After five hours, he arrived in a tow vehicle near the plane. The chilling footage of his final moments next shows Russell jumping onto the plane and presumably getting into the cockpit. Below are some of the clips. 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. After he landed, Mr. Walters was arrested and charged with unlawful operation of an aircraft within a controlled air traffic area. Just a broken guy, got a few screws loose I guess. (@luketadams) August 11, 2018. Oh, a purple one! Russell exclaimed. Yay air force . [5] A nearby Alaska Airlines jet on the ground reported that the aircraft began a takeoff roll with its wheels smoking,[5] and an unauthorized take-off was made at 19:32 local time (02:32 UTC, August 11). Videos posted to social media showed the other side of his skills. All Rights Reserved. This dives into the psychology and reason of why he Hi-jacked a plane and . Russell flew wild loops over Puget Sound, screamed low over frightened onlookers and had existential and, at turns, bizarre chats with air traffic controllers as two Air Force F-15 jets gave chase. Richard Russell had a website that appeared to have been for a college communications class. He did a barrel roll in a stolen plane and went out in a blaze of glory. "[16][19] He added that he "wasn't really planning on landing it. [44], In the days after the crash, clean up and recovery crews contracted by Alaska Airlines and their insurers were present on the island to remove debris. We had a ground stop for quite a while here, a dispatcher says. More information as we learn more, Alaska Airlines wrote on Twitter around 9:20 p.m. on the west coast. He hoped perhaps to commission in the military after graduation. He had planned to seek a management position at Horizon Air or become a military officer after receiving his degree. Or that he appeared to be a happy, regular guy. It seemed like he was well liked by the other workers. My names Richard Russell, Im 27 and currently living in Sumner, WA with my incredible wife Hannah. Hey, I found myself in a predicament. Men in the UK, aged 20 to 49, are more likely to die from . Below are some of the clips. He jokes around with the air traffic controller as he tries to explain to Russell how to land the plane, although as the conversation goes on that doesn't seem to be his intention, even saying, "I wasn't really planning on landing it." Someone plucked a bag off a conveyor belt. Buy "Richard "SkyKing" Russell" by BogTron as a Sticker. The Sky King of Sea-Tac Airport. I met Hannah in Coos Bay, Oregon in 2010 while we were both going to school, the about me section says. Glenn Sullivan, Ph.D., is a professor of psychology at the Virginia Military Institute and a clinical psychologist in private practice in Lexington, Virginia. Now a family is left to reckon with tragedy, while strangers find grim inspiration in his final act. The fire burned a 2-acre (0.8ha) area,[23] but was extinguished by the following morning. 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.. All further inquiries should be directed to the Seattle FBI office", "Alaska Airlines: Everything We Know About the Suicidal Hijacker", "Airplane taken from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport has crashed", "Authorities probe how 'suicidal' employee could steal plane from Seattle airport", "Man who sought 'serenity' before crashing stolen plane near Seattle is identified", "Human remains, black box found from plane stolen by Seattle airport employee", "FBI Completes Investigation into August 2018 Unauthorized Flight from Seattle-Tacoma Airport", "Horizon Air Worker Who Crashed Plane Bent on Suicide, Not Terror", "Seattle: stolen plane crashes after rogue take-off from Sea-Tac airport", "Man who took Horizon Air plane from Sea-Tac Airport was quiet, well liked, says former co-worker", "Richard Russell was a jokester who complained about work, but Sea-Tac plane heist still baffles friends", "Family of man who stole plane at Sea-Tac express 'shock,' others say 'Beebo' was friendly guy", "Authorities don't believe man who stole plane had a pilot's license", "Who was Richard Russell? Then, it segues into a montage of photos from Russells trips to Alaska, France, Ireland, and other places before ending with a scene from a family gathering. He was on meth.. 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. 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. His performance there was a disappointment; he left for Southwestern Oregon Community College, where he met his wife at a Campus Crusade for Christ meeting. His familys brief statement did not address any potential mental health issues. I would like to apologize to each and every one of them. No one else is thought to have been injured or killed, and the fighter jets did not fire on him, authorities said. Its burned quite a bit faster than I expected., He also said, Im gonna land it, in a safe kind of manner. And in recordings of conversations with air traffic controllers, Russell joked and laughed, though he was at times contemplative and raw. [7], SeattleTacoma air traffic control (ATC) maintained radio contact with the occupant. 