His responsibilities included towing and pushing aircraft for takeoff and gate approach, de-icing them, and handling baggage. Authorities said he used a tractor to rotate the plane 180 degrees, positioning it so that he could taxi toward a runway. Surveillance footage obtained by KOMO shows 28-year-old Richard Russell using a tow vehicle to pull a Horizon Air Q400 aircraft onto the tarmac before climbing into the cockpit on August 10, 2018. 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. The body camera and cell phone video shows firefighters climbing through dense brush and fallen trees to get to the crash site on Ketron Island. Later, a controller discusses getting a pilot on the radio to help Russell control the aircraft. Cooper? MH370 captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah was a flight-sim enthusiast who is known to have taken a simulated flight path similar to the one authorities believe the plane ultimately took into the southern Indian Ocean.
New video shows fiery scene of stolen plane crash on Ketron Island Every time I traveled I would look out my plane window and see these sullen looking individuals leisurely pacing around, or hectically throwing bags into a cart. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. Newly-obtained surveillance video from 2018 shows how Richard Russell, then a Horizon Ground service agent with no pilot experience, successfully stole the plane before crashing to his. If you miss out on Thursday, no worries! It was a strange day when Horizon Airlines Employee Richard "Beebo" Russell stole a plane in the middle of his working shift. Russell repeatedly says he would do a roll. "The greatest threat we have to aviation is the insider threat," said Erroll Southers, a former FBI agent and transportation security expert. In the footage, Mr Russell can be seen calmly moving through the airport wearing a black shirt. The footage shows him going through security wearing a T-shirt. The Seattle FBI office said Sunday that it had recovered the flight data recorder and components of the cockpit voice recorder from the Horizon plane. The plane was a Q400, a Bombardier turboprop plane, one of about 40 the airline has in its fleet. At least 12 dead after winter storm slams South, Midwest, The Saturday Six: Dental device controversy, scientist's bug find and more, Trump speaks at CPAC after winning straw poll, 3 children killed, 2 others wounded at Texas home, Man charged for alleged involvement in 2 transformer explosions, Nikki Haley slams potential GOP contenders, and Trump and George W. Bush, Duo of 81-year-old women plan to see the world in 80 days, Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant to "take some time away" from the team after allegedly brandishing a gun in a club, Alex Murdaugh trial: What to know about the double murder case, Officials say man who stole plane was suicidal. NBC News Digital features NBCNews.com, MSNBC.com, TODAY.com, Nightly News, Meet the Press, Dateline, and the existing apps and digital extensions of these respective properties. "Congratulations. Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. 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. 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? Richard Russell was a suicidal airport ground services worker who stole an airplane from Sea-Tac International Airport in Seattle, Washington, and took it on a dramatic unauthorized flight,. We may earn a commission from links on this page. ", Referring to audio recordings of Russell talking to air traffic control during his hour-long flight, the statement said his "intent was not to harm anyone. Mr Russell's aerial joyride ultimately ended in a fiery crash on a remote island in Puget Sound. Richard Russell, 29, walks through employee security screening at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. KINGs Madison Wade reports. Subscribe to NBC News: http://nbcnews.to/SubscribeToNBC Watch more NBC video: http://bit.ly/MoreNBCNewsNBC News Digital is a collection of innovative and powerful news brands that deliver compelling, diverse and engaging news stories.
