The man could be heard on audio recordings telling air traffic controllers that he is "just a broken guy." 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. Richard Russell, 29, walks through employee security screening at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. It wasn't immediately clear what training, if any, Russell had in flying planes. 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. After proceeding through the pre-flight checklist and moving the pushback tractor, Mr Russell began rolling the plane toward a runway. 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. 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. An air traffic controller called him "Rich," and tried to convince him to land the airplane. He first can be seen wandering through security, and is spotted again later on the tarmac. "NORAD fighters did not fire upon the aircraft," North American Aerospace Defense Command said Saturday morning in a news release. Cooper? 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. Maybe that will grease some gears with the higher up, Russell said to air traffic controllers. A Russian Air Force engineer made off with an Antonov An-26 transport plane from Kubinka Air Force Base near Moscow. In the footage, Mr Russell can be seen calmly moving through the airport wearing a black shirt. "I always felt bad for the guys and gals who handled luggage. In fact, there have been a number of occurrences in recent decades in which ground personnel made off with aircraft. Like a lot of bags. 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. "Seattle Ground, Horizon Guy. 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. His 75-minute flight during the golden twilight took him south and west, toward the Olympic Mountains. Marine Corps lance corporal Howard A. Foote, Jr. stole an A-4M Skyhawk ground attack jet from Marine Corps Air Station El Toro and took it on a 45-minute aerobatic joyride before returning to base and landing safely. If you miss out on Thursday, no worries! "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. 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. Music from Green Day, Michael Jackson, Queen, Billy Joel, Tom Petty, Madonna, Pearl Jam, Fleetwood Mac, and more! July 4, 1986. 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. The King County medical examiner ruled his death a suicide. Photos show first responders that night sleeping outside on the ground. "I lift a lot of bags. 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. Russell took the Q400 from a cargo area at the north end of Sea-Tac Airport on August 10. Russell was credentialed to be in secure areas at the airport, said Brad Tilden, CEO of Alaska Air Group, which owns Horizon Air. Airports nationwide will now look at whether their security procedures need to change, CNN safety analyst David Soucie said. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. 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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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 . 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. He was immediately killed. Moore stole (or stole and crashed) multiple airplanes, multiple boats, dozens of cars, etc. Lastly, we've been reporting a lot only on the most famous case of suspected pilot suicide, Malaysian Airlines Flight 370, and this weekend's tragedy bears at least a few similarities. Also see | 'I was blown away': Stepbrother of man who stole plane speaks out. 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. A ground service agent's tasks don't involve touching planes' controls, CNN aviation analyst Mary Schiavo said. 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. 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 . strangest, scariest, most bizarre events of 2018. Now let's land that airplane safely and don't hurt anybody on the ground," the helping pilot radios. The worker performed several aerial stunts in the stolen aircraft before ultimately crashing on Ketron Island. 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. 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. I've played some video games before," Russell responds. Discovery Company. In the footage, Mr Russell can be seen calmly moving through the airport wearing a black shirt that says "The Sky's No Limit." The perpetrator, 29-year-old Richard Russell, was a Horizon Air ground service agent with no piloting experience. Its the first time that weve had a commercial aircraft stolen off the ramp of an active airport, Steven Armstrong, vice director of operations for the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), told Rolling Stone. Weve got the Weekend Ticket Takeover! 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. A curious and ultimately tragic story from 2018 finally has a little more context, thanks to security camera footage. Investigators "did not identify any information that would suggest the theft of the aircraft was related to wider criminal activity or terrorist ideology," according to a summary of the FBI report. The plane eventually crashed on sparsely populated Ketron Island, starting a fire in the woods but injuring no one outside the plane. By Louis Lucero II and Melissa Gomez. "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.". "I thought they were practicing for an air show," he said. John Waldron was walking along a trail near the bay when he noticed the two military jets following a plane doing aerobatics. The man has been identified as Richard Russell, a law enforcement official familiar with the investigation confirmed to CNN on Saturday night. 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. 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. Earlier in the flight, Russell says: "This is probably, like, jail time for life, huh? "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.". President Donald Trump was briefed on the incident and is monitoring the situation, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said Saturday morning. I don't want to. How was a man able to steal and pilot a plane? "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. 