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. In 2018, a Horizon Air employee, Richard Russell, stole a plane with no prior flying experience, making international headlines. 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." 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. Just kind of soaring around, he told air traffic control. What happened from then, left a. Facebook Richard Russell plane crash video was released. He met his wife, Hannah, in 2010 in Coos Bay, Oregon while we were both going to school, and the couple wed one year later, Russell wrote on his website. [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. I was dead set against it. Their business contained a sign that read, I have loved you with an everlasting love. [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, Audio released of Russells conversation with an air traffic controller suggests that he was struggling with mental health issues, but his motive for stealing the plane remains unclear. I met Hannah in Coos Bay, Oregon in 2010 while we were both going to school, the about me section says. 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. Human remains were recovered from the site, the FBI said Sunday, and Russell is presumed dead in the crash. Maybe that will grease some gears a little bit with the higher-ups. Although he didnt have a pilots license, Russell knew how to work the plane from his experience as an airport employee, the FBI previously said. [15] He said he was a "broken guy, got a few screws loose I guess. Without Him we would be hopeless. Sep 09, 2022 at 02:47PM EDT Russell is then seen walking into a restricted area meant for baggage handlers, getting onto a tarmac tow vehicle, and dragging the plane he was set to steal onto the runway. USA TODAY. At another point, he says he's going to try to "do a barrel roll." Russells social media accounts have become funeral guestbooks, digitized for the world. The man who stole a commercial aeroplane in Seattle, and took his life by crashing it, has become a folk hero to neo-Nazi groups and incels, drafted into a poisonous delusion that is becoming mainstream. The cockpit recordings are widely available online and it would be hard not to feel compassion while listening to them. Filed under [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. Just a broken guy, got a few screws loose I guess. Among the memes are images of Wojaks veering off into the sunset alongside quotes from Russell, a selfie of Russell sitting in the cockpit of the plane and video edits using audio clips from the conversation between Russell and the air traffic controller mixed with sad music and effects to emphasize the tragedy behind the event. Rick Christenson, who was previously an operational supervisor with Horizon Air and who watched Russells flight over Puget Sound, described Russell to the Times as a quiet guy. It seemed like he was well-liked by the other workers, Christenson said. Who Is The 'Sky King' Richard Russell And How Did He Earn His Title? 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. by The video was widely circulated online and by major news publications (shown below). Now video was released. Russell, the sole occupant during the flight, did not survive. Meanwhile, various tributes to Russell were uploaded to YouTube (shown below). Gary Beck, CEO of Horizon Air, told The Seattle Times it was impressive that Russell pulled off incredible maneuvers like a barrel roll with no flying experience. . (If you need help, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.). In 2018, a Horizon Air employee, Richard Russell, stole a plane with no prior flying experience, making international headlines. He attended Washington State Global University Campus from 2016-2017, seeking a bachelors degree in social science. He grins in selfies at work. PostedSeptember 24, 2018 Goodbye" (shown below, left). A former coworker, Rick Christenson, told The Seattle Times: He was a quiet guy. Seattle ground Horizon guy. Happy birthday to the man who keeps me laughing and always improves the view ? she wrote with one in 2017. I will build you up again and you will be rebuilt. In the article, Russell described himself as laid back and easy going. Was doing stunts in air or lack of flying skills caused crash into Island. The Sheriffs Department added, Two military F 15 chased plane but was not involved in crash and confirmed, No passengers on plane.. Purportedly, when the arresting officers asked why he had risked his life with such a stunt, he said, A man cant just sit around., Later, he told the press, It was something I had to do. Russell told controllers midflight that he played video games in preparation, but it was not clear whether he meant flight simulators some of which are commercially available and depict exhaustive and realistic measures to start an