Richard Russell had a website that appeared to have been for a college communications class. The airline confirmed that an unauthorized take-off occurred. Pilot said it was most bizarre thing hed heard in his career. Together, they started a bakery in North Bend, Oregon. Apparently someone stole a Horizon Q and is flying it over SeaTac. Im in the air right now. I dont want to hurt no one. [37], Horizon Air CEO Gary Beck stated that, as far as the company knew, Russell did not have a pilot's license. In the audio clips, Russell calls himself "broken" and says he knows how to fly a little bit thanks to video games. [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. He flew around as an air traffic controller calmly tried to reason with him. Ah, Rich, dont say stuff like that, the controller said. 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. Meanwhile, various tributes to Russell were uploaded to YouTube (shown below). Buy "Richard "SkyKing" Russell" by BogTron as a Sticker. [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. I met Hannah in Coos Bay, Oregon in 2010 while we were both going to school, the about me section says. 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. "[16][19] He added that he "wasn't really planning on landing it. Russell, the sole occupant during the flight, did not survive. I usually have to work outsidebut it allows me to do some pretty cool things too.. In one blog, he describedaspirations to land a management job or join the military. ? wrote one woman on Twitter, echoing the comments of many people who heard the audio. | A lot of the people he was helping were troubled kids.. 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. Stay tuned., Richard Russell, Rich: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. 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. He played athletics in high school in Wasilla, Alaska. 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.. Everything is shutdown rn pic.twitter.com/AzebdIa3tP, City King (@CityKing_Gank_) September 3, 2022. He has buzzed Mt Rainer and the Seattle area. Old Medication, New Use: Can Prazosin Curb Drinking? Other video shows him clocking in to work. Luke Adams ? 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.. bit.ly/subAIRBOYD Various scanner recordings from liveatc.net and broadcastify.com SEA Ground, Tower, Departure/Approach. On Facebook, he had liked the Republican Party and conservative personalities like Sean Hannity and Ben Shapiro. They were born, they laughed, they struggled, they loved, and they died. A pair of F-15C jets were scrambled in response to Russells flight before he crashed one hour and 15 minutes after takeoff. Now video was released. Audio starts with another aircraft reporting the Q400 exiting the maintenance/cargo area and taking off without clearance. A former coworker, Rick Christenson, told The Seattle Times: He was a quiet guy. SKY KING 2: RETURN OF THE SKY KING https://t.co/2Uk1sA2oXQ. He appeared regretful about the pain he knew would inevitably visit his family. 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. I'm listening through the archive of the radio chatter on the #seatac hijacking. He also had a pellet gun, with which he eventually shot several of the balloons, beginning his slow descent. Why did I do it? The cockpit recordings are widely available online and it would be hard not to feel compassion while listening to them. 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. (If you need help, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.). Defying attacks, arts return to Somalia with first TV drama in 30 years, Divorced and remarried, these Afghan women are outlaws under Taliban rule. He was a faithful husband, a loving son, and a good friend. [5] Seattle Tower tried several times to get the pilot of the aircraft to identify himself on frequency, but received no response. The day of the incident, a thread on 4chan's /pol/[14] board about the incident gained over 470 posts. He had psychotic depression. Memes about Sky King spread across the internet after the incident. Seattle ground Horizon guy. He was married and completing a bachelors degree. [4][13] A KC-135R Stratotanker refueling tanker was also scrambled from Fairchild Air Force Base to support the F-15 flight. 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. I don't want to. [9], On August 11th, 2018, journalist Jimmy Tomson tweeted out a series of audio clips in which Russell can be heard talking to an air traffic controller (shown below).[3]. The fighter jets were scrambled from Portland. Mourners gathered in the comments section of his YouTube video. The majority of the memes are in celebration and memorial of Russell, while others are more trollish shitposts. 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? They are grounding all planes and waiting. ?, One woman wrote on Twitter, he has stolen a big Horizon turbo prop. I will build you up again and you will be rebuilt. In the article, Russell described himself as laid back and easy going. His conversation and tone is very casual. [20], Russell's family released a statement on August 11, stating they were "stunned and heartbroken" and "devastated by the events". (@luketadams) August 11, 2018. He doesnt sound confident in his ability to land back at SeaTac. Rainier. 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. After he landed, Mr. Walters was arrested and charged with unlawful operation of an aircraft within a controlled air traffic area. Facebook In another moment, Russell said he was lightheaded and talked about adjusting the cabin pressure, but it was not clear whether he was able to do that. Who Was Richard Russell? Man Steals Airplane and Crashes | Time Other audio reported a ground stop was underway at SeaTac, the airport that services Seattle and Tacoma, Washington. The Sky King of Sea-Tac Airport | Psychology Today He is not a pilot and does not know how to land the plane. I dont need that much help; Ive played some video games before, he told the controllers trying to help him. 