New video shows crash site of stolen plane. Richard Russell died in Friday's plane crash. The Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office has confirmed the remains belong to Richard Russell, who took the empty Horizon Air turboprop plane from Sea-Tac Airport. I hope they can make it through this.". Onlooker John Waldron took video that shows the plane rolling inverted at low altitude, then pulling into a half-loop in a aerobatic high-g maneuver called a split S. Whether through skill or luck, Russell managed to pull the plane out of its rapid descent just above the wave tops. CNN's Kyung Lah reports. Now, nearly four years after the event, authorities have released new video footage showing how 28-year-old Russell who went by the nickname "Beebo" got through. An hour and 45 minutes into the flight, Meyer crashed into the English Channel. Russell echoed those claims in his last conversation with air traffic control. 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. The U.S. National Suicide Prevention Hotline (1-800-273-8255) is online 24/7 to help you in a time of depression or desperation. Data from the flight data recorder showed there was a significant sideslip on the airplane during the last minute of the flight, but the airplane appeared to stay in control, according to the FBI report. ", The statement said Russell, 29, was "a faithful husband, a loving son and a good friend. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. The black boxes will hopefully give investigators more clues as they try to figure out why Russell flew the plane into the ground. Russell took off from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport at 7.32pm on Friday and flew, tailed by F-15 Eagle jets, until the plane crashed at 8.47pm into Ketron Island, located 25 miles. Richard Russell Plane Crash Video From Seattle | Heavy.com Winter Weather Advisory expires for much of western Washington, Intertribal comedy sketch troupe performs 'Between Two Knees' at Seattle Rep, plane stolen from Sea-Tac Airport crashed, Stolen plane narrowly missed family inside Ketron Island cabin, released the findings of its investigation, Cockpit audio from worker who stole empty plane from Sea-Tac Airport, 'I was blown away': Stepbrother of man who stole plane speaks out. Colton Harris Moore only got 6 years for stealing a plane and crashing it. "I would like to apologize to each and every one of them. Other pilots and SeaTac's tower exchange information about Mr Russell as they quickly realise that something unusual is going on. He complimented the controller: "You are very calm, collect, poised," he said. Richard Russell: Details emerge of a 'compassionate' man after Seattle plane heist and fiery crash By Alex Horton August 13, 2018 at 8:01 a.m. EDT A Horizon Air employee described as. 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. Later that day he stole an Alaska Air turboprop aircraft and crashed it into a remote island in Puget Sound. The 76-seat Horizon Air turboprop plane took off without authorization at 7:32 p.m. local time Friday, with Russell, who was not a pilot, at the controls, officials said. Now let's land that airplane safely and don't hurt anybody on the ground," the helping pilot radios. 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. So many bags," he said. 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. Richard Russell: quiet, well-liked Seattle airport worker who stole a plane In a final video project set to cheery music, Russell included selfies from airport . "I always felt bad for the guys and gals who handled luggage. 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. A blog that appeared to belong to Russell as part of a multimedia content creation class at Washington State University focused on his job on a ground service agent. Airline and Seattle airport officials revealed the following at a news conference Saturday: In audio recordings of the incident posted on Broadcastify, Russell can be heard talking to air traffic controllers as they try to guide him to land the plane. Human remains were found in wake of Friday's tragic plane crash. The jets' capability was appropriate to the potential task, one of the sources said, without offering details. Marine Corps lance corporal Howard A. Foote, Jr. stole an A-4M Skyhawk ground attack jet from Marine Corps Air Station El Toro and took it on a 45-minute aerobatic joyride before returning to base and landing safely. "He worked his shift yesterday, we believe he was in uniform, his job is to be around airplanes," said Brad Tilden, CEO of Alaska Air Group, which owns Horizon Air. The Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed Sunday that Russell had died in the fiery wreckage, but whether the crash was deliberate or accidental was one of several topics remaining for investigators. Richard Russell said he didn't need much help: 'I've played some video It was empty, parked at a Seattle-Tacoma International Airport cargo and maintenance area for the night after arriving from Victoria, British Columbia, earlier in the day. It was a strange day when Horizon Airlines Employee Richard "Beebo" Russell stole a plane in the middle of his working shift. Plus we let you know whats going on locally with Lee Callahans Jacktivities! "Oh man. / CBS/AP. The job of a ground service agent includes directing aircraft for takeoff and gate approach, handling baggage and tidying and de-icing planes, authorities said. 