The plane had been parked in a maintenance area and was not scheduled for a passenger flight, Tilden said. I hope they can make it through this.". 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. Authorities said Russell did not have a pilot's license. Others include how, nearly 17 years after the 9/11 attack, someone can simply take a passenger plane from a major U.S. airport without authorization. "Seattle Ground, Horizon Guy. Earlier in the flight, Russell says: "This is probably, like, jail time for life, huh? F-15s were scrambled out of their base at Portland International Airport to intercept the plane. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. We may earn commission if you buy from a link. The 76-seat Horizon Air turboprop plane took off without authorization at 7:32 p.m. local time Friday, with Russell, who was not a pilot, at the controls, officials said. among other things. 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. "I lift a lot of bags. The plane eventually crashed on sparsely populated Ketron Island, starting a fire in the woods but injuring no one outside the plane. The agency said that, had Mr Russell wanted, he could have recovered from the dive. May 25, 2003. The body camera and cell phone video shows firefighters climbing through dense brush and fallen trees to get to the crash site on Ketron Island. 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. 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. It's Troublingly Common for Ground Crew Members To Steal Planes Video from Friday showed the Horizon Air Q400 doing large loops and other dangerous maneuvers as the sun set on the Puget Sound. Win Tickets to Weezer with Spoon and White Reaper at White River Amphitheater on August 20th! 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. 2023 Cable News Network. 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. Videos Show Richard Russell's Final Moments Before Shocking Plane Crash 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. What was the richard russell plane crash story all about. So many bags," he said. New video shows crash site of stolen plane 02:22 CNN Richard Russell was a funny, gentle and hardworking man, said family and a colleague of the airline employee who stole a passenger. Jason Silverstein contributed to this report. They pursued the aircraft before it went down on Ketron Island, between Tacoma and Olympia. So many bags," he said. 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. But could you start a left-hand turn, please?". Hell of a crime spree for a 19 year old. Could 3 Particles on a Tie Lead Us to D.B. 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. 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 . New Footage Shows Moments Before Seattle Man Crashed Plane in - YouTube The Associated Press contributed to this report. 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. 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. "Never really knew it till now," he said. "Oh man. Ah, dammit. Witnesses described the surreal scene after the plane left the airport. Family of man who stole, crashed plane 'stunned' - KJRH New Video Shows When Richard Russell Stole a Plane at Sea-Tac - Jalopnik Human remains were found in wake of Friday's tragic plane crash. August 22, 1979. New surveillance. (DAILY NEWS VIDEO) . 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. 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. 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. "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. You know?". Photos show first responders that night sleeping outside on the ground. New video shows fiery scene of stolen plane crash on Ketron Island 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. He eventually climbs inside the cockpit and fires up the engine. strangest, scariest, most bizarre events of 2018. That's just not safe.". But the plane slammed into tiny Ketron Island, a sparsely populated island southwest of Tacoma. Richard Russell said he didn't need much help: 'I've played some video The Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed Sunday that Russell had died in the fiery wreckage, but whether the crash was deliberate or accidental was one of several topics remaining for investigators. 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. After proceeding through the pre-flight checklist and moving the pushback tractor, Mr Russell began rolling the plane toward a runway. 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. 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. 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,. He first can be seen wandering through security, and is spotted again later on the tarmac. Having to rely on the ferry system for transport, the first 40 responding firefighters stayed at the scene throughout the night. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Richard Russell, 29, can be seen at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport driving a pushback tractor with an Alaska Air turboprop attached. 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. Domestic Flights, Airplane Door Rips Open Midflight on Russian Plane, Airport Worker Ingested Into Jet Engine, Dies, The Concorde Disaster, Battle Tanks, and More. The fuselage was fragmented and appeared to be upside down, said Debra Eckrote, regional chief for the National Transportation Safety Board. Richard Russell, pilot of stolen Horizon Air plane, had lighthearted Family and friends try to reconcile Richard Russell's action with the The FBI released the findings of its investigation earlier this week, concluding 28-year-old ramp agent Richard Russell, also known as Bebo, stole the Horizon airplane and intentionally crashed it into the south end of Ketron Island. Please enter valid email address to continue. We may earn a commission from links on this page. 