remote Pierce County island Never really knew it until now.". "I lift a lot of bags. Even with this new footage at hand, its hard to figure out what made Russell embark on this brazen, fatal adventure.