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. 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. 2023 Cox Media Group. Richard Russell: 'Heartbroken' family of Seattle airline employee - CNN ", First published on August 13, 2018 / 5:34 AM. . Siddiq Saunderson Moved to L.A. and Immediately Bought a Prius, Millennials and Zillennials Can't Get Enough of Manual Transmissions, Dollar Flight Club Premium Plus (Lifetime Subscription), Tesla Investor Day 2023 Was Pretty Great if You Ignored Elon. All rights reserved. The plane eventually crashed on sparsely populated Ketron Island, starting a fire in the woods but injuring no one outside the plane. In the footage, Mr Russell can be seen calmly moving through the airport wearing a black shirt. How was a man able to steal and pilot a plane? President Donald Trump was briefed on the incident and is monitoring the situation, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said Saturday morning. July 13, 1994. I don't know, man! Kathleen Reichel said she watched the planes pass by for about two minutes. he joked. "The FBI is going to be thorough, which means taking the time needed to scour the area, delve into the background of the individual believed responsible for Friday night's incident, and review every aspect with all appropriate public and private partners," the FBI's Seattle office tweeted Saturday afternoon. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. May 25, 2003. Video released to KOMO News from the Port of Seattle capture the final moments of Richard Russell who took a Horizon Air plane from SeaTac Airport without authorization, performed acrobatic. But the friendly tone of a 29-year-old airport worker who stole a commercial plane Friday night, performing acrobatic stunts before a fatal plunge into a thick island forest, belied his desperate actions. "Yeah, he knew how to fly," she continued. Jason Silverstein contributed to this report. I've played some video games before, he said. FBI releases classified documents from 2018 Horizon Air plane theft, crash That includes both domestic and international flights. Richard Russell, 'Rich': 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know Investigators headed Saturday to the crash site to recover the plane's data recorders and Russell's remains as part of a criminal probe, authorities said. Aug. 12, 2018. Never really knew it until now.". 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But could you start a left-hand turn, please?". 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. The man has been identified as Richard Russell, a law enforcement official familiar with the investigation confirmed to CNN on Saturday night. The FBI also said it found human remains among the wreckage. 7 months ago. Video from 2018 shows final moments of Sea-Tac Airport worker - KOMO New video shows the crash site and blogging made by Richard Russell, the airline worker who stole and crashed a plane from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Richard Russell plane crash video from Sea-Tac | wltx.com Later, a controller discusses getting a pilot on the radio to help Russell control the aircraft. The black boxes are now being sent to the National Transportation Safety Board for processing. But the plane made turns and aerobatic maneuvers that suggest some skill, she said. An air traffic controller called him "Rich," and tried to convince him to land the airplane. ", "I've got a lot of people that care about me," the man later said. He said flying was a "blast" and that he didn't need much help: "I've played some video games before.". Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Russell went by "Beebo" on social media. After Russell talked periodically with air traffic controllers for about an hour, the plane crashed at Ketron Island,officials said. .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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. "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.". According to his Facebook page, which had limited public access, he was from Wasilla, Alaska, and lived in Sumner, Washington, and was married in 2012. ", "I've got a lot of people that care about me, and it's going to disappoint them to hear that I did this," Russell says. 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. 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 Sound, questions remain. Scroll down to continue . Richard Russell Plane Crash Video Explained Four years ago, a 29-year-old man named Richard Russell managed to steal an Alaskan Airlines turboprop plane from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. While searching the crash site, investigators also located human remains among the aircraft materials. He's worked at Horizon longer than I did, and he still wasn't making $15 an hour, Reeves said. In a final video project set to cheery music, Russell included selfies from airport grounds and photos from his many trips. Potential targets included tens of thousands of fans assembling at Safeco Field, about 12 miles away, for a sold-out Pearl Jam concert just as he took off. 