Russells family has declined to comment beyond a statement issued the day after the crash. The Port of Seattle released the video. He said he met "Hannah" in Coos Bay . Former co-workers describe a quiet, friendly guy who read a lot and liked the free travel perks that came with working for an airline. As the voice recordings show, Beebos intent was not to harm anyone and he was right in saying that there are so many people who love him.. Richard Hanson - Senior Software Engineer - Discord | LinkedIn Tue 12 July 2022 11:09, UK. It wouldnt be appropriate to speculate on his motives.. Minimum wage, well chalk it up to that, Russell said on the flight radio to air traffic controllers. It may seem difficult for those watching at home to believe, but Beebo was a warm, compassionate man, the statement read. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, Richard Russell, who stole an empty plane from Seattle Airport, took off and and crashed into a small island, Russell, pictured with wife Hannah, told air traffic controllers he was a 'broken man' in a chilling final conversation, Airport worker hijacks empty Alaska Airlines plane from Seattle Airport and crashes onto island after being followed by F-15 fighter jets. Its going to disappoint them to hear that I did this just a broken guy, got a few screws loose, I guess.". 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. Russell, a ground services worker for Horizon Air, was permitted to get very . 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. Latest update from tower indicates no interest on his part to land the plane. "Oh man. Our first date, he kind of cornered me into it, Hannah Russell said to the site. SEATTLE The story is as bizarre as it is tragic: An airline worker who had no business being in a cockpit somehow took off from a major airport in a turboprop passenger plane, dipped and soared in the skies above the Seattle area, and then crashed into an island on Puget Sound. SeaTac airport., Morgan Chesky, a reporter for KOMO News, wrote, Per JBLM source: After being contacted by F-15s, stolen plane began to nose dive, crashing in north Pierce County., NTSB investigator Debra Eckrote held a Saturday morning press conference, the day after the crash, and indicated that investigators are trying to determine what his process was and where the aircraft was going. She identified Rich as ground support so, you know, they have access to aircraft, and described it as lucky that the plane crashed on a very underpopulated island.. I think Im gonna try to do a barrel roll, and if that goes good, Im just gonna nose down and call it a night.. Russell also mentions his job at Horizon in the blog. 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. Here's what we know about the man who joked with air traffic controllers before he brought the jet down. Powered by. bit.ly/subAIRBOYD Various scanner recordings from liveatc.net and broadcastify.com SEA Ground, Tower, Departure/Approach. He wanted to help out his family the best he could by, A, making money and then, B, so his mom and family could travel around, Fan said. KINGs Madison Wade reports. Stay tuned., Another indicated, Seatac airspace closed. He also included photos of his wedding and traveling he'd done in the mountains and other sites he'd seen, including some ancient ruins. Authorities say he was suicidal. It was all over in about an hour. I just dont understand.. Pilots kept plane out of harms way and people on ground safe. As an airline employee, he wrote: Im able to fly at my leisure. Russell captured some of his travels to France, Mexico and across the United States in a video uploaded to YouTube in December. An airline employee stole an empty plane that he eventually crashed into an island near Seattle's Sea-Tac airport. 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. Audio from the SeaTac tower reported that aircraft were lined up on the tarmac at one point. Sea-Tac airport confirmed the plane was down a short time later. Mr. Russell and his wife were active church members, Mr. Orr said, so he doesnt really fit the bill of someone who would steal an airplane., Funniest person in the room, he added. I sure married a nice pair of calves! she joked with a photo of the couple. Richard Russell, who dreamed of being in the military and once ran a bakery with his wife, was identified as the suicidal airport ground services worker who stole an airplane from Sea-Tac International Airport 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. More: How did an airline worker manage to steal a commercial aircraft? The plane didn't require a key, but it did require buttons and switches to be activated in a particular order. In recordings of Mr. Russells remarkable conversation with air traffic controllers, he speaks admiringly of the Olympic Mountains at sunset, complains of lightheadedness and muses about potential prison time if he were to land the plane safely. However, late in the evening of August 10, 2018, tower audio indicated that some planes were being released. Russell said on the aviation audio, This is probably jail time for life, huh? Weird times. On August 10, 2018, a Horizon ground operations employee by the name of Richard Bryan Russell Jr., stole a $32,000,000 Horizon Q400 airplane, N449QX, from t. #seatac., A woman named Robanne Stading wrote on Twitter, #seatac airport is on a ground halt because evidently a mechanic is flying an unauthorized flightseeing trip around the mtns. You had people up working in the restaurants, everybody else at the airport made $15.. Its a complaint that Russell himself echoed in social-media postings, noting the dichotomy between a grueling, low-paying job and the globe-trotting trips that the job let him take. Russells dramatic theft and crash prompted increased security checks at Sea-Tac and calls for a nationwide review of security measures. \"Most importantly,\" he said in a voice over about his job, \"I get to visit those I love