aircraft. Audio starts with another aircraft reporting the Q400 exiting the maintenance/cargo area and taking off without clearance. He also posted audio clips of interviews he conducted to SoundCloud for what appears to have been a multimedia college class. Teachers are quitting and they will have no one to run their schools, but they still won't give in and support solutions that would hurt property values. Never really knew it, until now., While Lawnchair Larry was mostly a figure of fun in our popular culture, many people responded to Rich Russells flight with a level of compassion unfamiliar in our social media age. On October 6, 1993, now aged 44, he hiked into the Angeles National Forest and died by self-inflicted gunshot. How was he able to take off without being stopped? He also had a pellet gun, with which he eventually shot several of the balloons, beginning his slow descent. People expressed an emotional connection with him through postings on social media, T-shirts, and tribute songs. 1.6K. Compilation of footage of the aircraft being flown erratically in the vicinity of Seattle, and the pursuing F-15s, News report featuring surveillance footage, Man Steals a Passenger Plane and Crashes it Just After Takeoff (With Real Video), Washington State University Global Campus, "National Transportation Safety Board Aviation Accident Preliminary Report Accident Number: WPR18FA220", "Update on Investigation into Unauthorized Flight", "Alaska Air Horizon plane crashes after being stolen by airline employee", "How it unfolded: Full coverage of the Horizon Air crash and the man who stole the plane from Sea-Tac", "Stolen plane was chased by military jets before it crashed", "Crash: Horizon DH8D at Ketron Island on Aug 10th 2018, stolen aircraft crashed into forest", "Stolen plane closes Seattle-Tacoma airport before crashing", "Oregon F-15s Scramble To Seattle To Intercept Possibly Stolen Q400 Airliner (Updated)", "F-15Cs Intercept Stolen DASH-8 Airliner out of Seattle Tacoma Airport Before Crash", "LIVE: Plane stolen from Sea-Tac Airport crashes on small island; no passengers on board", "Pilot wanted to do aerobatics, apologized for his actions as he spoke with air traffic control", "NORAD F-15Cs intercept suicidal pilot in dramatic chase near Seattle", "Passenger Plane Stolen by Employee Crashes on Island Near Seattle Airport", "Seattle hijacker's plane heist, midair stunts and fiery crash expose gaps in aviation security", "Richard Russell, 'Rich': 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know", "Airline worker who stole plane told air traffic control 'I don't want to hurt no one', "SeaTac Hijacker Had the Skills to Take Out a Skyscraper Horizon Air ground handler Richard Russell knew how to fly without tearing the plane apartand enough fuel to be a flying bomb. "[22], The two F-15s attempted to direct the aircraft toward the Pacific Ocean, and did not fire at it. Although investigators received information regarding Russell's background, possible stressors, and personal life, no element provided a clear motivation for Russell's actions. It may seem difficult for those watching at home to believe, but Beebo was a warm, compassionate man, the statement read. Radio banter in between, ending with the intercept audio for Rock 41 and Rock 42. suicidepreventionlifeline.org afsp.org AIRBOYD #SeaTac #ChambersBay #Q400 #Horizon. This story has been shared 110,450 times. He worked at the airline for more than three years, authorities said. Literally Media Ltd. I think I might mess something up there too. Essential reporting and analysis from correspondents around the world. Updated Nov 30, 2022 at 4:37pm. According to suicide prevention expert, Dr. Christine Moutier, middle-aged White men account for 70% of deaths from suicide each year. 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.. When I arrived, he was in the kitchen, in the middle of his Sunday morning ritual of cleaning his cleaning supplies. 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. Acted alone he is 29 year old Pierce county residence. That means I lift a lot of bags so many bags, he says. 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. When I heard that Mr. Russells aircraft had gone down, I thought, The poor bastard. And then I thought, How many tens of thousands of people are out there who are just like him?, Larry Walters and Rich Russell were people just like us. Im praying for #Rich tonightnot just the guy who stole a plane from #SeaTac, but every guy like Rich who (it seemsbut Ill admit Im assuming a lot here) is suffering and cannot find a better way out. The incident resulted in Russell losing his life when he crashed on Ketron Island in Puget Sound, but people on sites like 4chan refused to let his story end there. Who's Afraid of the Rorschach Inkblot Test? The video starts with images of what its like to work as a baggage handler for an airline, sometimes in the rainy weather. With this blog I hope to showcase all that Ive learned in Ms. Newmans Communications 