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. "He was getting really stressed about the financial situation he was in. appreciated. 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. He later stole the plane and eventually crashed it into an island in Puget Sound. 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. A video made by Richard Russell, the man who just stole a plane. 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 . "NORAD fighters did not fire upon the aircraft," North American Aerospace Defense Command said Saturday morning in a news release. 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. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. What happened from then, left a. 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? Chilling CCTV footage shows Richard Russell stealing plane - HITC I don't need that much help. I don't want to. Sky King (RE-POST with new footage) || The Day an Airline Employee He also told the controller he "wasn't really planning on landing" the aircraft, and he described himself as "just a broken guy.". Aug. 12, 2018. 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. Discovery Company. he joked. "Congratulations. In the footage, Mr Russell can be seen calmly moving through the airport wearing a black shirt. 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. Richard Russell: quiet, well-liked Seattle airport worker who stole a plane Indeed, in transcripts of his conversation with air-traffic control as he zig-zags the stolen plane through the airspace above the 15th-largest city in the U.S. (some of which can be heard in the video above), Russells demeanor goes from awestruck, to giddy, to fearful, to guilty, as he seems to process in real-time the weight of what hes done, and the unlikelihood that hell survive. Remains of airline worker who stole, crashed plane found on island in "I would like to apologize to each and every one of them. Relatives of Richard Russell say they are "stunned and heartbroken" after the airline worker stole a passenger plane Friday from the Seattle-Tacoma . In a final video project set to cheery music, Russell included selfies from airport . Airports nationwide will now look at whether their security procedures need to change, CNN safety analyst David Soucie said. Please enter valid email address to continue. 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. 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. 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. video Plane crashes near Seattle airport. You did that. His 75-minute flight during the golden twilight took him south and west, toward the Olympic Mountains. The tower alerted the Portland Air National Guard base, which dispatched a group of US Air Force F-15s to intercept the rouge aircraft. An FBI investigation found Alaska Airlines ramp employee Richard Russell intentionally crashed the aircraft after flying for more than an hour. 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. 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 was killed in the crash. What was the richard russell plane crash story all about. "Seattle Ground, Horizon Guy. Jason Silverstein contributed to this report. 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. "He worked his shift yesterday, we believe he was in uniform, his job is to be around airplanes," said Brad Tilden, CEO of Alaska Air Group, which owns Horizon Air. 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. 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. "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. New Video Shows Man Stealing Horizon Air Plane In 2018 Incident 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. "Never really knew it till now," he said. I don't know, man! He had no purpose to be at that plane Friday evening "other than what he did do," Tilden said. I feel really bad for Richard and for his family. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Russell, who was a ground services employee for Horizon Air, sat in the plane's cockpit for nearly an hour and a half before the unauthorized takeoff. Neither the men nor the plane has ever been seen again. Richard Russell said he didn't need much help: 'I've played some video After Russell talked periodically with air traffic controllers for about an hour, the plane crashed at Ketron Island,officials said. The Q400 is a turboprop aircraft with 76 seats. . 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. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much 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. After Russell performed an unauthorized takeoff, two McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle fighters were scrambled to intercept the aircraft. He is the author of The Plane That Wasn't There: Why We Haven't Found MH370. 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. strangest, scariest, most bizarre events of 2018. 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? 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. "Oh man. Colton Harris Moore only got 6 years for stealing a plane and crashing it. Later, a controller discusses getting a pilot on the radio to help Russell control the aircraft. Other pilots and SeaTac's tower exchange information about Mr Russell as they quickly realise that something unusual is going on. The sheriff's department described Russell as suicidal. 