most. They said it's clear Russell didn't intend to harm anyone, and "he was right in saying that there are so many people who loved him. The couple ran a bakery for three years before pulling up stakes and heading to the Seattle suburb of Sumner to be closer to Russells in-laws. Ah, Rich, dont say stuff like that, the controller said. I enjoy the flexibility of the schedule and the flight benefits, one co-worker told Russell. He is believed to have died when the plane crashed into Ketron Island, about 30 miles south of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, setting off a large forest fire. We are devastated by these events, and Jesus is truly the only one holding this family together right now., It added Russell was a faithful husband, a loving son and a good friend., News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. Im in the air right now. pic.twitter.com/Ra4LcIhwfU. 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. "As the voice recording show, Beebo's intent was not to harm anyone and he was right in saying that there are so many people who loved him," the statement read. Simulator software that can run on a home computers and realistically replicates the performance of aircraft systems is readily available, according to air-safety experts. Horizon airline employee, 28-year-old Richard 'Bebo' Russell, stole a plane and took off before crashing into remote Pierce County island Its gonna be crazy, he said at one point in air traffic control transmissions. Here's how. Mike Criss, a family friend, whose son had been close friends with Russell since second grade, saidthat hed last talked to Russell in February. 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 south . On LinkedIn, he wrote that he was owner/operator of Hannah Maries Bakery from 2012 through 2015 in North Bend, Oregon. The incident led to a dramatic and tragic night on August 10, 2018, as aircraft were grounded at Sea-Tac while fighter jets followed the man and air traffic controllers tried unsuccessfully to help him land the aircraft. But lots of people get pushed at work, wish they were paid more and complain about management. Happening right now. Never knew he was fighting a battle non of us knew about. Im going to disappoint them to hear that I did this. Never before seen Footage of Richard Russell Final Flight [8/10/2018] So many bags,\" he said.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. At another point, Richard Russell said, Im down to 2100; I started at like 30-something.. Apparently someone stole a plane from SeaTac? Acted alone he is 29 year old Pierce county residence. They said the family is moving forward with the difficult talk of processing our grief and asked for space to mourn. We believe there are no passengers on board. Its burned quite a bit faster than I expected., He also said, Im gonna land it, in a safe kind of manner. I dont need that much help; Ive played some video games before, he told the controllers trying to help him. Once I earn my Bachelors in Social Sciences I will either seek a management position where Im at now, or possibly join the military as an officer. Keep the aircraft nice and low, the tower responded to the man at one point, advising him to keep it over the water. The recordings reveal that when a controller asked Russell if he need help controlling the aircraft, he responded, I dont need that much help. 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 south-west of the airport. How Russell, who did not hold a pilots license, learned to fly the twin-turboprop Bombardier Q400 that had been parked up for the night is unclear. Mr. Russell had cleared all the necessary background checks and was meant to be on the secure side of the airport, where the plane was, Mr. Tilden said. Rainier. Lucas added, Theyve been in contact with the culprit. "Its chilling listening to this young man. He sounds like a broken man who needed help. In a statement, the family said Richard Russell, whose nickname was "Beebo," was a faithful husband, loving son and good friend. An airline employee conducted an unauthorized takeoff without passengers at Sea-Tac; aircraft has crashed in south Puget Sound. Who was Richard Russell, what happened in the Seattle plane crash and He also enrolled at WSU, and graduated in 2017 with a degree in social sciences, the registrar said. It is impossible to encompass who he was in a press release. Oh- theyve probably got anti-aircraftnot quite ready to bring it down just yet. Later crashes the plane on an remote island near Seattle. Ive played some video games before.. The NTSB is now processing the equipment. 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.\"Russell posted collages of photos from his trips around the world, writing that travel was \"what keeps me going in the most unfavorable circumstances.\"One sketch that he posted included a drawing of a Q400 plane, the same kind of plane involved in Friday's crash. He wrote: Im able to fly at my leisure. On Facebook, his favorite quotes were religious in nature, including, God IS Love and No Guilt in Life, No Fear in Death, this is the Power of Christ in Me, and a non religious line, This is America.. It may seem difficult for those watching at home to believe, but Beebo was a warm, compassionate man, the statement said. 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. I think Im gonna try to do a barrel roll, and if that goes good, Im just gonna nose down and call it a night., Hannah Russell: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know. It seemed like he was well liked by the other workers," former coworker Rick Christenson told The Seattle Times. Wish me luck! Audio from the SeaTac tower reported that aircraft were lined up on the tarmac at one point. A blog that appears to have belonged to Russell details that he was born in Key West, Florida, but moved to Alaska with his family when he was very young. I feel really bad for Richard and for his family. I was dead set against it. Their business contained a sign that read, I have loved you with an everlasting love. . He had worked his shift on Friday. We are devastated by these events and Jesus is truly the only one holding this family together right now. pic.twitter.com/5z4BYRBrcU, Kierra Elfalan (@KierraElfalanTV) August 12, 2018. They married a year later and then opened a bakery that they ran together for three years. On Facebook, he had liked the Republican Party and conservative personalities like Sean Hannity and Ben Shapiro. 