210 class., His WordPress page includes a sketch that reads, Continuing with the theme of ground service work and travel benefits, I plan to create a simple logo that expresses both. Horizon Q4 prop hijacked by unauthorized person not a pilot. In 1993, Lawnchair Larry Walters was named an At-Risk Survivor in the annual Darwin Awards. The story, despite seeming near-mythic, is true. The libs are trying to solve the housing crisis in deep blue areas by having teachers live with their students. Happy to read and share the best inspirational Sky King Richard Russell quotes, sayings and quotations on Wise Famous Quotes. So I dont know how he achieved the experience that he did.. The audio between the man known as Rich and air traffic controllers further captured his demeanor. Mona Lazar. Weird times. He could have envisioned an aerial joyride and return to the ground. To be honest with you, commercial aircraft are complex machines. Never really knew it, until now, Richard Russell said at one point. The incident spawned numerous image macros, photoshops and fan arts on 4chan . [39] He was an avid traveler and attended Washington State University Global Campus, majoring in social science. Normal operations at Sea-Tac Airport have resumed, the airport wrote. 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." Other audio reported a ground stop was underway at SeaTac, the airport that services Seattle and Tacoma, Washington. (Video: Elyse Samuels/The Washington Post). Rest in peace Rich. It had first flown in 2012 and was delivered new to Horizon Air in the same year. Legal Information: Know Your Meme is a trademark of Literally Media Ltd. By using this site, you are agreeing by the site's terms of use and privacy policy and DMCA policy. They were born, they laughed, they struggled, they loved, and they died. A Port of Seattle official, Mike Pohl, said that Russell used an airport tractor to pull the parked plane onto a runway, which he would have known how to do, as part of his job in ground service was towing airplanes. I was born in Key West, Florida, and moved to Wasilla, Alaska when I was 7. Hannah and Beebo met at a Campus Crusade for Christ gathering at Southwestern Oregon Community College last year, the site reported. 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. Hijacker does not know how to land the plane. Heres hoping that the next Rich crashes on a couch of a good listener. It was a strange day when Horizon Airlines Employee Richard "Beebo" Russell stole a plane in the middle of his working shift. Facebook Sea-Tac Airport (@SeaTacAirport) August 11, 2018. He said of himself that, Ive got a lot of people that care about me. Russell wrote that he was pursuing his Bachelor of Social Sciences and hoped to work his way up to a management position at Horizon Air or to join the military or law enforcement. The hardest part of stealing a commercial plane from an international airport was already over for Richard Russell. But there appears to be no manifesto, no digital trail of warning signs from Russell. Im going to disappoint them to hear that I did this. He sounds like a broken man who needed help. [37] During his communication with air traffic control, Russell made a complaint about wages, stating: "Minimum wage, we'll chalk it up to that. No one else is thought to have been injured or killed, and the fighter jets did not fire . Stay tuned., Richard Russell, Rich: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. Richard Russell, 29, hijacked a 76-seater plane from Seattle-Tacoma on Friday. 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. Phone scammers tried to rob a grandma in Canada. They are grounding all planes and waiting. I just want you to whisper sweet nothings into my ear, said Rich, who claimed he could fly the plane because he played video games. I dont want to hurt no one. Now, in new footage of the moments before he took off, the 29-year-old can be seen walking through airport security with a The Skys No Limit T-shirt. ATC said, "they would give you a job doing anything if you could pull this off", to which he replied, "Yeah right! Pilot said it was most bizarre thing hed heard in his career. Before he took off, several people at the airport questioned what was going on. Rich, you said you had 2100 pounds of fuel left? the controller responded. Magazines, stole a plane at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Or create a free account to access more articles, 'Beebo Was Loved By Everyone.' Ive got a lot of people that care about me. Aw man, those guys would rough me up if I tried landing there, Rich says. At one point, Rich asked for help in getting the cabin depressurized, complaining he was getting lightheaded. You couldnt even tell it was a plane except for some of the bigger sections, like the wing section, western Pacific region chief Debra Eckrote said. The day of the incident, a thread on 4chan's /pol/[14] board about the incident gained over 470 posts. sky king, sky king memes, richard russell, 