On Facebook, Rich, using the name Beebo Russell, wrote that he lived in Sumner, Washington, was from Wasilla, Alaska, and was married to Hannah Russell, who works as an assistant pastry chef and . Cast Your Vote To Select The Meme Of The Month! Saw two fighter jets fly overhead then smoke pic.twitter.com/w0bveGUJQH, McKenna Brown (@mckenna_brown) August 11, 2018, A man named Ben Schaechter wrote on Twitter, Halfway down the runway on Alaska airlines out of Seattle and the pilot slams on the brakes and shares we must go back to the gate. Facebook Richard Russell plane crash video was released. (shown below). Powered by. At one point, Rich asked for help in getting the cabin depressurized, complaining he was getting lightheaded. Terrorism was ruled out, and Russell was found to have acted alone. Nah, I'm a white guy. The fire burned a 2-acre (0.8ha) area,[23] but was extinguished by the following morning. His familys brief statement did not address any potential mental health issues. I was kind of hoping that was gonna be it, you know? I hope they can make it through this. He said that airline employees go through background checks. This video is not meant to glamorize suicide. Cast Your Vote To Select The Meme Of The Month! Sea-Tac airport confirmed the plane was down a short time later. As users on Twitter and 4chan shared and discussed the story and further learned about Russell through the conversations with air traffic control and subsequent articles about his life, they deemed him "Sky King" as a title of respect. Beebo was loved by everyone because he was kind and gentle to each person he met. [37], Horizon Air CEO Gary Beck stated that, as far as the company knew, Russell did not have a pilot's license. I love my parents and sister this isn't your fault. . The Sky King of Sea-Tac Airport. Or that he appeared to be a happy, regular guy. Rich, you said you had 2100 pounds of fuel left? the controller responded. Thanks for contacting us. Russell had no formal training as a pilot and did not have his pilots license. [6], The aircraft was stolen from Plane Cargo 1 at the north end of SeaTac Airport[6] and maneuvered to runway 16C via taxiways. I would like to apologize to each and every one of them. I met my husband when a friend sent him over to my house to cure my hiccoughs. How I've Made $280k Selling Spreadsheets on Etsy. Ive got a lot of people that care about me. Footage of Patterson flying the plane went viral on social media and people quickly started comparing it to the 2018 Sky King incident. A 2012 article in the World described how Russell met his wife. This is a Tribute Video to the late Richard Russell, better known as the Sky King. It was recovered along with the cockpit voice recorder, authorities said Sunday, amid a streak of disintegrated debris. If he was bipolar and did that, then I dont have to worry about doing that, because Im not bipolar. That is something that they do. She posted a series of selfies showing the couple on various adventures. I was dead set against it. Their business contained a sign that read, I have loved you with an everlasting love. U.S. Airlines Are Editing Their Websites to Remove Taiwan's Name at China's Request, What America's Richest Ski Town's Handling of COVID-19 Shows. At another point, Richard Russell said, Im down to 2100; I started at like 30-something.. He played athletics in high school in Wasilla, Alaska. The majority of the memes are in celebration and memorial of Russell, while others are more trollish shitposts. Essential reporting and analysis from correspondents around the world. After Russell performed an unauthorized takeoff, two McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle . He doesnt sound confident in his ability to land back at SeaTac. Although official accounts other than through live aviation audio were hard to come by at first, many passengers took to social media to report that pilots were telling them a man had stolen a plane. Richard Russell was a suicidal airport ground services worker who stole an airplane from Sea-Tac . First, it would provide a simple explanation that makes the incomprehensible seem comprehensible. Radio banter in between, ending with the intercept audio for Rock 41 and Rock 42. suicidepreventionlifeline.org afsp.org AIRBOYD #SeaTac #ChambersBay #Q400 #Horizon. He met his wife, Hannah, in 2010 in Coos Bay, Oregon while we were both going to school, and the couple wed one year later, Russell wrote on his website. The audio between the man known as Rich and air traffic controllers further captured his demeanor. 