Richard Russell, 'Rich': 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know In the footage, Mr Russell can be seen calmly moving through the airport wearing a black shirt that says "The Sky's No Limit." Im coming home! But it was not to be. Russell, who was a ground services employee for Horizon Air, sat in the plane's cockpit for nearly an hour and a half before the unauthorized takeoff. Officials don't believe Russell had a pilot's license, and they don't know how he knew to fly the plane. 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. The cause of the crash wasn't immediately known, but the F-15s did not bring the plane down, Eckrote said. The agency says the 28-year-old's loved ones hosted an intervention for him, who "seemed fine" besides increased drinking. Russell, a Horizon Air ground service agent for three and a half years, was the only person aboard the plane, the Pierce County Sheriff's Department said. The Associated Press contributed to this report. 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. He was immediately killed. On the other hand, Russell was reported to have been profoundly troubled, whereas Malaysian authorities were unable to find any evidence that Shah suffered from mental illness or was undergoing any kind of stress in his life. Russell's family said in a statement that they were stunned and heartbroken. video Plane crashes near Seattle airport. ", First published on August 13, 2018 / 5:34 AM. It's unclear exactly what Mr Russell is doing during this time, but he eventually takes control of a pushback tug and readies the Alaska Air plane for takeoff. Now let's land that airplane safely and don't hurt anybody on the ground," the helping pilot radios. Padilla and an a recently hired assistant boarded the plane, taxied it to the runway, took off, and head out over the Atlantic Ocean. Worker who stole plane and crashed identified, See stolen plane flying moments before crash, Co-worker of man who stole plane speaks out, Official: Man taxied plane before stealing it, Airline worker's family releases statement, Airline issues statement after Seattle crash, Witness: Thought Air Force was practicing for show. One sketch that he posted included a drawing of a Q400 plane, the same kind of plane involved in Friday's crash.
Hell of a crime spree for a 19 year old. Nearby co-workers weren't even aware of Russell's actions, which happened six hours into his shift, according to reporters.
The Sky Thief Richard Russell Plane Crash Video Gone Viral: What He had no purpose to be at that plane Friday evening "other than what he did do," Tilden said. With its premium plus plan, youll be able to browse flight deals going for up to 90% off in business, premium economy, and economy class. I've played some video games before," Russell responds. Airports nationwide will now look at whether their security procedures need to change, CNN safety analyst David Soucie said. 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. Weve got the Weekend Ticket Takeover! The FBI also said it found human remains among the wreckage. He did not survive the crash. Never really knew it until now.".
It's Troublingly Common for Ground Crew Members To Steal Planes "If you're going to access the aircraft you make sure that you check with someone else, and that someone else (will confirm) that you have the right authority to get onto that aircraft.". "Here we have an employee who was vetted to the level to have access to the aircraft and had a skill set proficient enough to take off with that plane.". CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. Jason Silverstein contributed to this report. It evens out in the end.". 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. Like a lot of bags. By Jeff Wise Published: Aug 13, 2018 JASON REDMOND // Getty Images Foote was an experienced glider pilot and had undergone 100 hours of simulator flying in the Skyhawk and had hoped to become a military pilot before his ambitions were derailed by health issues. About to take off. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Indeed, in transcripts of his conversation with air-traffic control as he zig-zags the stolen plane through the airspace above the 15th-largest city in the U.S. (some of which can be heard in the video above), Russells demeanor goes from awestruck, to giddy, to fearful, to guilty, as he seems to process in real-time the weight of what hes done, and the unlikelihood that hell survive. Win Tickets to KISS at Climate Pledge Arena on November 6, 2023.
New Footage Shows Moments Before Seattle Man Crashed Plane in - YouTube In the days leading up to the theft and subsequent crash, employees and family didn't notice anything wrong with him, investigators wrote in the updated report. Author: Elisa Hahn Published: 11/14/2018 5:51:22 PM the moments leading up to an airport worker crashing a stolen airplane, FBI released more information about Russell and the incident, employees and family didn't notice anything wrong, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. strangest, scariest, most bizarre events of 2018. An hour and 45 minutes into the flight, Meyer crashed into the English Channel.
Chilling CCTV footage shows Richard Russell stealing plane - HITC The man could be heard on audio recordings telling air traffic controllers that he is "just a broken guy." Video from Friday showed the Horizon Air Q400 doing large loops and other dangerous maneuvers as the sun set on the Puget Sound. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Did you encounter any technical issues? 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. Mr Russell was at times jovial at one point he assured SeaTac's tower that he didn't need help controlling the airplane because he had played some video games and questioned if it could do a backflip and was at others melancholic. F-15s were scrambled out of their base at Portland International Airport to intercept the plane. The incident is bizarre and tragic, but it is not unprecedented. Some speculated the plane was stolen as part of an insurance scam, or perhaps taken by terrorists who planned to use it as a flying bomb, but the truth remains unknown. New surveillance. "I thought they were practicing for an air show," he said. "Last night's event is going to push us to learn what we can from this tragedy so that we can ensure this does not happen again at Alaska Air Group or at any other airline," Brad Tilden, CEO of Alaska Airlines, told a news conference Saturday. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. An FBI investigation found Alaska Airlines ramp employee Richard Russell intentionally crashed the aircraft after flying for more than an hour. Late Friday, a Horizon Air employee believed to be Russell stole an empty turboprop plane, took off from SeaTac and crashed on Ketron Island, a small island in the Puget Sound that is home to about two dozen residents. In a final video project set to cheery music, Russell included selfies from airport grounds and photos from his many trips. That includes both domestic and international flights. (DAILY NEWS VIDEO) .