4chan, sky king 2, based. Wikipedia. We are working back ground on him now, the Pierce County Sheriff wrote. We consider ourselves bakery connoisseurs and have to try a new one every place we go. After Russell performed an unauthorized takeoff, two McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle fighters were scrambled to intercept the aircraft. I was kind of hoping that was gonna be it, you know? Would love your thoughts, please comment. He carried with him a CB radio, sandwiches, beer, and a camera. Russell, a ground services worker for Horizon Air, was permitted to get very close to passenger aircraft. His conversation and tone is very casual. Others saw his opinions on certain topics as based. As the voice recording shows, Beebos intent was not to harm anyone and he was right in saying that there are so many people who loved him.. He was a quiet and well-liked young man who was active in his church. [10] According to reports, Patterson called 911 from the plane and threatened to crash it into a Mississippi Walmart. Lee Goldberg. Then he took an Alaska Airlines plane. The fighter jets were scrambled from Portland. If you or someone you know may be contemplating suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Plane is a Q4. He and his wife had owned a bakery in Oregon but sold it to move closer to her family. Keep the aircraft nice and low, the tower responded to the man at one point, advising him to keep it over the water. | Sea-Tac airport confirmed the plane was down a short time later. To impress a woman, he arrived in a helicopter to take her on a classified mission, officials said. We are devastated by these events and Jesus is truly the only one holding this family together right now. 0:00. People like me dont do things like that. 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. 1,012 words / 5:32 To listen in a player, click here. At one point in the dramatic audio, Richard Russell told the tower he was losing an engine. [20] A veteran pilot said the maneuver "seemed pretty well executed, without either stalling or pulling the wings off. 1:10. 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.. Listening to the audio recordings, I feel nothing but sadness for Rich, for the man who stole that plane at #SeaTac and committed suicide. Monteith also recalled that Russell had been in the cockpit of an Embraer 175 with him, and that Russell asked him about his "flows, which is the preflight preparation I do for takeoff. 7 Ticking Time Bombs That Destroy Loving Relationships, The Single Best (and Hardest) Thing to Give Up, 3 Ways to Reclaim Your Hope and Happiness. Another called it cathartic and liberating.. This is "Sky King ~ Richard Russell" by Nibbus Jimmus on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them. [29] An operational supervisor for Horizon Air described Russell as "a quiet guy" who was "well liked by the other workers". Others said it was wrong to glorify him for an act that could have killed more people. My names Richard Russell, Im 27 and currently living in Sumner, WA with my incredible wife Hannah. An airline employee conducted an unauthorized takeoff without passengers at Sea-Tac; aircraft has crashed in south Puget Sound. I'm listening through the archive of the radio chatter on the #seatac hijacking. 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. Never really knew it, until now, Richard Russell said at one point. On Instagram, Hannah Russell posted recent photos with Rich. For Richard Russell. You went out the way most of us dream, one user wrote. The media also started sharing audio clips of ongoing conversations between Russell and an air traffic controller. The Port of Seattle released the video. The FBI is investigating the stunning heist, which has raised concerns about the security of commercial aircraft and mental health issues among airline workers nearly 17 years after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Preliminary info is that a mechanic from unknown airlines stole plane. We believe there are no passengers on board. "Got a few screws loose, I guess. On social media, Richard Russell used the name Beebo Russell. (If you need help, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.). [34][35] The FBI stated, "Interviews with work colleagues, friends, and familyand review of text messages exchanged with Russell during the incidentdid not identify any information that would suggest the theft of the aircraft was related to wider criminal activity or terrorist ideology. On behalf of the family, we are stunned and heartbroken. They turned him into a hero with the name, and with it came a lot of memes. On YouTube, he also went by the name Beebo Russell. At one point during the exchange, Russell said he knew how to put the landing gear down but that I really wasnt planning on landing it. Russel also told the controller that he was just a broken man.. His conversation with controllers revealed limited experience.
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