2007-2023 He was always smiling.. Someone plucked a bag off a conveyor belt. Just kind of soaring around, he told air traffic control. Meanwhile, various tributes to Russell were uploaded to YouTube (shown below). [24] Delayed by the SteilacoomAnderson Island ferry, firefighters from West Pierce Fire and Rescue and other nearby departments arrived on the island about an hour and a half after the crash, where they then contended with the island's thick brush. [46][47], N449QX, the aircraft involved in the incident, pictured 2 months before the crash. Russell, who was a ground service employee for Horizon Air and did not have a pilots license, took the twin-engine turboprop plane from a maintenance area where it was parked at the airport. [12] His flight pattern was also shared online, with Twitter[13] user @RMaons writing, "SKY KING 2.0 ON FLIGHT RADAR, AIRCRAFT IS CALLED KING AIR LOOOL" (shown below, right). In 2018, a Horizon Air employee, Richard Russell, stole a plane with no prior flying experience, making international headlines. The general feeling was, "It is a wonder that more of us don't crack from the tedium and meaninglessness of our consumer culture." Residents of the island bore some of the cost for cleaning up, and negotiations were initiated for their reimbursement by Alaska Airlines' insurers. The plane crashed through several lines of 100-foot trees, the National Transportation Safety Board said, according to CNN. They said the family is moving forward with the difficult talk of processing our grief and asked for space to mourn. Before takeoff, the pilot explains someone stole an airplane, and is flying around near Mt. Richard Russell, a ground control agent, died after he stole the plane at Seattle-Tacoma International Airportin August 2018 and drove it into the ground of a remote island in the Puget Sound, authorities said at the time. Airport (@flySEA) August 11, 2018. Here's the full story. [37] During his communication with air traffic control, Russell made a complaint about wages, stating: "Minimum wage, we'll chalk it up to that. The perpetrator, 29-year-old Richard Russell, was a Horizon Air ground service agent with no piloting experience. Rainier. "[43] Some co-workers said that Russell had probably trained himself to fly using amateur flight simulation software. The plane started moving, but Russell jumped in the plane and took off. Others saw his opinions on certain topics as based. [20], On April 14, 2022, the FBI released 500 pages of previously classified documents related to the investigation. He went sightseeing along the Olympic mountain range. On August 10, 2018, a Horizon Air Bombardier Q400 was stolen from SeattleTacoma International Airport (SeaTac) in Seattle, Washington. I dont want to hurt no one. Hannah and Beebo met at a Campus Crusade for Christ gathering at Southwestern Oregon Community College last year, the site reported. The man, known as Rich in air traffic control audio and dubbed the sky king on Twitter, broke hearts on social media as people followed the unauthorized flight before it came to a fatal end. In one blog, he describedaspirations to land a management job or join the military. Today marks the third anniversary of the poetic death of Richard Russell, dubbed "Sky King," the young man who took an airplane for a glorious final flight. Seattle ground Horizon guy. Will many of us have a better story to tell when we get to wherever were going, one Reddit user saidin a thread. Russells family released a statement to the news media expressing great shock and remembering Russell for his compassion. My logo draft will be a generic suit case with minimalistic travel stickers, encircled by the text: Russell Hustle. They are grounding all planes and waiting. Family Left Heartbroken After Airline Worker Steals and Crashes Plane. [45] The aircraft was worth $30million, all of which was paid under the company's insurance policy "with no deductibles. Mona Lazar. The incident aircraft was a Bombardier Q400, owned by Horizon Air (and operating for Alaska Airlines) with the registration N449QX[2][3][4] and serial number 4410. I usually have to work outsidebut it allows me to do some pretty cool things too.. He was married and completing a bachelors degree. Beebos intent was not to harm anyone, and he was right in saying that there are so many people who loved him, Mathews said. Its gonna be crazy, he tells traffic control, according to the video provided to local Seattle news outlet KOIN. The perpetrator, 29-year-old Richard Russell, was a Horizon Air ground service agent with no piloting experience. Then, it segues into a montage of photos from Russells trips to Alaska, France, Ireland, and other places before ending with a scene from a family gathering. Stay tuned., Another indicated, Seatac airspace closed. RIP Rich. Then, about an hour after he took off, Russell plunged into sparsely populated Ketron Island 25 miles southwest of the airport, sparking an intense fire. 2:18. I just want you to whisper sweet nothings into my ear, said Rich, who claimed he could fly the plane because he played video games. [5], On September 3rd, 2022, it was reported that a 10-year Tupelo Aviation employee, Cory Wayne Patterson, stole a twin-engine plane from the Tupelo Regional Airport. Before he took off, several