Scroll down to continue . CNN's Kyung Lah reports. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Alaska Airlines flight 261 took off from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on the morning of August 10, 2018. They say says this is a complete shock. No one noticed the plane had disappeared until Mr Russell was in the air. Newly released video shows the fiery scene firefighters encountered after an airplane stolen from Sea-Tac Airport crashed on Ketron Island. 2.
Family and friends try to reconcile Richard Russell's action with the At least 12 dead after winter storm slams South, Midwest, The Saturday Six: Dental device controversy, scientist's bug find and more, Trump speaks at CPAC after winning straw poll, 3 children killed, 2 others wounded at Texas home, Man charged for alleged involvement in 2 transformer explosions, Nikki Haley slams potential GOP contenders, and Trump and George W. Bush, Duo of 81-year-old women plan to see the world in 80 days, Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant to "take some time away" from the team after allegedly brandishing a gun in a club, Alex Murdaugh trial: What to know about the double murder case, FBI probes how airline employee stole plane, FBI investigating how airline employee stole plane before crashing, New details emerge about employee who stole, crashed airplane, NTSB to investigate in-flight turbulence that left 1 passenger dead, Pittsburgh woman missing for 31 years found alive in Puerto Rico, someone can simply take a passenger plane from a major U.S. airport without authorization, push us to learn what we can from this tragedy. NORAD scrambled two F-15 to try to shepherd Russell away from populated areas of Seattle, but at 8:46 PM, Russell crashed the plane into an uninhabited part of Ketron Island in Puget Sound. 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. Plus we let you know whats going on locally with Lee Callahans Jacktivities! .css-v1xtj3{display:block;font-family:FreightSansW01,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-weight:100;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:0;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-v1xtj3:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-v1xtj3{font-size:1.1387rem;line-height:1.2;margin-bottom:1rem;margin-top:0.625rem;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-v1xtj3{line-height:1.2;}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.css-v1xtj3{font-size:1.18581rem;line-height:1.2;margin-bottom:0.5rem;margin-top:0rem;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-v1xtj3{font-size:1.23488rem;line-height:1.2;margin-top:0.9375rem;}}A 777 Nearly Plunged Into the Ocean After Takeoff, Sudden FAA Failure Grounds U.S. "Oh man. There were no passengers aboard. Richard Russell Posted a Video on YouTube About Being a Baggage Handler Play VideoVideo related to richard russell, 'rich': 5 fast facts you need to know 2018-08-11T15:04:15-04:00 In a. That's just not safe.". Newly-released videos from the Port of Seattle show the moments leading up to an airport worker crashing a stolen airplane nearly four years ago. Richard Russell, 29, can be seen at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport driving a pushback tractor with an Alaska Air turboprop attached. Later that day he stole an Alaska Air turboprop aircraft and crashed it into a remote island in Puget Sound. 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. The jets' capability was appropriate to the potential task, one of the sources said, without offering details. 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. When Rolling Stone published its article last year, no major regulatory or security changes had been implemented in response to Russells deadly flight. Investigators on Saturday were trying to retrieve the plane's flight data recorder and its cockpit voice recorder. A Warner Bros. I hope they can make it through this.". He managed to proceed with his plan unmolested largely because no one thought twice about the baggage handler working in the airport's restricted spaces. among other things. "My husband and I are recently former Boeing employees, and we were wondering why a jet was near the passenger airplane," she said. Recently fired airline mechanic Armando Nieto Jaramillo, 23, stole a military HS-748 transport plane from Bogot-Eldorado Airport and crashed it soon after takeoff, killing himself and three people on the ground. Horizon airline employee, 28-year-old Richard 'Bebo' Russell, stole a plane and took off before crashing into remote Pierce County island More Videos Next up in 5