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. Reeves said he left Horizon because workers are overworked and underpaid. Mr Russell's aerial joyride ultimately ended in a fiery crash on a remote island in Puget Sound. 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. Moore stole (or stole and crashed) multiple airplanes, multiple boats, dozens of cars, etc. 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. I mean, I would hope it is, for a guy like me. He's worked at Horizon longer than I did, and he still wasn't making $15 an hour, Reeves said. Richard Russell died in Friday's plane crash. You did that. 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? Copyright 2018 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. 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. Richard Russell Stole a Plane in Seattle and Crashed It. How'd He Learn Im coming home! But it was not to be. "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.". 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. Russell's family said in a statement that they were stunned and heartbroken. I don't need that much help. He passed a series of background checks to gain his position, as he didn't have any criminal convictions. After Russell performed an unauthorized takeoff, two McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle fighters were scrambled to intercept the aircraft. A Russian Air Force engineer made off with an Antonov An-26 transport plane from Kubinka Air Force Base near Moscow. Aug. 12, 2018. 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 the airport and into the 76-seat plane that he flew to his death. 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 . 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Russell was recorded having multiple conversations with air traffic controllers who were trying to talk him into landing. Join the Celebration of a Lifetime! In audio recordings released over the internet, Russell can be heard chatting in an upbeat, enthusiastic tone with the air traffic controllers trying to talk him down. 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. 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. The Seattle FBI office said Sunday that it had recovered the flight data recorder and components of the cockpit voice recorder from the Horizon plane. The rest of Mr Russell's time in the air was well documented, thanks to his regular contact with SeaTac's tower. F-15 "pilots kept plane out of harms way and people on ground safe," the sheriff's office tweeted. Discovery Company. Tragic as Russell's death was, he could have inflicted vastly more damage had he been so inclined. / CBS/AP. Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. Because there were no passengers or crew aboard the plane, it wasnt considered a hijacking, and authorities response to the event seems to indicate that nobody ever expected an airport employee to hop in a plane and go for a ride with no apparent intent to terrorize, kill, or even make a greater statement. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much He left prison after less than 5 years, on parole. ", Referring to audio recordings of Russell talking to air traffic control during his hour-long flight, the statement said his "intent was not to harm anyone. 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. 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. Weve got the Weekend Ticket Takeover! 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. Bush, Duo of 81-year-old women plan to see the world in 80 days, Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant to "take some time away" from the team after allegedly brandishing a gun in a club, Alex Murdaugh trial: What to know about the double murder case, Officials say man who stole plane was suicidal. He was killed in the crash. President Donald Trump was briefed on the incident and is monitoring the situation, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said Saturday morning. Winter Weather Advisory expires for much of western Washington, Intertribal comedy sketch troupe performs 'Between Two Knees' at Seattle Rep, plane stolen from Sea-Tac Airport crashed, Stolen plane narrowly missed family inside Ketron Island cabin, released the findings of its investigation, Cockpit audio from worker who stole empty plane from Sea-Tac Airport, 'I was blown away': Stepbrother of man who stole plane speaks out. Nearby co-workers weren't even aware of Russell's actions, which happened six hours into his shift, according to reporters. Video captures Richard Russell doing tricks in stolen Horizon Air plane He was immediately killed. Please enter valid email address to continue. SeaTac's tower began asking who was piloting the airplane, which culminated in the first of Mr Russell's exchanges with control that day. 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 greatest threat we have to aviation is the insider threat," said Erroll Southers, a former FBI agent and transportation security expert. Russell echoed those claims in his last conversation with air traffic control. Did you encounter any technical issues? 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. F-15 fighter jets scrambled to intercept the Q400, which ultimately crashed into Ketron Island, about 30 miles from the 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.