After listening many times to the recordings, I found his voice - alternately warm, scared, and funny - to . SeaTac air traffic control made radio contact with Russell, the sole occupant, who described himself as a "broken guy, got a few screws loose, I guess." On August 10, 2018, Mr. Russell, known as Beebo to his friends and family, helped himself to a Horizon Air Bombardier Q400 turboprop and took it on a 75-minute joyride. On August 10, 2018, a Horizon Air Bombardier Q400 was stolen from SeattleTacoma International Airport (SeaTac) in Seattle, Washington. 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. On LinkedIn, he wrote that he was owner/operator of Hannah Maries Bakery from 2012 through 2015 in North Bend, Oregon. My names Richard Russell, Im 27 and currently living in Sumner, WA with my incredible wife Hannah. A recording of their conversation . The Russell family released a statement Saturday evening, saying they were stunned and heartbroken over the incident and the loss of aman they called Beebo. Beebos intent was not to harm anyone, and he was right in saying that there are so many people who loved him, Mathews said. Never really knew it until now. [20], Videos and radio transmissions of the event were followed online, immediately sparking a meme dubbing Russell the "Sky King". 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. He was very, very friendly automatically willing to bring everyone in, Hannah Holmes, who also participates in Young Life, told The Seattle Times. Stay tuned., Another indicated, Seatac airspace closed. It was worth it, he said, to conveniently travel to Alaska, where he grew up, to visit family. A moniker quickly took hold, echoed by others. On his blog, Richard talks about how he and his wife once ran a bakery. 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. Stay tuned., Richard Russell, Rich: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. On social media, Richard Russell used the name Beebo Russell. Although authorities have not released his name, The Seattle Times identified the man as Richard Russell. [20], Russell's family released a statement on August 11, stating they were "stunned and heartbroken" and "devastated by the events". [37] From early childhood he was known as "Beebo" to his friends and family. I usually have to work outsidebut it allows me to do some pretty cool things too.. 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. I'm listening through the archive of the radio chatter on the #seatac hijacking. On 4chan,[7][8] threads dedicated to Russell were submitted over the next several days, many of which contained photoshops, image macros and fan arts praising the incident and referring to Russell as "Sky King" (shown below). Powered by. Others saw his opinions on certain topics as based. The chilling footage of his final moments next shows Russell jumping onto the plane and presumably getting into the cockpit. "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. [5] Seattle Tower tried several times to get the pilot of the aircraft to identify himself on frequency, but received no response. 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. He would have flipped overhead switches and set the propellers of the Bombardier Q400 spinning before he roared away from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Our first date, he kind of cornered me into it, Hannah Russell said to the site. The individual did use a pushback tractor to rotate the aircraft 180 degrees so he could then taxi the aircraft, Pohl said at the news conference Saturday. 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. I was born in Key West, Florida, and moved to Wasilla, Alaska when I was 7. I met Hannah in Coos Bay, Oregon in 2010 while we were both going to school, the about me section says. We are working back ground on him now, the Pierce County Sheriff wrote. The story, despite seeming near-mythic, is true. On behalf of the family, we are stunned and heartbroken. What have I done? Richard Russell: Man who stole SeaTac plane was warm and compassionate Privacy, Richard Russell Who Stole Plane Near Seattle Raises Troubling Security Questions, Richard Russell Details emerge of a compassionate man after Seattle plane heist and fiery crash, Richard Russell pilot of stolen Horizon Air plane had lighthearted tone before deadly crash, Pilot arrested after threatening to crash plane into Mississippi Walmart and eventually landing in a field, police say, Pilot threatening to crash hijacked plane into Walmart in Tupelo, Mississippi. After Russell performed an unauthorized takeoff, two McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle . He was a faithful husband, a loving son, and a good friend. [23] The Q400 ultimately crashed at 20:43 local time[1] on Ketron Island in Puget Sound, Pierce County, Washington, killing the occupant and destroying the aircraft. No others involved., @KING5Seattle heres a video of the hijacked plane and fighter escort from Steilacoom in the ferry line for anderson Island pic.twitter.com/8fgAUe05xv. Richard Russell was a suicidal airport ground services worker who stole an airplane from Sea-Tac International Airport. [20] A veteran pilot said the maneuver "seemed pretty well executed, without either stalling or pulling the wings off. In July 2022, video was released that showed Russells last moments going through security, taking off in the plane, and communicating with air traffic control. We decided to sell and move in 2015, because we were both so far removed from our families. The final descent at Ketron Island was determined to be intentional, and suicide was listed as the manner of death. 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. It seemed like he was well liked by the other workers. HiIm a ground service agent. I have flown from Sea-Tac many times, and know the landmarks Russell mentions well (Mt. In 2018, a Horizon Air employee, Richard Russell, stole a plane with no prior flying experience, making international headlines. 