people at the airport questioned what was going on. Magazines, stole a plane at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Or create a free account to access more articles, 'Beebo Was Loved By Everyone.' [1][7][8][9] In response, two McDonnell Douglas F-15C Eagles of the Oregon Air National Guard's 142nd Fighter Wing under the command of NORAD[10] were scrambled at around 20:15 local time[11] from Portland Air National Guard Base to intercept it. Theres something wrong with all of us. Horizon Q4 prop hijacked by unauthorized person not a pilot. He carried with him a CB radio, sandwiches, beer, and a camera. The FBI is investigating the stunning heist, which has raised concerns about the security of commercial aircraft and mental health issues among airline workers nearly 17 years after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. A week after Richard Russell stole a Horizon plane from Sea-Tac Airport and crashed it on Ketron Island, there are few hints about why he did it or how he was able to fly the aircraft. Reviewed by Ekua Hagan. More information as we learn more. On October 6, 1993, now aged 44, he hiked into the Angeles National Forest and died by self-inflicted gunshot. He was very, very friendly automatically willing to bring everyone in, Hannah Holmes, who also participates in Young Life, told The Seattle Times. Hearing a diagnosis would comfort them somehow. More recently, he listed his occupation as operations agent for Horizon Air at Sea-Tac since April 2018. Happening right now. Privacy, Richard Russell Who Stole Plane Near Seattle Raises Troubling Security Questions, Richard Russell Details emerge of a compassionate man after Seattle plane heist and fiery crash, Richard Russell pilot of stolen Horizon Air plane had lighthearted tone before deadly crash, Pilot arrested after threatening to crash plane into Mississippi Walmart and eventually landing in a field, police say, Pilot threatening to crash hijacked plane into Walmart in Tupelo, Mississippi. Apparently someone stole a plane from SeaTac? The hardest part of stealing a commercial plane from an international airport was already over for Richard Russell. Sea-Tac airport confirmed the plane was down a short time later. Ah, minimum wage. Human remains were recovered from the site, the FBI said Sunday, and Russell is presumed dead in the crash. According to suicide prevention expert, Dr. Christine Moutier, middle-aged White men account for 70% of deaths from suicide each year. Posted Sep 24, 2018. His conversation and tone is very casual. Legal Information: Know Your Meme is a trademark of Literally Media Ltd. By using this site, you are agreeing by the site's terms of use and privacy policy and DMCA policy. Im in the air right now. 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, where it was chased by fighter planes as he attempted stunts in the air before the plane crashed. Maybe that will grease the gears a little bit with the higher-ups, he said at another point. RIP to the SkyKing. Phone scammers tried to rob a grandma in Canada. A moniker quickly took hold, echoed by others. The incident spawned numerous image macros, photoshops and fan arts on 4chan . Authorities said Russell was suicidal. I dont need that much help; Ive played some video games before, he told the controllers trying to help him. I had this dream for 20 years, and if I hadnt done it, I think I would have ended up in the funny farm. That is an example of what we clinicians call good insight.. [18] After the incident, Joel Monteith, a pilot for SkyWest Airlines, relayed to an emergency dispatcher that in 2017, he saw Russell and another man "pointing and flipping switches" in the cockpit of a SkyWest aircraft parked at SeaTac Airport. This is not a terrorist incident. I hope they can make it through this. He said that airline employees go through background checks. He and his wife Hannah started a bakery in Oregon in their early 20s, according to a 2012 story in a local paperthat depicted a happy, determined couple. He left no children. Alaska Airlines (@AlaskaAir) August 11, 2018, People posted photos and videos to Twitter of a plume of smoke and possible crash site. Newly released CCTV footage captures the harrowing moment a Washington state airport employee stole an Alaska Airlines plane and took it for a joyride before fatally crashing it. An airline employee conducted an unauthorized takeoff without passengers at Sea-Tac; aircraft has crashed in south Puget Sound. To download the mp3, right-click here and choose "save link as" or "save target as." Around 9 PM Pacific Time on August 10th, 2018, a 29-year-old man named Richard Russell, stole a Q400 airplane from Seattle Tacoma International Airport and went for a joyride [] Richard Russell had a website that appeared to have been for a college communications class. He and his wife had owned a bakery in Oregon but sold it to move closer to her family. Public