The story, despite seeming near-mythic, is true. Never really knew it, until now.". [39] He attended Wasilla High School, where he wrestled and competed in track and field. Wikipedia. The media also started sharing audio clips of ongoing conversations between Russell and an air traffic controller. I was dead set against it. Their business contained a sign that read, I have loved you with an everlasting love. 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 . Yay air force . Just a broken guy, got a few screws loose I guess. According to Eckrote, the plane is highly fragmented and she said that a background investigation is underway to further clarify Richs motive. "Heroes" - Peter Gabriel He did a barrel roll in a stolen plane and went out in a blaze of glory. Then he took an Alaska Airlines plane. Mr. Russell was clearly overwhelmed with the world in which he found himself, a world vandalized, a world stripped of his ancestral . Below are some of the clips. It seemed like he was well liked by the other workers. 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. Commercial aircraft are complex machines, he said. 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. 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, Russell wrote about himself and his wife online. I love my parents and sister this isn't your fault. Never really knew it, until now, Richard Russell said at one point. Wife of Richard Russel, Hannahh Russel documented her seven-year-long marriage to the 29-year-old on Instagram ( Source : co ) "After failing to persuade Hannah of Alaska's awesomeness, we landed on Sumner due to its proximity to her family," he wrote in his blog. He was manic-depressive. On August 10th, 2018, Russell stole the airliner from a maintenance position at the Sea-Tac airport. [33], On November 9, the FBI stated that it had completed its investigation. Hey all! I hope it doesnt ruin your day. Up until then, he had seemed torn between life and death, at least considering the possibility of attempting a landing or ditching the aircraft in the sea. Literally Media Ltd. He was very, very friendly automatically willing to bring everyone in, Hannah Holmes, who also participates in Young Life, told The Seattle Times. Although he was born in Key West, Fla. he moved to Wasilla when he was 7, according to a website he made in 2017. And in recordings of conversations with air traffic controllers, Russell joked and laughed, though he was at times contemplative and raw. On August 10, 2018, a Horizon Air Bombardier Q400 was stolen from SeattleTacoma International Airport (SeaTac) in Seattle, Washington. 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. Who is the aircraft on Runway 1-6 center? an air traffic controller can be heard saying. The plane crashed through several lines of 100-foot trees, the National Transportation Safety Board said, according to CNN. Maybe that will grease the gears a little bit with the higher-ups, he said at another point. Terrorism was ruled out, and Russell was found to have acted alone. RIP Sky King, a user wrote. [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. Location of SeattleTacoma International Airport (north) and Ketron Island (south) within northwestern Washington state. 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. Never actually wanted to hurt anyone. [12] Flights in and out of SeaTac Airport were temporarily suspended. Ive got a lot of people that care about me. He was a faithful husband, a loving son, and a good friend, Mike Mathews read from the statement at a press conference. The mans bizarre and ultimately doomed flight pushed fighter planes into action. It is not surprising that I thought of Larry Walters when I first heard about Richard Russell. I hope they can make it through this. He said that airline employees go through background checks. Apparently someone stole a Horizon Q and is flying it over SeaTac. RIP to the SkyKing. Authorities described him as suicidal.. Other video shows him clocking in to work. Together, they started a bakery in North Bend, Oregon. 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. Now video was released. It seemed like he was well liked by the other workers. I'm listening through the archive of the radio chatter on the #seatac hijacking. On July 2, 1982, a 33-year-old truck driver named Larry Walters took flight in a patio chair attached to more than 40 helium-filled weather balloons. 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. (shown below). Without Him we would be hopeless. He was married and completing a bachelors degree. At another point, Richard Russell said, Im down to 2100; I started at like 30-something.. 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. Richard Russell: Details emerge of a compassionate man after Seattle plane heist and fiery crash. We are working back ground on him now, the Pierce County Sheriff wrote. Updated Nov 30, 2022 at 4:37pm. 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. Sea-Tac airport confirmed the plane was down a short time later. 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. After performing the stunt, along with other maneuvers, the plane crashed on Ketron Island in the Puget Sound. We are aware of an incident involving an unauthorized take-off of a Horizon Air Q400. Stay tuned., Richard Russell, Rich: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. Video related to richard russell, rich: 5 fast facts you need to know, Click to subscribe! Would love your thoughts, please comment. His familys brief statement did not address any potential mental health issues. Someone sneak on board?, A man named Tyler Lucas wrote, Sitting on the runway at SeaTac, preparing for departure. Sadly, he did not survive much longer at all. Knowing what you value will help you build the most meaningful life possible. She foiled their plans. August 12, 2018 1:05 PM EDT. People like me dont do things like that. A 2012 article in the World described how Russell met his wife. 