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? quote: On August 10, 2018, a Horizon Air Bombardier Q400 was stolen from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac) in Seattle, Washington. In the coming days, articles about the incident were published in The New York Times,[4] CBS News[6] and The Washington Post. Because I am a clinical psychologist, people come up to me after a news event like this and ask my opinion. Seattle-Tacoma Intl. 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. 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. I was dead set against it. Their business contained a sign that read, I have loved you with an everlasting love. August 10, 2021 by Kirk Forlatt. 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. However, late in the evening of August 10, 2018, tower audio indicated that some planes were being released. 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. Residents of the island bore some of the cost for cleaning up, and negotiations were initiated for their reimbursement by Alaska Airlines' insurers. This is a complete shock to us. We believe there are no passengers on board. Never really knew it until now. Patterson did not end up flying the plane into Walmart, instead landing in a field where he was arrested. Tulepo Police Chief John Quaka told CNN that Patterson had "some flight instruction" but was still in training. Well chalk it up to that. Who Is The 'Sky King' Richard Russell And How Did He Earn His Title? Knowing what you value will help you build the most meaningful life possible. 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. At one point in the dramatic audio, Richard Russell told the tower he was losing an engine. After Russell performed an unauthorized takeoff, two McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle . This is "Sky King ~ Richard Russell" by Nibbus Jimmus on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them. Polices ,ambulances ,& fire trucks are everywhere. And part of his job was to drive the tractor that backed the aircraft into position for takeoff. 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. This is not a terrorist incident. 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An airline employee conducted an unauthorized takeoff without passengers at Sea-Tac; aircraft has crashed in south Puget Sound. In 1993, Lawnchair Larry Walters was named an At-Risk Survivor in the annual Darwin Awards. Authorities said they did not believe he had a pilots license. I dont need that much help; Ive played some video games before, he told the controllers trying to help him. Hijacker does not know how to land the plane. "Got a few screws loose, I guess. He left no children. Normal operations at Sea-Tac Airport have resumed. At another point, he says he's going to try to "do a barrel roll." A Tale of Two White Men - Medium Magazines, Digital Wish me luck! How was he able to take off without being stopped? 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. 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. 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. This story has been shared 110,450 times. Im going to disappoint them to hear that I did this. Will many of us have a better story to tell when we get to wherever were going, one Reddit user saidin a thread. Radio banter in between, ending with the intercept audio for Rock 41 and Rock 42. suicidepreventionlifeline.org afsp.org AIRBOYD #SeaTac #ChambersBay #Q400 #Horizon. [15] Near the end of the flight, the aircraft was seen performing a barrel roll over Puget Sound, recovering a mere ten feet (three meters) over the water. I think I might mess something up there, too. [46][47], N449QX, the aircraft involved in the incident, pictured 2 months before the crash. That day, Boston Globe journalist Matt Karolian tweeted a link to the Sea-Tac air traffic control broadcast, followed by an announcement that Russell revealed he would attempt a barrel roll maneuver (shown below). The story, despite seeming near-mythic, is true. 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. 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. Full video form John Waldron on Facebook being shown on CNN #seatac pic.twitter.com/R98bl5uQBr. Sky King Rich ' Beebo' Russell FULL AUDIO W Air Traffic Control Thanks for contacting us. He had broken up with his girlfriend of 15 years and was having trouble finding steady work. [33], On November 9, the FBI stated that it had completed its investigation. Third, and perhaps most importantly, psychiatric diagnoses provide listeners with psychological distance from the victim. 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. Ive played some video games before.. 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. Apparently someone stole a plane from SeaTac? On July 2, 1982, a . i cut the audio from a frequency hopper that caught some of what they said to each other. Hannah and Beebo met at a Campus Crusade for Christ gathering at Southwestern Oregon Community College last year, the site reported. 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.. 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. The plane crashed through several lines of 100-foot trees, the National Transportation Safety Board said, according to CNN. We know who he is. Cast Your Vote To Select The Meme Of The Month! Its not clear how he pulled off the intense maneuvers captured on video. On LinkedIn, he wrote that he was owner/operator of Hannah Maries Bakery from 2012 through 2015 in North Bend, Oregon. White nationalists and the 'Sky King' - The Saturday Paper At another point, Richard Russell said, Im down to 2100; I started at like 30-something.. "Guides" Never really knew it, until now.". Richard Russell: Family of man who stole plane 'stunned and heartbroken' Sea-Tac airport confirmed the plane was down a short time later. 