acts of violence such as mass shootings often reflect the perpetrators troubled, dark past. I don't want to. The wife of an airline employee who hijacked a plane in Seattle had recorded their seven happy years of marriage on Instagram, calling him 'the man who keeps me laughing'.. Richard Russell has . And part of his job was to drive the tractor that backed the aircraft into position for takeoff. On September 3rd, CNN reported that an airport worker named Cory Wayne Patterson had stolen a twin-engine plane from Tupelo Aviation and was threatening to crash it into a Mississippi Walmart. [4] It landed at SeattleTacoma International Airport at 13:35 local time the afternoon of the incident, after an in-service flight from Victoria, British Columbia. Oh, a purple one! Russell exclaimed. The final descent at Ketron Island was determined to be intentional, and suicide was listed as the manner of death. The Russell family released a statement Saturday evening, saying they were stunned and heartbroken over the incident and the loss of aman they called Beebo. Richard "Beebo" Russell grew up in Alaska, but moved around and got married before he ended his life in Washington when he stole a passenger airplane and crashed it on a Puget Sound island. "Sky King" is a nickname given to 29-year-old ground service operator Richard Russell after he stole a Horizon Air Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 airliner from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac) and died after crashing on Ketron Island in Puget Sound. ?, One woman wrote on Twitter, he has stolen a big Horizon turbo prop. Russell wrote that he was pursuing his Bachelor of Social Sciences and hoped to work his way up to a management position at Horizon Air or to join the military or law enforcement. He worked at the airline for more than three years, authorities said. He sounds just like anyone else would if they suddenly found themselves in a similar situation. Just a broken guy, got a few screws loose I guess. KINGs Madison Wade reports. (@luketadams) August 11, 2018. The federal agencies will lead the investigation. [10] According to reports, Patterson called 911 from the plane and threatened to crash it into a Mississippi Walmart. Confirmed info .. this is a single suicide male. I wouldn't want to do that. Psychology Today 2023 Sussex Publishers, LLC, Psychology and the Mystery of the "Poisoned" Schoolgirls. The crisis has engulfed the West as a whole. Hijacker does not know how to land the plane. Weird times. The individual did use a pushback tractor to rotate the aircraft 180 degrees so he could then taxi the aircraft, Pohl said at the news conference Saturday. "[22], The two F-15s attempted to direct the aircraft toward the Pacific Ocean, and did not fire at it. In a final video that he posted to YouTube, Rich Russell showed an active life full of travel and adventure. A black family confronts a 70-year-old killing and a white mans exoneration, A Horizon Air employee described as suicidal stole an empty plane at Seattles airport and crashed it into a nearby island on Aug. 10. This dives into the psychology and reason of why he Hi-jacked a plane and then crashed into his death. It may seem difficult for those watching at home to believe, but Beebo was a warm, compassionate man. Quite a scary experience. To the consternation of friends gathered to witness the launch, he quickly ascended out of sight and climbed to an altitude of 16,000 feet. Russell was active in his local community, serving as a leader at Young Life, a Christian youth ministry. Russell said to dispatchers, You think if I can land this successfully, Alaska will give me a job as a pilot? and the Air Traffic Control tower said, I think they will give you a job doing anything if you pull this off. He replied, according to some sites, Yeah right! Perhaps the least we should do in the wake of such tragedies is to reflect upon the words attributed to Philo of Alexandria: Be kind, for everyone you meet is in the midst of a great struggle.. After taking off, an air traffic controller said, He needs some help controlling his aircraft. Russell responded: Nah, I mean, I dont need that much help. It is impossible to encompass who he was in a press release. This is a complete shock to us. A pair of F-15C jets were scrambled in response to Russells flight before he crashed one hour and 15 minutes after takeoff. Russell told air traffic controllers that he was a broken guy with a few screws loose, but also that he wanted to avoid injuring innocent people. He was a quiet and well-liked young man who was active in his church. Third, and perhaps most importantly, psychiatric diagnoses provide listeners with psychological distance from the victim. Well chalk it up to that. A football teammate suggested his mental instability had been caused by undiagnosed chronic traumatic encephalopathy that may have come from repeated concussions. Holy smokes, Ive got