RIP Rich. We were married one year later, and one month after that we opened a bakery which we successfully ran for 3 years, he explained on his website of his wife. (@luketadams) August 11, 2018. Richard Russell, a ground control agent, died after he stole the plane at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in August 2018 and drove it into the ground of a remote island in the Puget Sound . I would like to apologize to each and every one of them. Richard Russell: Details emerge of a compassionate man after Seattle plane heist and fiery crash. All Rights Reserved. "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. 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.. The Sky King Richard Russell: Understanding Why He Died Hannah and Beebo met at a Campus Crusade for Christ gathering at Southwestern Oregon Community College last year, the site reported. Nah, Im a white guy. That last line has caused some controversy online. "[42] During his conversation with air traffic control, Russell said he "[knew] what [he was] doing a little bit" because he had experience playing video games. Before takeoff, the pilot explains someone stole an airplane, and is flying around near Mt. We are aware of an incident involving an unauthorized take-off of a Horizon Air Q400. After five hours, he arrived in a tow vehicle near the plane. We've received your submission. Even the small sections, most of it doesnt resemble a plane.. This dives into the psychology and reason of why he Hi-jacked a plane and then crashed into his death. Pilot said it was most bizarre thing hed heard in his career. Will many of us have a better story to tell when we get to wherever were going, one Reddit user saidin a thread. Newly Released Footage Shows Richard Russell Steal Plane - Breitbart He had psychotic depression. He and his wife Hannah started a bakery in Oregon in their early 20s, according to a 2012 story in a local paperthat depicted a happy, determined couple. 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. [7], SeattleTacoma air traffic control (ATC) maintained radio contact with the occupant. Airport (@flySEA) August 11, 2018. Periodically, his voice cut into the dispatches. Third, and perhaps most importantly, psychiatric diagnoses provide listeners with psychological distance from the victim. Perhaps the least we should do in the wake of such tragedies is to reflect upon the words attributed to Philo of Alexandria: Be kind, for everyone you meet is in the midst of a great struggle.. On October 6, 1993, now aged 44, he hiked into the Angeles National Forest and died by self-inflicted gunshot. It is impossible to encompass who he was in a press release. The Pierce County Sheriff wrote on Twitter, Stolen horizon airplane crashed into Ketron island. [45] The aircraft was worth $30million, all of which was paid under the company's insurance policy "with no deductibles. Wikipedia. The plane crashed through several lines of 100-foot trees, the National Transportation Safety Board said, according to CNN. I sure married a nice pair of calves! she joked with a photo of the couple. Published Wish me luck! 1,012 words / 5:32 To listen in a player, click here. Just kind of soaring around, he told air traffic control. Alaska Airlines (@AlaskaAir) August 11, 2018, People posted photos and videos to Twitter of a plume of smoke and possible crash site. He grins in selfies at work. You went out the way most of us dream, one user wrote. Authorities described him as suicidal.. Meanwhile, various tributes to Russell were uploaded to YouTube (shown below). I dont know how he achieved the experience that he did.. Who Is The 'Sky King' Richard Russell And How Did He Earn His Title? To be honest with you, commercial aircraft are complex machines. Memes about Sky King spread across the internet after the incident. The hardest part of stealing a commercial plane from an international airport was already over for Richard Russell. Russell, a ground services worker for Horizon Air, was permitted to get very close to passenger aircraft. The federal agencies will lead the investigation. For Richard Russell. If you or someone you know may be contemplating suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. 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. Location of SeattleTacoma International Airport (north) and Ketron Island (south) within northwestern Washington state. 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. Russell cites his position at Horizon in his blog as well. Terrorism was ruled out, and Russell was found to have acted alone. 0. [25][26] No injuries were reported to residents of the sparsely populated island despite the crash site being in close proximity to at least one cabin, which was occupied at the time of the incident. Luke Adams ? 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. According to Eckrote, the plane is highly fragmented and she said that a background investigation is underway to further clarify Richs motive. 1:10. Phone scammers tried to rob a grandma in Canada. [Im] just a broken guy, got a few screws loose, I guess. He was a faithful husband, a loving son, and a good friend. Rainier. Lucas added, Theyve been in contact with the culprit. The story, despite seeming near-mythic, is true. #seatac., A woman named Robanne Stading wrote on Twitter, #seatac airport is on a ground halt because evidently a mechanic is flying an unauthorized flightseeing trip around the mtns. 