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The incident aircraft was a Bombardier Q400, owned by Horizon Air (and operating for Alaska Airlines) with the registration N449QX[2][3][4] and serial number 4410. Richard Russell: Details emerge of a compassionate man after Seattle plane heist and fiery crash. I got a lot of people that care about me. He carried with him a CB radio, sandwiches, beer, and a camera. Oh- theyve probably got anti-aircraftnot quite ready to bring it down just yet. He could have envisioned an aerial joyride and return to the ground. 2023 TIME USA, LLC. Alaska Air Group CEO Brad Tilden said at a news conference Saturday that Russell worked for Horizon Air for four years and was on the clock and in uniform when he stole the twin-engine turboprop plane, which was parked in a cargo lot at the time. Im in the air right now. This is a complete shock to us. Who is the aircraft on Runway 1-6 center? an air traffic controller can be heard saying. Richard Russell was a suicidal airport ground services worker who stole an airplane from Sea-Tac International Airport. [1][7][8][9] In response, two McDonnell Douglas F-15C Eagles of the Oregon Air National Guard's 142nd Fighter Wing under the command of NORAD[10] were scrambled at around 20:15 local time[11] from Portland Air National Guard Base to intercept it. About to take off. As of 2019[update], this clean up effort was still ongoing, with pieces of aircraft wreckage still being located on the island after the first anniversary of the incident. Ive got a lot of people that care about me. In a final video that he posted to YouTube, Rich Russell showed an active life full of travel and adventure. [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. Updated Nov 30, 2022 at 4:37pm. Someone sneak on board?, A man named Tyler Lucas wrote, Sitting on the runway at SeaTac, preparing for departure. 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. Today marks the third anniversary of the poetic death of Richard Russell, dubbed "Sky King," the young man who took an airplane for a glorious final flight. Videos posted to social media showed the other side of his skills. Russell said on the aviation audio, This is probably jail time for life, huh? Can Humans Detect Text by AI Chatbot GPT? Phone scammers tried to rob a grandma in Canada. Russells social media accounts have become funeral guestbooks, digitized for the world. 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.. He did it because he was depressed. As David Hume observed, our brains habitually seek out causation and are restless until a cause, even an erroneous cause, is determined. HiIm a ground service agent. Then he took an Alaska Airlines plane. 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. Tulepo Police Chief John Quaka told CNN that Patterson had "some flight instruction" but was still in training. [33], On November 9, the FBI stated that it had completed its investigation. More recently, he listed his occupation as operations agent for Horizon Air at Sea-Tac since April 2018. At one point, the controller suggests he might be able to get a job as a pilot after this and Russell replies, "Nah, I'm a white guy." Someone plucked a bag off a conveyor belt. Tower tracking flight and in contact. First, it would provide a simple explanation that makes the incomprehensible seem comprehensible. He also posted audio clips of interviews he conducted to SoundCloud for what appears to have been a multimedia college class. As Melville noted, We are all somehow dreadfully cracked about the head, and sadly need mending., Be wary of simple explanations of any human behavior, and of simple solutions for complex problems. RIP Sky King, a user wrote. The hardest part of stealing a commercial plane from an international airport was already over for Richard Russell. Russell took the Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 turboprop from the northeast corner of the airport, according to the Times. 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. So many bags, he said. There is the runway just about a mile off your right side, do you see that? Well chalk it up to that. 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 had psychotic depression. [4] It landed at SeattleTacoma International Airport at 13:35 local time the afternoon of the incident, after an in-service flight from Victoria, British Columbia. And part of his job was to drive the tractor that backed the aircraft into position for takeoff. There wasnt anything particularly wrong with them. The wife of an airline employee who hijacked a plane in Seattle had recorded their seven happy years of marriage on Instagram, calling him 'the man who keeps me laughing'.. Richard Russell has . The final descent at Ketron Island was determined to be intentional, and suicide was listed as the manner of death. [46][47], N449QX, the aircraft involved in the incident, pictured 2 months before the crash. What have I done? Terrorism was ruled out, and Russell was found to have acted alone. Unclear if passengers are on board. Facebook by It is impossible to encompass who he was in a press release. He flew around as an air traffic controller calmly tried to reason with him. "Heroes" - Peter Gabriel He was a faithful husband, a loving son, and a good friend, the family said in the statement, which was read by a friend, Mike Mathews, ABC