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,. Music from Green Day, Michael Jackson, Queen, Billy Joel, Tom Petty, Madonna, Pearl Jam, Fleetwood Mac, and more! Each Thursday Ticket Takeover we giveaway prizes all day for different concerts, events, and more! The plane was a Q400, a Bombardier turboprop plane, one of about 40 the airline has in its fleet. "We are devastated by these events, and Jesus is truly the only one holding this family together right now. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Russell was credentialed to be in secure areas at the airport, said Brad Tilden, CEO of Alaska Air Group, which owns Horizon Air. The perpetrator, 29-year-old Richard Russell, was a Horizon Air ground service agent with no piloting experience. Authorities sent fighter jets to escort him, and the controller repeatedly tried to direct him to runways. Authorities said Russell did not have a pilot's license. The plane was a Bombardier Q400, a turboprop that seats 76 people, owned by Horizon Air, part of Alaska Airlines. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. Richard Russell, 'Rich': 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know New video of 2018 Horizon Air plane heist at Sea-Tac | king5.com Russell flew the plane for over an hour before crashing. ", The statement said Russell, 29, was "a faithful husband, a loving son and a good friend. Join the Celebration of a Lifetime! Investigators on Saturday were trying to retrieve the plane's flight data recorder and its cockpit voice recorder. Richard Russell said he didn't need much help: 'I've played some video In the footage, Mr Russell can be seen calmly moving through the airport wearing a black shirt that says "The Sky's No Limit." and last updated 2018-08-12 08:56:01-04. He complimented the controller: "You are very calm, collect, poised," he said. Just a broken guy, got a few screws loose, I guess. The black boxes are now being sent to the National Transportation Safety Board for processing. I hope they can make it through this.". Im coming home! But it was not to be. 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 Foote served four and a half months in the brig and later went on to become a test pilot in civilian life. They say says this is a complete shock. 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? While searching the crash site, investigators also located human remains among the aircraft materials. The footage shows him going through security wearing a T-shirt. The agency said that, had Mr Russell wanted, he could have recovered from the dive. Please dont hesitate to utilize this resource. Please enter valid email address to continue. I mean, I would hope it is, for a guy like me. Jeff Wise is a New York-based science journalist specializing in aviation and psychology. It was empty, parked at a Seattle-Tacoma International Airport cargo and . Air traffic control became suspicious of Mr Russell after he cut in the line for takeoff. 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. / CBS/AP. Ultimately the FBI determined that Mr Russell intentionally brought the airplane into a dive onto a small island in Puget Sound, where he died. 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 . 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. 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. "I lift a lot of bags. Copyright 2018 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. The incident came about when a 29-year-old man stole an aircraft from Seattle-Tacoma International airport in August 2018. "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. Later that day he stole an Alaska Air turboprop aircraft and crashed it into a remote island in Puget Sound. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Tragic as Russell's death was, he could have inflicted vastly more damage had he been so inclined. He was immediately killed. video Plane crashes near Seattle airport. New video shows crash site of stolen plane | CNN (AFP/Getty Images) Russell, 29, flew the plane for 75 . Russell repeatedly says he would do a roll. So many bags," he said. We may earn a commission from links on this page. Also see | Stolen plane narrowly missed family inside Ketron Island cabin. Man who took Horizon Air plane from Sea-Tac Airport was quiet, well That's just not safe.". Meyer had recently been passed over for promotion and had been arrested for drunk and disorderly conduct. If you miss out on Thursday, no worries! While in the air, Meyer, whod been married eight weeks before, called his wife and said, Guess what? This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Never really knew it until now.". By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. Also see | 'I was blown away': Stepbrother of man who stole plane speaks out. 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. "Russell had a few unexcused absences, but nothing considered significant.". Author: Elisa Hahn Published: 11/14/2018 5:51:22 PM 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 hour and 45 minutes into the flight, Meyer crashed into the English Channel. The jets' capability was appropriate to the potential task, one of the sources said, without offering details. 2023 Cox Media Group. Richard Russell, who stole plane from Sea-Tac, acted alone, crashed on 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. When Rolling Stone published its article last year, no major regulatory or security changes had been implemented in response to Russells deadly flight. Videos Show Richard Russell's Final Moments Before Shocking Plane Crash July 13, 1994. The FBI also said it found human remains among the wreckage. "My husband and I are recently former Boeing employees, and we were wondering why a jet was near the passenger airplane," she said. 