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. [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. [33], On November 9, the FBI stated that it had completed its investigation. He would have flipped overhead switches and set the propellers of the Bombardier Q400 spinning before he roared away from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Other audio reported a ground stop was underway at SeaTac, the airport that services Seattle and Tacoma, Washington. On July 2, 1982, a . He spun a plane around Friday evening without raising suspicion and climbed aboard with 76 empty seats behind him. They deemed Russell the Sky King inspiring an outpouring of memes in his memorial and a possible copycat this September. Richard Russell was a jokester who complained about work, but Sea-Tac He was married and completing a bachelors degree. Richard Russell, a ground control agent, died after he stole the plane at Seattle-Tacoma International Airportin August 2018 and drove it into the ground of a remote island in the Puget Sound, authorities said at the time. Oh- theyve probably got anti-aircraftnot quite ready to bring it down just yet. Hearing a diagnosis would comfort them somehow. Happy birthday to the man who keeps me laughing and always improves the view ? she wrote with one in 2017. Florida man accused of killing daughter's dogs by locking Canadian teacher with size-Z prosthetic breasts placed on paid leave, What's next for Buster Murdaugh after dad's murder conviction, life sentence, Alex Murdaugh shaves head for latest mugshot after learning his fate for killing his wife, son, Heather Dubrows youngest child comes out as transgender, Tom Sandoval drops out of interview amid backlash from Raquel Leviss scandal, Rebel Wilson says Meghan Markle isnt as naturally warm as Prince Harry, March 4, 1984: Martina Navratilova defeats Chris Evert at MSG, Tom Sizemore And The Dangerous Burden of Desperation, Tom Sandoval breaks silence on Ariana Madix split amid cheating claims. 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. 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. Richard Russell, 29, hijacked a 76-seater plane from Seattle-Tacoma on Friday. Known as Beebo to family and friends, Russell was in his youth a gregarious, outgoing star athlete at Wasilla High School in Alaska, according to The Anchorage Daily News, running track and wrestling. Richard Russell, who dreamed of being in the military and once ran a bakery with his wife, was identified as the suicidal airport ground services worker who stole an airplane from Sea-Tac International Airport and took it on a dramatic unauthorized flight, where it was chased by fighter planes as he attempted stunts in the air before the plane crashed. The family thanked authorities, Alaskair, the community and Russells friends and family. Family Left Heartbroken After Airline Worker Steals and Crashes Plane. 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. Old Medication, New Use: Can Prazosin Curb Drinking? [20] A veteran pilot said the maneuver "seemed pretty well executed, without either stalling or pulling the wings off. He was 29 years old and a member of the ground crew at the Seattle-Tacoma Airport, earning minimum wage. "[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. This is "Sky King ~ Richard Russell" by Nibbus Jimmus on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them. How was he able to take off without being stopped? [20] They married in 2012. Seattle ground Horizon guy. My names Richard Russell, Im 27 and currently living in Sumner, WA with my incredible wife Hannah. This story has been shared 176,044 times. Not entirely sure whats happening. Since his famous flight, he had spent a lot of time hiking, reading the Bible, and volunteering with the Forest Service. When I arrived, he was in the kitchen, in the middle of his Sunday morning ritual of cleaning his cleaning supplies. Richard Houck, "Sky King" | Counter-Currents In 2018, a Horizon Air employee, Richard Russell, stole a plane with no prior flying experience, making international headlines. Russell said on the aviation audio, This is probably jail time for life, huh? 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. 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. New footage has been released from a 2018 incident in which an airline ground service agent named Richard Russell stole a turboprop plane from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and crashed it into an island in the Puget Sound. It was a strange day when Horizon Airlines Employee Richard "Beebo" Russell stole a plane in the middle of his working shift. I met my husband when a friend sent him over to my house to cure my hiccoughs. People contended that he didnt want to die "he just wanted to feel alive for once in his life.. I hope this prompts a nationwide discussion about mental healthcare overall. Plane is a Q4. He somehow managed to execute a barrel roll and a few other aerobatic maneuvers before crashing the aircraft onto a sparsely populated island, killing only himself. Nah, I'm a white guy. The plane started moving, but Russell jumped in the plane and took off. Russell told air traffic controllers that he was a broken guy with a few screws loose, but also that he wanted to avoid injuring innocent people. We decided to sell and move in 2015, because we were both so far removed from our families. Our first date, he kind of cornered me into it, Hannah Russell said to the site. Horizon Q4 prop hijacked by unauthorized person not a pilot. They wont let anyone leave the airport while hes up there. Ah, Rich, dont say stuff like that, the controller said. Tower, you need to call and scramble now, one pilot warned, according to the video. KINGs Madison Wade reports. 