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. We know who he is. [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. [14] The transmissions were quickly recorded and posted on social media websites. However, late in the evening of August 10, 2018, tower audio indicated that some planes were being released. Hannah and Beebo met at a Campus Crusade for Christ gathering at Southwestern Oregon Community College last year, the site reported. 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. Apparently someone stole a plane from SeaTac? Everything is shutdown rn pic.twitter.com/AzebdIa3tP, City King (@CityKing_Gank_) September 3, 2022. But there appears to be no manifesto, no digital trail of warning signs from Russell. 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." Facebook Richard Russell plane crash video was released. Buy "Richard "SkyKing" Russell" by BogTron as a Sticker. About to take off. They may not admit for a few days. Residents of the island bore some of the cost for cleaning up, and negotiations were initiated for their reimbursement by Alaska Airlines' insurers. 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." 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. [31][32] On August 12, the FBI said that it had recovered the flight data recorder along with components of the cockpit voice recorder. Like a lot of bags. Hello, Love. They were born, they laughed, they struggled, they loved, and they died. 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. [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. 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. The incident came to a tragic end when Russell intentionally crashed the plane into Ketron Island in Puget Sound, killing him. The cockpit recordings are widely available online and it would be hard not to feel compassion while listening to them. Facebook/YouTube In the coming days, articles about the incident were published in The New York Times,[4] CBS News[6] and The Washington Post. Just kind of soaring around, he told air traffic control. To impress a woman, he arrived in a helicopter to take her on a classified mission, officials said. Russells family released a statement to the news media expressing great shock and remembering Russell for his compassion. As the voice recordings show, Beebos intent was not to harm anyone and he was right in saying that there are so many people who love him.. [5] Seattle Tower tried several times to get the pilot of the aircraft to identify himself on frequency, but received no response. I got a lot of people that care about me. 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. I dont need that much help; Ive played some video games before, he told the controllers trying to help him. 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. Will many of us have a better story to tell when we get to wherever were going, one Reddit user saidin a thread. His conversation and tone is very casual. Reviewed by Ekua Hagan. 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. HiIm a ground service agent. Then, about an hour after he took off, Russell plunged into sparsely populated Ketron Island 25 miles southwest of the airport, sparking an intense fire. Posted Sep 24, 2018. You can listen to more archived aviation audio on the incident here, some of which captures the mans voice: The site Airline Geeks.com reported, Reports saying that two F-15s have intercepted an Alaska Air Q400, operated by Horizon Air., The Twitter page Royal S. King wrote, On a lake in Tacoma and 2 F-15 have intercepted at @AlaskaAir Q400 south of @SeaTacAirport. Another man wrote, @flytruenorth Are you following this story? How was he able to take off without being stopped? This is a Tribute Video to the late Richard Russell, better known as the Sky King. Oh- theyve probably got anti-aircraftnot quite ready to bring it down just yet. "[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. [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". In one blog, he describedaspirations to land a management job or join the military. At one point, Rich reported that he threw up all over the cockpit, according to the audio. The perpetrator, 29-year-old Richard Russell, was a Horizon Air ground service agent with no piloting experience. The general feeling was, "It is a wonder that more of us don't crack from the tedium and meaninglessness of our consumer culture." According to suicide prevention expert, Dr. Christine Moutier, middle-aged White men account for 70% of deaths from suicide each year. Cast Your Vote To Select The Meme Of The Month! Not entirely sure whats happening. Nine-tenths of them are from a lower socioeconomic class. After attempting the aircraft took off, two F-15 fighter jets were deployed. After listening many times to the recordings, I found his voice - alternately warm, scared, and funny - to . pic.twitter.com/Ra4LcIhwfU. He and his wife had owned a bakery in Oregon but sold it to move closer to her family. 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. Rest in peace Rich. He also had a pellet gun, with which he eventually shot several of the balloons, beginning his slow descent. Footage of Patterson flying the plane went viral on social media and people quickly started comparing it to the 2018 Sky King incident. [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. Heres hoping that the next Rich crashes on a couch of a good listener. Confirmed info .. this is a single suicide male. It had first flown in 2012 and was delivered new to Horizon Air in the same year. 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.