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. Meanwhile, various tributes to Russell were uploaded to YouTube (shown below). Goodbye" (shown below, left). [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, [20] They married in 2012. He hoped perhaps to commission in the military after graduation. #SeaTac @king5 #ketron #dupont #andersonisland pic.twitter.com/78LC5PXKhU, Katreichel (@Katreichelart) August 11, 2018, The Sheriffs Department also wrote: Told F 15s made it within a few minutes of theft of plane. It is not surprising that I thought of Larry Walters when I first heard about Richard Russell. 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. Who Is The 'Sky King' Richard Russell And How Did He Earn His Title? Its going to disappoint them to hear I did this, he hauntingly said before his death. A lot of the people he was helping were troubled kids.. They wont let anyone leave the airport while hes up there. Confirmed info .. this is a single suicide male. ATC said, "they would give you a job doing anything if you could pull this off", to which he replied, "Yeah right! At one point, Rich reported that he threw up all over the cockpit, according to the audio. A former coworker, Rick Christenson, told The Seattle Times: He was a quiet guy. (@luketadams) August 11, 2018. His conversation and tone is very casual. Quite a scary experience. But as the cockpit recordings and videos of Russells antics spread, and Internet users uncovered his online postings, his final act drew both admirers and detractors. The sketch on Richard Russells WordPress page. Once I earn my Bachelors in Social Sciences I will either seek a management position where Im at now, or possibly join the military as an officer. Men in the UK, aged 20 to 49, are more likely to die from . I lift a lot of bags. However, late in the evening of August 10, 2018, tower audio indicated that some planes were being released. Ive got a lot of people that care about me. Heres hoping that the next Rich crashes on a couch of a good listener. At another point, he says he's going to try to "do a barrel roll." [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. [37], Horizon Air CEO Gary Beck stated that, as far as the company knew, Russell did not have a pilot's license. Video related to richard russell, rich: 5 fast facts you need to know, Click to subscribe! This is "Sky King ~ Richard Russell" by Nibbus Jimmus on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them. We are aware of an incident involving an unauthorized take-off of a Horizon Air Q400. Can Humans Detect Text by AI Chatbot GPT? 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. [19] Alaska Air Group CEO Brad Tilden announced on the same day that the airline was coordinating with the Federal Aviation Administration, the FBI, and the National Transportation Safety Board, and was "working to find out everything we possibly can about what happened". 1:10. I love my parents and sister this isn't your fault. The equipment was sent to the National Transportation Safety Board for processing. Speculation has swirled over Russells intent. Who Is The 'Sky King' Richard Russell And How Did He Earn His Title? Mr. Russell chatted, not too calmly, but coherently, with an air traffic controller during his solo flight. And part of his job was to drive the tractor that backed the aircraft into position for takeoff. Mona Lazar. Ah, minimum wage. To the consternation of friends gathered to witness the launch, he quickly ascended out of sight and climbed to an altitude of 16,000 feet. 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. Rainier. Lucas added, Theyve been in contact with the culprit. In 2018, a Horizon Air employee, Richard Russell, stole a plane with no prior flying experience, making international headlines. We love you bud. How Psychologically Conditioned Rats Are Defusing Landmines, The Innate Intelligence Observed in the Dying Process, 6 Signs That Youre Depressed and Ignoring It. 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. Russells social media accounts have become funeral guestbooks, digitized for the world. They turned him into a hero with the name, and with it came a lot of memes. Keep the aircraft nice and low, the tower responded to the man at one point, advising him to keep it over the water. 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 . I was dead set against it. Their business contained a sign that read, I have loved you with an everlasting love. Happening right now. I dont need that much help; Ive played some video games before, he told the controllers trying to help him. It had first flown in 2012 and was delivered new to Horizon Air in the same year. Russell said on the aviation audio, This is probably jail time for life, huh? 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. The couple settled in Sumner, Wa., where Russell got a job at Horizon Air, a subsidiary of Alaska Air Group, so he could easily fly back to Alaska to see his own family. New footage shows airport worker Richard Russell steal plane Yeah I dont know what the burnageis like on a takeoff but yeah. He then flew around the area for about an hour, speaking at times with air traffic controllers and apologizing to loved ones for what he was about to do. Patterson did not end up flying the plane into Walmart, instead landing in a field where he was arrested. 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. These statements should probably be considered the emotional projections of similarly disaffected people. They deemed Russell the Sky King inspiring an outpouring of memes in his memorial and a possible copycat this September. [36] He had been part of a tow team, which repositions aircraft on the airport apron, for about four years. Footage of Patterson flying the plane went viral on social media and people quickly started comparing it to the 2018 Sky King incident. He was on meth.. 