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. "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. In a humorous YouTube video he posted last year, he talked about his job and included videos and photos of his various travels. 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. 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. Padilla and an a recently hired assistant boarded the plane, taxied it to the runway, took off, and head out over the Atlantic Ocean. It was a strange day when Horizon Airlines Employee Richard "Beebo" Russell stole a plane in the middle of his working shift. He said flying was a "blast" and that he didn't need much help: "I've played some video games before.". Family and friends try to reconcile Richard Russell's action with the Nearby co-workers weren't even aware of Russell's actions, which happened six hours into his shift, according to reporters. 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. A curious and ultimately tragic story from 2018 finally has a little more context, thanks to security camera footage. That includes both domestic and international flights. 4.3M views 7 months ago A newly released video sheds new light on the moments leading up to Richard Russell crashing a plane. 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. "There is a protocol to not allow anyone singularly to get onboard an aircraft," Soucie 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. Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. No one noticed the plane had disappeared until Mr Russell was in the air. He's worked at Horizon longer than I did, and he still wasn't making $15 an hour, Reeves said. Nah, Im a white guy..

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.

. "You think if I land this successfully, Alaska will give me a job as a pilot?" 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. That includes both domestic and international flights. 2. 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. 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. A Russian Air Force engineer made off with an Antonov An-26 transport plane from Kubinka Air Force Base near Moscow. He was right in saying that there are so many people who have loved him.". 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. 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. After the plane approached Ketron Island, Waldron saw a thick column of smoke followed by a loud explosion, he 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. Playing What We Want In Seattle! The NTSB is now processing the equipment. While investigators concluded Russell intentionally crash the plane, his motive still remains a mystery. 7 months ago. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. The FBI will lead the investigation, said Eckrote, the NTSB regional chief. . 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. 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 Associated Press contributed to this report. 2023 Cable News Network. among other things. We may earn commission if you buy from a link. FBI recovers flight recorder, Richard Russell's remains from stolen 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. 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. Even with this new footage at hand, its hard to figure out what made Russell embark on this brazen, fatal adventure. By Jeff Wise Published: Aug 13, 2018 JASON REDMOND // Getty Images Russell was recorded having multiple conversations with air traffic controllers who were trying to talk him into landing. Richard Russell died in Friday's plane crash. The Associated Press contributed to this report. 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I've played some video games before," Russell responds. John Waldron was walking along a trail near the bay when he noticed the two military jets following a plane doing aerobatics. 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. Also see | Cockpit audio from worker who stole empty plane from Sea-Tac Airport. "This is a complete shock to us," the family said in a statement Saturday night. Russell, 29 is presumed dead. Like a lot of bags. Having to rely on the ferry system for transport, the first 40 responding firefighters stayed at the scene throughout the night. 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. Russell was "tow certified" and had full security access, and had been with the company for three and a half years, CBS News' Jamie Yuccas reports. Richard Russell Plane Crash Video From Seattle | Heavy.com August 22, 1979. 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. Win Tickets to KISS at Climate Pledge Arena on November 6, 2023. F-15 "pilots kept plane out of harms way and people on ground safe," the sheriff's office tweeted. 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. August 13, 2018 / 5:34 AM CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. 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. Richard Russell: Authorities don't believe man who stole Dash-8 Q400 Cooper? By Louis Lucero II and Melissa Gomez. They pursued the aircraft before it went down on Ketron Island, between Tacoma and Olympia. 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. The worker performed several aerial stunts in the stolen aircraft before ultimately crashing on Ketron Island. Russell echoed those claims in his last conversation with air traffic control. The man has been identified as Richard Russell, a law enforcement official familiar with the investigation confirmed to CNN on Saturday night.