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. "Heroes" - Peter Gabriel Together, they started a bakery in North Bend, Oregon. 7 things to know", "One year after stolen Horizon plane crash, scars remain on Ketron Island", "FBI releases classified documents from 2018 Horizon Air plane theft, crash", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2018_Horizon_Air_Q400_incident&oldid=1136228770, This page was last edited on 29 January 2023, at 10:06. I hope they can make it through this. He said that airline employees go through background checks. We are devastated by these events and Jesus is truly the only one holding this family together right now. On LinkedIn, he wrote that he was owner/operator of Hannah Maries Bakery from 2012 through 2015 in North Bend, Oregon. Im in the air right now. On Facebook, he had liked the Republican Party and conservative personalities like Sean Hannity and Ben Shapiro. Aw man, those guys would rough me up if I tried landing there, Rich says. Maybe that will grease the gears a little bit with the higher-ups, he said at another point. His conversation with controllers revealed limited experience. 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. The equipment was sent to the National Transportation Safety Board for processing. He did a barrel roll in a stolen plane and went out in a blaze of glory. 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. Normal operations at Sea-Tac Airport have resumed, the airport wrote. 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. Sep 09, 2022 at 02:47PM EDT (shown below). He was always smiling.. The fighter jets were scrambled from Portland. Well chalk it up to that. Richard Russell Steals a Horizon Air Q400 (Exclusive New Footage), On August 10, 2018, a Horizon ground operations employee by the name of Richard Bryan Russell Jr., stole a $32,000,000 Horizon Q400 airplane, N449QX, from the Cargo 1 / Line 1 area at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. I was dead set against it. Their business contained a sign that read, I have loved you with an everlasting love. 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. Although official accounts other than through live aviation audio were hard to come by at first, many passengers took to social media to report that pilots were telling them a man had stolen a plane. 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. Or that he appeared to be a happy, regular guy. Others saw his opinions on certain topics as based. Richard "Beebo" Russell grew up in Alaska, but moved around and got married before he ended his life in Washington when he stole a passenger airplane and crashed it on a Puget Sound island. 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). Ah, Rich, dont say stuff like that, the controller said. [10] According to reports, Patterson called 911 from the plane and threatened to crash it into a Mississippi Walmart. Normal operations at Sea-Tac Airport have resumed. Sea-Tac airport confirmed the plane was down a short time later. Due to a planned power outage on Friday, 1/14, between 8am-1pm PST, some services may be impacted. Its gonna be crazy, he tells traffic control, according to the video provided to local Seattle news outlet KOIN. Without Him we would be hopeless. steal a Horizon Air Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 airliner. My logo draft will be a generic suit case with minimalistic travel stickers, encircled by the text: Russell Hustle. A childhood friend remarked that Beebo was loved by everyone because he was kind and gentle to each person he met. 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. More information as we learn more, Alaska Airlines wrote on Twitter around 9:20 p.m. on the west coast. 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. Happening right now. in. An airline employee conducted an unauthorized takeoff without passengers at Sea-Tac; aircraft has crashed in south Puget Sound. The man, known as Rich in air traffic control audio and dubbed the sky king on Twitter, broke hearts on social media as people followed the unauthorized flight before it came to a fatal end. Yeah I dont know what the burnageis like on a takeoff but yeah. [46][47], N449QX, the aircraft involved in the incident, pictured 2 months before the crash. Russell, the sole occupant during the flight, did not survive. ", Currently we have a 29yr old who stole this plane & is threatening to crash it into something. He has buzzed Mt Rainer and the Seattle area. (If you need help, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.). About to take off. Rainier. Ive got a lot of people that care about me. 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. He is flying around the airport, he does not know how to land it. ATC said, "they would give you a job doing anything if you could pull this off", to which he replied, "Yeah right! After listening many times to the recordings, I found his voice - alternately warm, scared, and funny - to . Would love your thoughts, please comment. The story, despite seeming near-mythic, is true. In 1993, Lawnchair Larry Walters was named an At-Risk Survivor in the annual Darwin Awards. in correct chronological orderthis took pIace over about 75 minutes. [31][32] On August 12, the FBI said that it had recovered the flight data recorder along with components of the cockpit voice recorder. It was worth it, he said, to conveniently travel to Alaska, where he grew up, to visit family. After Russell performed an unauthorized takeoff, two McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle fighters were scrambled to intercept the