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.. Richard Russell, 'Rich': 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know Saw two fighter jets fly overhead then smoke pic.twitter.com/w0bveGUJQH, McKenna Brown (@mckenna_brown) August 11, 2018, A man named Ben Schaechter wrote on Twitter, Halfway down the runway on Alaska airlines out of Seattle and the pilot slams on the brakes and shares we must go back to the gate. A black family confronts a 70-year-old killing and a white mans exoneration, A Horizon Air employee described as suicidal stole an empty plane at Seattles airport and crashed it into a nearby island on Aug. 10. (shown below). Updated Nov 30, 2022 at 4:37pm. I dont need that much help; Ive played some video games before, he told the controllers trying to help him. 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. They are grounding all planes and waiting. pic.twitter.com/ziBAYv7cgn, Jimmy Thomson (@jwsthomson) August 11, 2018. We believe there are no passengers on board. 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. 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. Britain is in the grip of a male suicide crisis. Airport (@flySEA) August 11, 2018. We consider ourselves bakery connoisseurs and have to try a new one every place we go. His website is filled with photos and videos of his travels and was previously linked to his Instagram account. I was born in Key West, Florida, and moved to Wasilla, Alaska when I was 7. 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. Hijacker does not know how to land the plane. Russell was active in his local community, serving as a leader at Young Life, a Christian youth ministry. The Sky King of Sea-Tac Airport | Psychology Today Glenn Sullivan, Ph.D., is a professor of psychology at the Virginia Military Institute and a clinical psychologist in private practice in Lexington, Virginia. He was 29 years old and a member of the ground crew at the Seattle-Tacoma Airport, earning minimum wage. Oh, a purple one! Russell exclaimed. Russells family released a statement to the news media expressing great shock and remembering Russell for his compassion. He worked at the airline for more than three years, authorities said. He tilted the wings and rumbled low over Puget Sound. pic.twitter.com/Ra4LcIhwfU. Others reported that the man had supposedly buzzed Mt. 0. Pilot said it was most bizarre thing hed heard in his career. Perhaps it was because the only life he seemed to have taken was his own. At another point, Richard Russell said, Im down to 2100; I started at like 30-something.. Gary Beck, chief executive of Horizon Air, told reporters Saturday that the acrobatics and maneuvers, including barrel rolls and one loop that brought Russell feet from the waters surface, wereincredible.. We believe there are no passengers on board. Richard Russell had a website that appears to have been for a college communications class. Maybe that will grease some gears a little bit with the higher-ups. Because I am a clinical psychologist, people come up to me after a news event like this and ask my opinion. The plane was grounded for the night after returning from Victoria, B.C., which was its final scheduled flight of the day. This incredible true story is the inspiration for SkyKing, a video installation and project created in summer 2020. 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. Richard Russell, 29, hijacked a 76-seater plane from Seattle-Tacoma on Friday. [41] They sold the bakery in 2015 so his wife could be closer to her family; they settled in Sumner, Washington, and Russell found employment with Horizon Air. 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.. The statement, he added, was the only one that will be released. The incident spawned numerous image macros, photoshops and fan arts on 4chan . 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." PostedSeptember 24, 2018 The hardest part of stealing a commercial plane from an international airport was already over for Richard Russell. A 2012 article in the World described how Russell met his wife. 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? 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. He was always smiling.. "Got a few screws loose, I guess. Together, they started a bakery in North Bend, Oregon. Im going to disappoint them to hear that I did this. 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. 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. Alaska Airlines (@AlaskaAir) August 11, 2018, People posted photos and videos to Twitter of a plume of smoke and possible crash site. My logo draft will be a generic suit case with minimalistic travel stickers, encircled by the text: Russell Hustle. 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 . Everything is shutdown rn pic.twitter.com/AzebdIa3tP, City King (@CityKing_Gank_) September 3, 2022. Never really knew it, until now, Richard Russell said at one point. Richard Russell, AKA Rich or Beebo Russell, was named as the airport mechanic who stole a Horizon plane at Sea-Tac and crashed it. 2:18. Richard Russell was a jokester who complained about work, but Sea-Tac Videos of the plane being followed by two F-15 fighter jets started going viral online as the story broke. 2018 Horizon Air Q400 incident - Wikipedia ? wrote one woman on Twitter, echoing the comments of many people who heard the audio. About. Just a broken guy, got a few screws loose I guess. [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. "[18] "[34], Richard Russell was a Horizon Air ground service agent from Sumner, Washington. According to suicide prevention expert, Dr. Christine Moutier, middle-aged White men account for 70% of deaths from suicide each year. Powered by. She foiled their plans. But is true.., Here is a statement from the family of Richard Russell, the Horizon Air employee who stole a plane, crashed it into Ketron Island.This is a complete shock to us. Before he took off, several people at the airport questioned what was going on. Beck said the aerial maneuvers were "incredible" and that he "did not know how [Russell] achieved the experience that he did. 2023 TIME USA, LLC. What now?
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