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. Live aviation audio from the tower said, at one point, that dispatchers were urging Rich Russell to try to land that airplane safely and not hurt anybody while dealing with a snarl of stalled planes on the ground. For other inquiries, Contact Us. Like, a lot of bags. Seattle ground Horizon guy. I dont know how he achieved the experience he did.. I will build you up again and you will be rebuilt. In the article, Russell described himself as laid back and easy going. This is a complete shock to us. You can watch the video above. On YouTube, he also went by the name Beebo Russell. He then boards an empty 70-seater plane and took off. Seattle Times staff reporters Lewis Kamb and Agueda Pacheco-Flores and news researcher Miyoko Wolf contributed to this report. We are working back ground on him now, the Pierce County Sheriff wrote. 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?\" \"I've got a lot of people that care about me,\" the man later said. Richard Russell, 29, hijacked a 76-seater plane from Seattle-Tacoma on Friday He flew around as an air traffic controller calmly tried to reason with him A recording of their conversation. In a video Russell made, he focused on the flight benefits that came with his job, which he used for a trip to France and frequent trips home to Alaska. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. I met Hannah in Coos Bay, Oregon in 2010 while we were both going to school, the about me section says. They dont steal airplanes. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. (modern). The crash occurred because the 29-year-old man was \"doing stunts in air or lack of flying skills,\" the Pierce County Sheriff's Department said. He moved to Coos Bay, Oregon, attending Southwestern Oregon Community College, where he met Hannah Stracener at a church gathering in 2010. Tower tracking flight and in contact. [8/10/2018]Alaska Airlines has confirmed there was an 'unauthorized take-off' of a plane at Seattle-Tacoma Airport in Washington State. 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. The incident led to a dramatic and tragic night on August 10, 2018, as aircraft were grounded at Sea-Tac while fighter jets followed the man and air traffic controllers tried unsuccessfully to help him land the aircraft. Authorities said they dont think he had a pilots license and arent sure how he was able to take off, much less perform complicated tricks in the air like a barrel roll. At one point, Russell told a controller he had played a lot of video games. pic.twitter.com/ziBAYv7cgn, Jimmy Thomson (@jwsthomson) August 11, 2018. Alaska Airlines officials said Mr. Russell had worked for Horizon for three and a half years, and was responsible for handling luggage and cargo and for towing aircraft. We are aware of an incident involving an unauthorized take-off of a Horizon Air Q400. Colton Harris-Moore, nicknamed the Barefoot Bandit, was sentenced in 2011 for stealing small planes, which he had learned to fly himself as a teenager after reading flight manuals. They rose together at 5 a.m., preparing breads and pastries in a shop that was little more than an oven, a sink and a couple counters, according to an article at the time from the Coos Bay World. Alio Fan woke up last Saturday morning and clicked on a voice recording someone had sent him. If there was one word or two words, it would be dysfunctional and toxic., Another former ground-service agent, who worked with Russell but asked to remain anonymous because he still works at the airport, said ramp agents talked about their wages on the tarmac all the time.. Richard Russell cracked jokes in transmissions with controllers, apologized for making fuss, but his actions were anything but humorous . I feel really bad for Richard and for his family. Commercial aircrafts are complex machines, Mr. Beck added. Ive got a lot of people that care about me. And Russells description of himself on the cockpit audio just a broken guy, got a few screws loose I guess, never really knew it until now is at odds with Fans memories of his friend. 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. Who was Richard Russell? Profile emerges of ground service agent, 29, who had passed background checks to get a job at Horizon Air, Ive got a lot of people that care about me. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. Richard Russell: Man who stole SeaTac plane was warm and compassionate 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 . Rolling out of bed and hearing his voice, Fan recalled, My initial reaction was oh what kind of prank is he playing. Russell is presumed dead. Criminal and air safety investigations likely to shed light on what preparation if any he took for the fatal flight are ongoing. Russell was a ground agent who had limited access to planes and towing equipment. Myself, my friends, everybody, weve been talking to each other and were all like, Why? I dont understand.. I hope this prompts a nationwide discussion about mental healthcare overall. Russell, who worked for Horizon Air, a regional subsidiary of Alaska Airlines, flew the plane for 73 minutes before crashing it into remote Ketron Island, which has fewer than 20 residents. 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.\"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. Then he took an Alaska Airlines plane.
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