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. We may earn a commission from links on this page. He flew until the plane ran out of fuel and died in the ensuing crash. 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In a statement, the family says Richard Russell, whose nickname was "Beebo," was warm, kind and gentle. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. An FBI investigation found Alaska Airlines ramp employee Richard Russell intentionally crashed the aircraft after flying for more than an hour. He also told the controller he "wasn't really planning on landing" the aircraft, and he described himself as "just a broken guy.". The agency says the 28-year-old's loved ones hosted an intervention for him, who "seemed fine" besides increased drinking. On board was 29-year-old Richard Russell, a baggage handler for Horizon Air who is also flying the plane for unknown reason. Russell had no piloting experience, but he managed . / CBS/AP. Authorities sent fighter jets to escort him, and the controller repeatedly tried to direct him to runways. 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? 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. 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. Enter for your chance to win a visit to the Disneyland Resort with 96.5 JACK FM! Nearby co-workers weren't even aware of Russell's actions, which happened six hours into his shift, according to reporters. Even with this new footage at hand, its hard to figure out what made Russell embark on this brazen, fatal adventure. 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. 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! 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. He had no purpose to be at that plane Friday evening "other than what he did do," Tilden said. Win Your Trip to Our 2023 iHeartRadio Music Awards! 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. Jeff Wise is a New York-based science journalist specializing in aviation and psychology. 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. Newly released video shows the fiery scene firefighters encountered after an airplane stolen from Sea-Tac Airport crashed on Ketron Island. He was in the air for about an hour. "He was a quiet guy," Rick Christenson, an operational supervisor with the airline who retired in Maytold The Seattle Times. the moments leading up to an airport worker crashing a stolen airplane, FBI released more information about Russell and the incident, employees and family didn't notice anything wrong, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Join the Celebration of a Lifetime! 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. SeaTac's tower began asking who was piloting the airplane, which culminated in the first of Mr Russell's exchanges with control that day. Also see | Cockpit audio from worker who stole empty plane from Sea-Tac Airport. The plane had been parked in a maintenance area and was not scheduled for a passenger flight, Tilden said. 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. Officials don't believe Russell had a pilot's license, and they don't know how he knew to fly the plane. "If you're going to access the aircraft you make sure that you check with someone else, and that someone else (will confirm) that you have the right authority to get onto that aircraft.". This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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. Nearby co-workers weren't even aware of Russell's actions, which happened six hours into his shift, according to reporters. The black boxes are now being sent to the National Transportation Safety Board for processing. Richard Russell died in Friday's plane crash. 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. Kathleen Reichel said she watched the planes pass by for about two minutes. 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. He passed a series of background checks to gain his position, as he didn't have any criminal convictions. The rest of Mr Russell's time in the air was well documented, thanks to his regular contact with SeaTac's tower. So many bags," he said. Other pilots and SeaTac's tower exchange information about Mr Russell as they quickly realise that something unusual is going on. Please enter valid email address to continue. There were no passengers aboard. During an exchange with air traffic controllers, Russell mentioned he had some experience using flight simulator software. "Never really knew it till now," he said. 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 jets' capability was appropriate to the potential task, one of the sources said, without offering details. 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. "Nah, I mean, I don't need that much help. 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. .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. (AFP/Getty Images) Russell, 29, flew the plane for 75 . Padilla and an a recently hired assistant boarded the plane, taxied it to the runway, took off, and head out over the Atlantic Ocean. Win Tickets to KISS at Climate Pledge Arena on November 6, 2023. F-15 fighter jets scrambled to intercept the Q400, which ultimately crashed into Ketron Island, about 30 miles from the airport. All Rights Reserved. Lee Callahan in the morning, and the No Repeat Workday while you work! 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. ", "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. Meyer had recently been passed over for promotion and had been arrested for drunk and disorderly conduct. But the plane slammed into tiny Ketron Island, a sparsely populated island southwest of Tacoma. 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. The cause of the crash wasn't immediately known, but the F-15s did not bring the plane down, Eckrote said.
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