reported. . "[16] When ATC suggested that the plane be landed at Joint Base LewisMcChord, the occupant refused: "Those guys will rough me up if I try and land there. We are aware of an incident involving an unauthorized take-off of a Horizon Air Q400. quote: On August 10, 2018, a Horizon Air Bombardier Q400 was stolen from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac) in Seattle, Washington. A moniker quickly took hold, echoed by others. At another point, he says he's going to try to "do a barrel roll." On LinkedIn, he wrote that he was owner/operator of Hannah Maries Bakery from 2012 through 2015 in North Bend, Oregon. I hope they can make it through this. He said that airline employees go through background checks. On August 10th, 2018, Russell stole the airliner from a maintenance position at the Sea-Tac airport. How was he able to take off without being stopped? It was worth it, he said, to conveniently travel to Alaska, where he grew up, to visit family. Well chalk it up to that. in correct chronological orderthis took pIace over about 75 minutes. (@luketadams) August 11, 2018. Perhaps it was because the only life he seemed to have taken was his own. 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.. I wouldn't want to do that. 2:18. This dives into the psychology and reason of why he Hi-jacked a plane and then crashed into his death. We are aware of an incident involving an unauthorized take-off of a Horizon Air Q400. He did a barrel roll in a stolen plane and went out in a blaze of glory. SKY KING 2: RETURN OF THE SKY KING https://t.co/2Uk1sA2oXQ. On social media, Richard Russell quickly became something of a folk hero, but people also felt sadness and empathy for his pain and his plight. Without Him we would be hopeless. Its gonna be crazy, he tells traffic control, according to the video provided to local Seattle news outlet KOIN. Sea-Tac Airport (@SeaTacAirport) August 11, 2018. Sadly, he did not survive much longer at all. An airline employee conducted an unauthorized takeoff without passengers at Sea-Tac; aircraft has crashed in south Puget Sound. Failing to convince Hannah of Alaskas greatness, we settled on Sumner because of its close proximity to her family., Richard added, I, meanwhile, obtained a job working for Horizon Airlines (partnered with Alaska Airlines) so Im able to fly to Alaska at my leisure. In 2018, a Horizon Air employee, Richard Russell, stole a plane with no prior flying experience, making international headlines. ?, One woman wrote on Twitter, he has stolen a big Horizon turbo prop. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Patient, new father among 5 killed in medical flight crash, Medical aircraft crash in Nevada leaves 5 dead: report, 5 dead in small plane crash in Little Rock, Human error eyed as cause of Yeti Airlines crash that killed 72 people. What now? Male is confirmed a suicidal male. 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. He attended Washington State Global University Campus from 2016-2017, seeking a bachelors degree in social science. But he mentioned video games during his recorded conversation with air traffic control, which some have taken as a reference to flight simulator software. 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 worked as an assistant pastry chef and waitress, according to her social media account. For the full details on "Sky King" meme and viral story, be sure to check out our entry on the meme here for even more information. [4] The New York Times Richard Russell Who Stole Plane Near Seattle Raises Troubling Security Questions, [5] The Washington Post Richard Russell Details emerge of a compassionate man after Seattle plane heist and fiery crash, [6] CBS News Richard Russell pilot of stolen Horizon Air plane had lighthearted tone before deadly crash, [10] CNN Pilot arrested after threatening to crash plane into Mississippi Walmart and eventually landing in a field, police say, [14] 4chan Pilot threatening to crash hijacked plane into Walmart in Tupelo, Mississippi, Weird times., CBS News reporter Kris Van Cleave wrote, FAA sources say it appears an airline employee stole a Horizon Air Turbo Prop from SeaTac and took off and crashed Ketron Island outside Seattle. He shared a tweet from a woman named Victoria, who wrote, Sitting on a plane at SeaTac Airport, a Horizon employee just hijacked an airplane. Like a lot of bags. The fire burned a 2-acre (0.8ha) area,[23] but was extinguished by the following morning. Essential reporting and analysis from correspondents around the world. Many saw Russell as a man suffering from depression and sympathized with him. Russell was active in his local community, serving as a leader at Young Life, a Christian youth ministry. He stated that he did not want to hurt anyone,[17][19] and in the final minutes of the communication apologized to his friends and family. We believe there are no passengers on board. 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 . Audio captured emotional conversations between the man, named as Rich, and air traffic controllers trying to help him land safely. I love my parents and sister this isn't your fault. Ah, minimum wage. Richard Russell, a ground control agent, died after he stole the plane at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in August 2018 and drove it into the ground of a remote island in the Puget Sound .