aircraft. (More info in comments) 2 years ago today, Richard Russell, an - reddit He went sightseeing along the Olympic mountain range. Patterson did not end up flying the plane into Walmart, instead landing it in a nearby field where he was arrested. Video related to richard russell, rich: 5 fast facts you need to know, Click to subscribe! At one point, Rich reported that he threw up all over the cockpit, according to the audio. The video shows Russell wearing a shirt that reads The skys no limit, as he passed through security at the airport, where he worked. The audio between the man known as Rich and air traffic controllers further captured his demeanor. Richard Russell was a suicidal airport ground services worker who stole an airplane from Sea-Tac . Im going to disappoint them to hear that I did this. The flight data recorder may show how well Russell managed the aircrafts myriad functions. It is not surprising that I thought of Larry Walters when I first heard about Richard Russell. I suspect that most of the time they want to hear some kind of post-mortem diagnosis: He was a paranoid schizophrenic. They said the family is moving forward with the difficult talk of processing our grief and asked for space to mourn. Apparently someone stole a Horizon Q and is flying it over SeaTac. [27], The Pierce County Sheriff's Office both thanked the public for its accurate information, and acknowledged on August 11 that federal agencies would be leading the investigation, primarily the Seattle office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Im going to disappoint them to hear that I did this. 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 . Now a family is left to reckon with tragedy, while strangers find grim inspiration in his final act. [37] From early childhood he was known as "Beebo" to his friends and family. 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. Filed under 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. I lift a lot of bags. (Video: Elyse Samuels/The Washington Post). After attempting the aircraft took off, two F-15 fighter jets were deployed. Keep the aircraft nice and low, the tower responded to the man at one point, advising him to keep it over the water. We know who he is. About to take off. ?, One woman wrote on Twitter, he has stolen a big Horizon turbo prop. We had a ground stop for quite a while here, a dispatcher says. This is a complete shock to us. 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." How I've Made $280k Selling Spreadsheets on Etsy. I think I might mess something up there too. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, Digital | [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. Audio from the SeaTac tower reported that aircraft were lined up on the tarmac at one point. 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. The perpetrator, 29-year-old Richard Russell, was a Horizon Air ground service agent with no piloting experience. He said of himself that, Ive got a lot of people that care about me. Beebo was loved by everyone because he was kind and gentle to each person he met. Sea-Tac Airport (@SeaTacAirport) August 11, 2018. Britain is in the grip of a male suicide crisis. 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. He was a faithful husband, a loving son, and a good friend, Mike Mathews read from the statement at a press conference. Subscribe to NBC News: nbcnews.to/SubscribeToNBC Watch more NBC video: bit.ly/MoreNBCNews NBC News Digital is a collection of innovative and powerful news. The plane was grounded for the night after returning from Victoria, B.C., which was its final scheduled flight of the day. At one point, Rich asked for help in getting the cabin depressurized, complaining he was getting lightheaded. 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 . They deemed Russell the Sky King inspiring an outpouring of memes in his memorial and a possible . Its not clear whether Russell, 29, had ever really flown a plane before. The fire burned a 2-acre (0.8ha) area,[23] but was extinguished by the following morning. Male is confirmed a suicidal male. #iflyalaska #akedchat.. Get the help you need from a therapist near youa FREE service from Psychology Today. Hearing Mr. Russell speak during his final hour is an emotional experience. Sky King Johnny Miller Photography Residents of the island bore some of the cost for cleaning up, and negotiations were initiated for their reimbursement by Alaska Airlines' insurers. 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. Richard "Skyking" Russell : r/lostgeneration Now video was released. "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. He stated that he did not want to hurt anyone,[17][19] and in the final minutes of the communication apologized to his friends and family. This video is not meant to glamorize suicide. [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). On Facebook, his favorite quotes were religious in nature, including, God IS Love and No Guilt in Life, No Fear in Death, this is the Power of Christ in Me, and a non religious line, This is America.. [18] After the incident, Joel Monteith, a pilot for SkyWest Airlines, relayed to an emergency dispatcher that in 2017, he saw Russell and another man "pointing and flipping switches" in the cockpit of a SkyWest aircraft parked at SeaTac Airport. 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. The family of a man who authorities say stole an airplane from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on Friday and died when he later crashed the aircraft said they were .
Brickyard Music Schedule, Articles S