to stop looking at the fuel because its going down quick.. He did a barrel roll in a stolen plane and went out in a blaze of glory. After listening many times to the recordings, I found his voice - alternately warm, scared, and funny - to . The episode has also suggested that Russell was more complicated than the easygoing persona of his known online footprint. On July 2, 1982, a . Men in the UK, aged 20 to 49, are more likely to die from . Damnit Andrew, peoples lives are at stake here, Rich said at one point in the audio, which you can listen to later in this article. On social media, Richard Russell quickly became something of a folk hero, but people also felt sadness and empathy for his pain and his plight. "Nah, I'm a white guy." On August 10th, 2018, a service agent for Horizon Air named Richard "Beebo" Russell used his position to steal a Horizon Air Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 airliner from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. [33], On November 9, the FBI stated that it had completed its investigation. You can listen to more archived aviation audio on the incident here, some of which captures the mans voice: READ NEXT: TikTok Influencers Son Murdered at Gas Station. The incident resulted in Russell losing his life when he crashed on Ketron Island in Puget Sound, but people on sites like 4chan refused to let his story end there. I think I might mess something up there, too. [31][32] On August 12, the FBI said that it had recovered the flight data recorder along with components of the cockpit voice recorder. [9], On August 11th, 2018, journalist Jimmy Tomson tweeted out a series of audio clips in which Russell can be heard talking to an air traffic controller (shown below).[3]. I met Hannah in Coos Bay, Oregon in 2010 while we were both going to school, the about me section says. Old Medication, New Use: Can Prazosin Curb Drinking? [39] He attended Wasilla High School, where he wrestled and competed in track and field. He gradually drifted into controlled airspace near Los Angeles International Airport, causing some alarm both to the authorities and to the pilots of at least two commercial jets. On Instagram, Hannah Russell posted recent photos with Rich. In this season of life we enjoy exploring as much as possible, whether its a day (or so) trip to one of Alaska Airlines destinations, or visiting a new area of Washington, Russell wrote about himself and his wife online. Without Him we would be hopeless. About to take off. Yeah I dont know what the burnageis like on a takeoff but yeah. Together, they started a bakery in North Bend, Oregon. The flight data recorder may show how well Russell managed the aircrafts myriad functions. You have reached your limit of 4 free articles. Richard Russell had a website that appears to have been for a college communications class. He flew around as an air traffic controller calmly tried to reason with him. Hey, I found myself in a predicament. We consider ourselves bakery connoisseurs and have to try a new one every place we go. Even the small sections, most of it doesnt resemble a plane.. Audio released of Russells conversation with an air traffic controller suggests that he was struggling with mental health issues, but his motive for stealing the plane remains unclear. SeaTac air traffic control made radio contact with Russell, the sole occupant, who described himself as a "broken guy, got a few screws loose, I guess." Nine-tenths of them are from a lower socioeconomic class. But he mentioned video games during his recorded conversation with air traffic control, which some have taken as a reference to flight simulator software. I feel really bad for Richard and for his family. Acted alone he is 29 year old Pierce county residence. Im going to disappoint them to hear that I did this. [5] Seattle Tower tried several times to get the pilot of the aircraft to identify himself on frequency, but received no response. To be honest with you, commercial aircraft are complex machines. He somehow managed to execute a barrel roll and a few other aerobatic maneuvers before crashing the aircraft onto a sparsely populated island, killing only himself. Im going to disappoint them to hear that I did this. Audio captured emotional conversations between the man, named as Rich, and air traffic controllers trying to help him land safely. I will build you up again and you will be rebuilt. In the article, Russell described himself as laid back and easy going. After five hours, he arrived in a tow vehicle near the plane. The man, known as Rich in air traffic control audio and dubbed the sky king on Twitter, broke hearts on social media as people followed the unauthorized flight before it came to a fatal end. Richard Russell, a ground control agent, died after he stole the plane at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in August 2018 and drove it into the ground of a remote island in the Puget Sound .