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. Join the Celebration of a Lifetime! 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. F-15 fighter jets scrambled to intercept the Q400, which ultimately crashed into Ketron Island, about 30 miles from the airport. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. No one noticed the plane had disappeared until Mr Russell was in the air. 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. 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. 2. Playing What We Want In Seattle! 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. Air traffic control became suspicious of Mr Russell after he cut in the line for takeoff. Like a lot of bags. CCTV Footage Shows Baggage Handler Stealing Plane, Crashes On Island - TMZ appreciated. Officials don't believe Russell had a pilot's license, and they don't know how he knew to fly the plane. KIRO 7 spoke with Russells friend and former co-worker Robert Reeves who said Russell was a hard worker who loved aviation, but he admits Russell was unhappy with his pay. 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. I don't know! CNN's Kyung Lah reports.. Moore stole (or stole and crashed) multiple airplanes, multiple boats, dozens of cars, etc. The FBI has recovered the flight data recorder and components of the cockpit voice recorder from the Horizon aircraft that crashed onto Ketron Island Friday night. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? The Port of Seattle just released the CCTV footage of 29-year-old Richard Russell towing the Alaska Airlines' Q400 Turboprop into position back in 2018 at the Seattle-Tacoma International. August 11, 2018 / 11:29 PM Relatives of Richard Russell say they are "stunned and heartbroken" after the airline worker stole a passenger plane Friday from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and was killed when. "Seattle Ground, Horizon Guy. 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. Russell, a 3-1/2-year Horizon employee, worked as a ground service agent. Investigators on Saturday were trying to retrieve the plane's flight data recorder and its cockpit voice recorder. "Never really knew it till now," he said. Sky King (RE-POST with new footage) || The Day an Airline Employee After Russell performed an unauthorized takeoff, two McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle fighters were scrambled to intercept the aircraft. It was empty, parked at a Seattle-Tacoma International Airport cargo and . Im coming home! But it was not to be. The agency said that, had Mr Russell wanted, he could have recovered from the dive. ", Russell posted collages of photos from his trips around the world, writing that travel was "what keeps me going in the most unfavorable circumstances.". In a statement, the family says Richard Russell, whose nickname was "Beebo," was warm, kind and gentle. 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. Richard "Beebo" Russell (Screenshot from YouTube via AP) SEATTLE - The Horizon Air baggage handler who stole a commercial airplane from Sea-Tac Airport and took it for a 73-minute joy ride . 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. August 22, 1979. Russell took the Q400 from a cargo area at the north end of Sea-Tac Airport on August 10. We deliver the best in breaking news, live video coverage, original journalism and segments from your favorite NBC News Shows.Connect with NBC News Online!NBC News App: https://smart.link/5d0cd9df61b80Breaking News Alerts: https://link.nbcnews.com/join/5cj/breaking-news-signup?cid=sm_npd_nn_yt_bn-clip_190621Visit NBCNews.Com: http://nbcnews.to/ReadNBCFind NBC News on Facebook: http://nbcnews.to/LikeNBCFollow NBC News on Twitter: http://nbcnews.to/FollowNBC#Surveillance #Horizonair #hijacking He first can be seen wandering through security, and is spotted again later on the tarmac. 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. Airports nationwide will now look at whether their security procedures need to change, CNN safety analyst David Soucie said. 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,. 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. 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. The King County medical examiner ruled his death a suicide. One sketch that he posted included a drawing of a Q400 plane, the same kind of plane involved in Friday's crash. Foote served four and a half months in the brig and later went on to become a test pilot in civilian life. [deleted] 5 yr. ago. 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 . So many bags," he said. FBI released more information about Russell and the incident earlier this year, including witness statements from family, friends, and co-workers. May 23, 1969. Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in, On the day of his tragic flight, Mr Russell wore a shirt that said The Sky is No Limit, Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile, Air Traffic Control audio reveals conversation with man who stole Alaska Airlines plane. 