Rich, you said you had 2100 pounds of fuel left? the controller responded. "[22], The two F-15s attempted to direct the aircraft toward the Pacific Ocean, and did not fire at it. The aircraft had been in maintenance status and was parked in an otherwise-vacant space for work on the plane's, New Footage Shows Moments Before Seattle Man Crashed Plane in 2018, A newly released video sheds new light on the moments leading up to Richard Russell crashing a plane. He was married and completing a bachelors degree. After he landed, Mr. Walters was arrested and charged with unlawful operation of an aircraft within a controlled air traffic area. pic.twitter.com/ziBAYv7cgn, Jimmy Thomson (@jwsthomson) August 11, 2018. An airline employee conducted an unauthorized takeoff without passengers at Sea-Tac; aircraft has crashed in south Puget Sound. 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 waitress, according to her social media account. 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. Commercial aircraft are complex machines, he said. It was a lie. He spoke of wanting to do "a couple maneuvers to see what it [the aircraft] can do", and requested the coordinates of an orca that had been brought to national attention, saying, "I want to go see that guy." On behalf of the family, we are stunned and heartbroken. Hannah and Beebo met at a Campus Crusade for Christ gathering at Southwestern Oregon Community College last year, the site reported. Powered by. After 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 about why and how he undertook the ultimately fatal flight. The Port of Seattle released the video. [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. Glenn Sullivan, Ph.D., is a professor of psychology at the Virginia Military Institute and a clinical psychologist in private practice in Lexington, Virginia. [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. After five hours, he arrived in a tow vehicle near the plane. I would hope it is for a guy like me. People on Twitter who were following the aviation audio reported that the man attempted a barrel roll with the plane at one point. I met my husband when a friend sent him over to my house to cure my hiccoughs. in. Thanks for contacting us. Quite a scary experience. The plane crashed through several lines of 100-foot trees, the National Transportation Safety Board said, according to CNN. We consider ourselves bakery connoisseurs and have to try a new one every place we go. Its not clear whether Russell, 29, had ever really flown a plane before. Then he took an Alaska Airlines plane. We love you bud. The episode has also suggested that Russell was more complicated than the easygoing persona of his known online footprint. Im going to disappoint them to hear that I did this. Around 9 PM Pacific Time on August 10th, a 29-year-old man named Richard Russell, stole a Q400 airplane from Seattle Tacoma International Airport and went for a joyride into the abyss. 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.. USA TODAY. Who's Afraid of the Rorschach Inkblot Test? Nah, I'm a white guy. And part of his job was to drive the tractor that backed the aircraft into position for takeoff. 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. Audio starts with another aircraft reporting the Q400 exiting the maintenance/cargo area and taking off without clearance. Its not clear how he pulled off the intense maneuvers captured on video. He was dubbed Sky King and tributes were offered to him. I was born in Key West, Florida, and moved to Wasilla, Alaska when I was 7. One man wrote on Twitter, Some dude stole a plane from #Seatac (Allegedly), did a loop-the-loop, ALMOST crashed into #ChambersBay, then crossed in front of our party, chased by fighter jets and subsequently crashed. On July 2, 1982, a 33-year-old truck driver named Larry Walters took flight in a patio chair attached to more than 40 helium-filled weather balloons. A former coworker, Rick Christenson, told The Seattle Times: He was a quiet guy. 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 [] Airport (@flySEA) August 11, 2018. Second, psychiatric diagnosis also suggests simple solutions to complex problems: If he did it because he was mentally ill, we need more widely available mental health services.. Sadly, he did not survive much longer at all. He played athletics in high school in Wasilla, Alaska. Yeah I dont know what the burnageis like on a takeoff but yeah. It seemed like he was well liked by the other workers. They said the family is moving forward with the difficult talk of processing our grief and asked for space to mourn. At one point, he explained that he did not know how to follow instructions to punch in data or how to assess his fuel consumption after takeoff. 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. The 2 Most Psychologically Incisive Films of 2022, The Surprising Role of Empathy in Traumatic Bonding, Two Questions to Help You Spot a Clingy Partner-to-Be. [Im] just a broken guy, got a few screws loose, I guess. Horizon Q4 prop hijacked by unauthorized person not a pilot. Would love your thoughts, please comment. Richard Russell Plane Crash Video From Seattle, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. He has buzzed Mt Rainer and the Seattle area. He also posted audio clips of interviews he conducted to SoundCloud for what appears to have been a multimedia college class. I hope this prompts a nationwide discussion about mental healthcare overall. I was dead set against it. Their business contained a sign that read, I have loved you with an everlasting love. He was 29 years old and a member of the ground crew at the Seattle-Tacoma Airport, earning minimum wage. On July 2, 1982, a . According to suicide prevention expert, Dr. Christine Moutier, middle-aged White men account for 70% of deaths from suicide each year. The family thanked authorities, Alaskair, the community and Russells friends and family. Rainier. Lucas added, Theyve been in contact with the culprit. 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. 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. You have reached your limit of 4 free articles. People expressed an emotional connection with him through postings on social media, T-shirts, and tribute songs. Ah, Rich, dont say stuff like that, the controller said. I was dead set against it. Their business contained a sign that read, I have loved you with an everlasting love. [27], The Pierce County Sheriff's Office both thanked the public for its accurate information, and acknowledged on August 11 that federal agencies would be leading the investigation, primarily the Seattle office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). First, it would provide a simple explanation that makes the incomprehensible seem comprehensible. You seemed like a nice guy and a hell of a natural pilot., Seattle hijackers plane heist, midair stunts and fiery crash expose gaps in aviation security. This is "Sky King ~ Richard Russell" by Nibbus Jimmus on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them. "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. Latest update from tower indicates no interest on his part to land the plane. 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 Russell plane crash video was released. The chilling footage of his final moments next shows Russell jumping onto the plane and presumably getting into the cockpit. Sea-Tac airport confirmed the plane was down a short time later. PostedSeptember 24, 2018 He was a faithful husband, a loving son, and a good friend. 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. Authorities said Russell was suicidal. Residents of the island bore some of the cost for cleaning up, and negotiations were initiated for their reimbursement by Alaska Airlines' insurers. 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. ? wrote one woman on Twitter, echoing the comments of many people who heard the audio. They opened a bakery and ran it for three years before selling it in 2015 to be closer to Hannahs family. SKY KING 2: RETURN OF THE SKY KING https://t.co/2Uk1sA2oXQ. He was manic-depressive. 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. . He preciously worked as a ground service agent at Horizon from 2015 to present. bit.ly/subAIRBOYD Various scanner recordings from liveatc.net and broadcastify.com SEA Ground, Tower, Departure/Approach. I think I might mess something up there too. He had broken up with his girlfriend of 15 years and was having trouble finding steady work. My names Richard Russell, Im 27 and currently living in Sumner, WA with my incredible wife Hannah. [20], On April 14, 2022, the FBI released 500 pages of previously classified documents related to the investigation. [5] Seattle Tower tried several times to get the pilot of the aircraft to identify himself on frequency, but received no response.