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. On August 10, 2018, a Horizon Air Bombardier Q400 was stolen from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac) in Seattle, Washington. Hey, I found myself in a predicament. [6], The aircraft was stolen from Plane Cargo 1 at the north end of SeaTac Airport[6] and maneuvered to runway 16C via taxiways. The Sky King Richard Russell: Understanding Why He Died Then he took an Alaska Airlines plane. Among the memes are images of Wojaks veering off into the sunset alongside quotes from Russell, a selfie of Russell sitting in the cockpit of the plane and video edits using audio clips from the conversation between Russell and the air traffic controller mixed with sad music and effects to emphasize the tragedy behind the event. On August 10, 2018, a Horizon Air Bombardier Q400 was stolen from SeattleTacoma International Airport (SeaTac) in Seattle, Washington. It is impossible to encompass who he was in a press release. Happy to read and share the best inspirational Sky King Richard Russell quotes, sayings and quotations on Wise Famous Quotes. They said the family is moving forward with the difficult talk of processing our grief and asked for space to mourn. As part of his job, Patterson was responsible for fuelling the aircraft. [4][6][9] A tow boat crew was the first to respond. 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. The incident spawned numerous image macros, photoshops and fan arts on 4chan . Richard Russell Plane Crash Video From Seattle | Heavy.com Russell said on the aviation audio, This is probably jail time for life, huh? I wouldn't want to do that. 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. Due to a planned power outage on Friday, 1/14, between 8am-1pm PST, some services may be impacted. Sadly, he did not survive much longer at all. More information as we learn more, Alaska Airlines wrote on Twitter around 9:20 p.m. on the west coast. Terrorism was ruled out, and Russell was found to have acted alone. The video was widely circulated online and by major news publications (shown below). #iflyalaska #akedchat.. 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. 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. 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. "[18] [7], SeattleTacoma air traffic control (ATC) maintained radio contact with the occupant. On social media, Richard Russell quickly became something of a folk hero, but people also felt sadness and empathy for his pain and his plight. "Nah, I'm just a White guy": "Sky King" and White Male Suicide . The general feeling was, "It is a wonder that more of us don't crack from the tedium and meaninglessness of our consumer culture." Richard "Beebo" Russell: Sky King (throwback stolen - TigerDroppings "[34], Richard Russell was a Horizon Air ground service agent from Sumner, Washington. This dives into the psychology and reason of why he Hi-jacked a plane and . It was recovered along with the cockpit voice recorder, authorities said Sunday, amid a streak of disintegrated debris. Russell, the sole occupant of the aircraft, perished in the crash. Russell told controllers midflight that he played video games in preparation, but it was not clear whether he meant flight simulators some of which are commercially available and depict exhaustive and realistic measures to start an aircraft. Video related to richard russell, rich: 5 fast facts you need to know, Click to subscribe! To download the mp3, right-click here and choose "save link as" or "save target as." Around 9 PM Pacific Time on August 10th, 2018, a 29-year-old man named Richard Russell, stole a Q400 airplane from Seattle Tacoma International Airport and went for a joyride [] Hours prior, he posted a message on Facebook that seemed to imply he was going to commit suicide, writing, "Sorry everyone. pic.twitter.com/ziBAYv7cgn, Jimmy Thomson (@jwsthomson) August 11, 2018. 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. Both were armed with AIM-9 Sidewinder and AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles[12] and went supersonic, generating sonic booms on the way to the Puget Sound area. It may seem difficult for those watching at home to believe, but Beebo was a warm, compassionate man. (shown below). This story has been shared 176,044 times. Theyre not as easy to fly as, say, a Cessna 150, Beck said. 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. Now a family is left to reckon with tragedy, while strangers find grim inspiration in his final act. 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." Its burned quite a bit faster than I expected., He also said, Im gonna land it, in a safe kind of manner. The plane was grounded for the night after returning from Victoria, B.C., which was its final scheduled flight of the day. Never knew he was fighting a battle non of us knew about. Second, psychiatric diagnosis also suggests simple solutions to complex problems: If he did it because he was mentally ill, we need more widely available mental health services.. At another point, Richard Russell said, Im down to 2100; I started at like 30-something.. You can listen to all of his SoundCloud clips here. Happy birthday to the man who keeps me laughing and always improves the view ? she wrote with one in 2017. [37] During his communication with air traffic control, Russell made a complaint about wages, stating: "Minimum wage, we'll chalk it up to that. Would love your thoughts, please comment. 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. People like me dont do things like that. He claimed to have buzzed Mount Rainier. HiIm a ground service agent. 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. What happened to Richard 'Beebo' Russell between Alaska and Washington Audio from the SeaTac tower reported that aircraft were lined up on the tarmac at one point. Just kind of soaring around, he told air traffic control. He spun a plane around Friday evening without raising suspicion and climbed aboard with 76 empty seats behind him. You went out the way most of us dream, one user wrote. 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. Richard Russell was a suicidal airport ground services worker who stole an airplane from Sea-Tac .