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Airline officials believe he was in uniform and worked a shift Friday, Tilden said. The incident came about when a 29-year-old man stole an aircraft from Seattle-Tacoma International airport in August 2018. The Sky Thief Richard Russell Plane Crash Video Gone Viral: What "I think I'm going to try to do a barrel roll, and if that goes good I'll go nose down and call it a night," Richard Russell said from the cockpit, according to a recording of his conversation with the controller. Newly released video shows the fiery scene firefighters encountered after an airplane stolen from Sea-Tac Airport crashed on Ketron Island. "It seemed like he was well liked by the other workers. "Tower, you need to call and scramble now," one Alaska Air pilot called out. New footage shows airport worker Richard Russell steal plane Each Thursday Ticket Takeover we giveaway prizes all day for different concerts, events, and more! The cause of the crash wasn't immediately known, but the F-15s did not bring the plane down, Eckrote said. "Russell had a few unexcused absences, but nothing considered significant.". While investigators concluded Russell intentionally crash the plane, his motive still remains a mystery. A curious and ultimately tragic story from 2018 finally has a little more context, thanks to security camera footage. Tragic as Russell's death was, he could have inflicted vastly more damage had he been so inclined. On his Facebook page, which had limited public access, he said he was from Wasilla, Alaska; lived in Sumner, Washington; and was married in 2012. He did not survive the crash. The Associated Press contributed to this report. New video shows crash site of stolen plane | CNN Could 3 Particles on a Tie Lead Us to D.B. "Nah, I mean, I don't need that much help. One sketch that he posted included a drawing of a Q400 plane, the same kind of plane involved in Friday's crash. / CBS/AP. That includes both domestic and international flights. It evens out in the end.". Also see | 'I was blown away': Stepbrother of man who stole plane speaks out. Video from a witness on the ground shows the plane at one point pulling up for a loop, putting the aircraft upside-down and then pulling back up just feet above a body of water. Authorities said he used a tractor to rotate the plane 180 degrees, positioning it so that he could taxi toward a runway. "I lift a lot of bags. About to take off. Mr Russell's aerial joyride ultimately ended in a fiery crash on a remote island in Puget Sound. When Rolling Stone published its article last year, no major regulatory or security changes had been implemented in response to Russells deadly flight. It wasn't immediately clear what training, if any, Russell had in flying planes. "Russell was known as a quiet guy who read a lot," according to one witness statement. In fact, there have been a number of occurrences in recent decades in which ground personnel made off with aircraft. "So, (he) had some knowledge but clearly wasn't a commercial pilot.". The rest of Mr Russell's time in the air was well documented, thanks to his regular contact with SeaTac's tower. I mean, I would hope it is, for a guy like me. 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. What was the richard russell plane crash story all about. 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. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. Despite the timing of the crash during prime fire season, the fires in the video seemed to be small and scattered. "NORAD fighters did not fire upon the aircraft," North American Aerospace Defense Command said Saturday morning in a news release. I was kinda hoping that was going to be it. "This is a complete shock to us," the family said in a statement Saturday night. The plane didn't require a key, but it did require buttons and switches to be activated in a particular order. The tower alerted the Portland Air National Guard base, which dispatched a group of US Air Force F-15s to intercept the rouge aircraft. 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. Russell was "tow certified" and had full security access, and had been with the company for three and a half years, CBS News' Jamie Yuccas reports. Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. John Waldron was walking along a trail near the bay when he noticed the two military jets following a plane doing aerobatics. SEATTLE -- He cracked jokes, complimented the professional demeanor of an air traffic controller and apologized for making a fuss. Others include how, nearly 17 years after the 9/11 attack, someone can simply take a passenger plane from a major U.S. airport without authorization. At one point he asks the controller, Hey, do you think if I land this successfully, Alaska [Horizon Airs parent company, Alaska Airllines] will give me a job as a pilot? Told, You know, I think they would give you a job doing anything if you could pull this off, Russell replies, Yeah right! Witnesses described the surreal scene after the plane left the airport. Its the first time that weve had a commercial aircraft stolen off the ramp of an active airport, Steven Armstrong, vice director of operations for the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), told Rolling Stone.