Richard Russell: 'Heartbroken' family of Seattle airline employee - CNN Russell's family said in a statement that they were stunned and heartbroken. "Tower, you need to call and scramble now," one Alaska Air pilot called out. 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. strangest, scariest, most bizarre events of 2018. Please enter valid email address to continue. "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. SEATAC, Wash. - It was a shocking scene above the Puget Sound, as Horizon Airlines employee Richard Russell stole and flew a turboprop from Sea-Tac Airport while air traffic tried to talk him . 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. Richard Russell: quiet, well-liked Seattle airport worker who stole a plane "It seemed like he was well liked by the other workers. The NTSB is now processing the equipment. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. The FBI has recovered the flight data recorder and components of the cockpit voice recorder from the Horizon aircraft that crashed onto Ketron Island Friday night. He flew until the plane ran out of fuel and died in the ensuing crash. Richard Russell, 29, walks through employee security screening at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Russell repeatedly says he would do a roll. One sketch that he posted included a drawing of a Q400 plane, the same kind of plane involved in Friday's crash. 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. July 13, 1994. Family of man who stole, crashed plane 'stunned' - KJRH "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. Chilling CCTV footage shows Richard Russell stealing plane - HITC 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. August 11, 2018 / 11:29 PM Video from 2018 shows final moments of Sea-Tac Airport worker - KOMO "He was getting really stressed about the financial situation he was in. 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. He is the author of The Plane That Wasn't There: Why We Haven't Found MH370. "Never really knew it till now," he said. 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. 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. 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. Airports nationwide will now look at whether their security procedures need to change, CNN safety analyst David Soucie said. Video captures Richard Russell doing tricks in stolen Horizon Air plane Horizon airline employee, 28-year-old Richard 'Bebo' Russell, stole a plane and took off before crashing into remote Pierce County island 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. 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. SeaTac's tower began asking who was piloting the airplane, which culminated in the first of Mr Russell's exchanges with control that day. "It's going to disappoint them to hear that I did thisJust a broken guy, got a few screws loose, I guess.". If you miss out on Thursday, no worries! 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. Investigators said Richard Russell worked alone when he was working as a ground service agent for the airline, and that he towed the turboprop out a hanger, climbed into the cockpit, and took off. 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. "Although investigators received information regarding Russells background, possible stressors, and personal life, no element provided a clear motivation for Russells actions.". "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. Playing What We Want In Seattle! Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. 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. It evens out in the end.". FBI recovers flight recorder, Richard Russell's remains from stolen Also see | 'I was blown away': Stepbrother of man who stole plane speaks out. But the plane made turns and aerobatic maneuvers that suggest some skill, she said. FBI released more information about Russell and the incident earlier this year, including witness statements from family, friends, and co-workers. "There is a runway just off to your right side in about a mile," the controller says, reffering to an airfield at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. 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. 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. Discovery Company. 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. F-15 fighter jets scrambled to intercept the Q400, which ultimately crashed into Ketron Island, about 30 miles from the airport. Also see | Stolen plane narrowly missed family inside Ketron Island cabin. Russell, a 3-1/2-year Horizon employee, worked as a ground service agent. Richard Russell, 'Rich': 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know Richard Russell Plane Crash Video From Seattle | Heavy.com 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? 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. F-15 "pilots kept plane out of harms way and people on ground safe," the sheriff's office tweeted. Hell of a crime spree for a 19 year old. His responsibilities included towing and pushing aircraft for takeoff and gate approach, de-icing them, and handling baggage. In a humorous YouTube video he posted last year, he talked about his job and included videos and photos of his travels. The cause of the crash wasn't immediately known, but the F-15s did not bring the plane down, Eckrote said. May 23, 1969. On board was 29-year-old Richard Russell, a baggage handler for Horizon Air who is also flying the plane for unknown reason. The plane didn't require a key, but it did require buttons and switches to be activated in a particular order. I mean, I would hope it is, for a guy like me. He later stole the plane and eventually crashed it into an island in Puget Sound. First published on August 11, 2018 / 4:48 PM. Im coming home! But it was not to be. The perpetrator, 29-year-old Richard Russell, was a Horizon Air ground service agent with no piloting experience. 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. But could you start a left-hand turn, please?". "The FBI is going to be thorough, which means taking the time needed to scour the area, delve into the background of the individual believed responsible for Friday night's incident, and review every aspect with all appropriate public and private partners," the FBI's Seattle office tweeted Saturday afternoon. In the footage, Mr Russell can be seen calmly moving through the airport wearing a black shirt. appreciated. "Russell had a few unexcused absences, but nothing considered significant.". It's Troublingly Common for Ground Crew Members To Steal Planes 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. He was immediately killed. Like a lot of bags. So many bags," he said. "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. New footage shows airport worker Richard Russell steal plane I don't want to. ", "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. Authorities said he used a tractor to rotate the plane 180 degrees, positioning it so that he could taxi toward a runway. The Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office has confirmed the remains belong to Richard Russell, who took the empty Horizon Air turboprop plane from Sea-Tac Airport. Richard B. Russell reportedly stole a Horizon Air plane for a joyride before crashing and killing himself near Seattle. He said flying was a "blast" and that he didn't need much help: "I've played some video games before.". 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? Music from Green Day, Michael Jackson, Queen, Billy Joel, Tom Petty, Madonna, Pearl Jam, Fleetwood Mac, and more! 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. Family and friends try to reconcile Richard Russell's action with the Padilla and an a recently hired assistant boarded the plane, taxied it to the runway, took off, and head out over the Atlantic Ocean. His 75-minute flight during the golden twilight took him south and west, toward the Olympic Mountains. Ah, dammit. Russell flew the plane for over an hour before crashing. 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 Warner Bros. The jets' capability was appropriate to the potential task, one of the sources said, without offering details. Maybe that will grease some gears with the higher up, Russell said to air traffic controllers. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. Sky King (RE-POST with new footage) || The Day an Airline Employee Security footage shows man stealing plane he later crashed into a A Russian Air Force engineer made off with an Antonov An-26 transport plane from Kubinka Air Force Base near Moscow. At one point, he apologizes and says he is a "broken guy" with "a few screws loose. 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. Ultimately the FBI determined that Mr Russell intentionally brought the airplane into a dive onto a small island in Puget Sound, where he died. Who Was Richard Russell? Man Steals Airplane and Crashes | Time As he flew the stolen 76-seat passenger plane above the Seattle area for nearly an hour on Friday night, Richard B. Russell was asked by an air . 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. Never really knew it until now.". he joked. Ben Charles Padilla, an aircraft mechanic who held a private pilots license and was a certified flight engineer, was repairing a 727 airliner in Luanda, Angola for a Florida-based company named Aerospace Sales and Leasing. He left prison after less than 5 years, on parole. After the plane approached Ketron Island, Waldron saw a thick column of smoke followed by a loud explosion, he said. I don't know, man! The plane was a Bombardier Q400, a turboprop that seats 76 people, owned by Horizon Air, part of Alaska Airlines. Domestic Flights, Airplane Door Rips Open Midflight on Russian Plane, Airport Worker Ingested Into Jet Engine, Dies, The Concorde Disaster, Battle Tanks, and More. In a statement, the family says Richard Russell, whose nickname was "Beebo," was warm, kind and gentle. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. 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.