The recordings reveal that when a controller asked Russell if he need help controlling the aircraft, he responded, I dont need that much help. Well chalk it up to that. Like a lot of bags. He wanted to help out his family the best he could by, A, making money and then, B, so his mom and family could travel around, Fan said. ? wrote one woman on Twitter, echoing the comments of many people who heard the audio. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. As an airline employee, he wrote: Im able to fly at my leisure. Russell captured some of his travels to France, Mexico and across the United States in a video uploaded to YouTube in December. Richard Russell had a website that appeared to have been for a college communications class. I sure married a nice pair of calves! she joked with a photo of the couple. 'He was loved by everyone' - 'heartbroken' family pays tribute to man Our focus continues to be supporting our employees, providing support for his family and cooperating fully with the investigation, Horizon spokeswoman Bobbie Egan said. We are going to be thorough, which means taking the time needed to scour the area, delve into the background of the individual believed responsible, and review every aspect of this incident with all appropriate public and private partners, the office said in a statement. Audio starts with another aircraft reporting the Q400 exiting the maintenance/cargo area and taking off without clearance. It seemed like he was well liked by the other workers. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. There is a runway just off to your right side in about a mile, the controller says, referring to an airfield at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. They wont let anyone leave the airport while hes up there. But four former ground-service agents who worked with him keyed in on one line from the cockpit recording, a complaint about wages and a dig at management. Christenson told The Seattle Times it was difficult to listen to the audio as Russell communicated with an air traffic controller. They said it's not clear whether he had ever taken flight lessons or used flight simulators, or where he gained the skills to take off. Tue 12 July 2022 11:09, UK. The man a ground service agent identified as Richard B. Russell, according to a law enforcement official exposed a troubling reality of airport security in the post-9/11 era. Richard Russell, AKA Rich or Beebo Russell, was named as the airport mechanic who stole a Horizon plane at Sea-Tac and crashed it. While many visible aspects of commercial flight that affect the routines of passengers have been hardened, parts of the system that are behind the scenes, but just as important to public safety as cockpit doors and screening machines, remain vulnerable. 4.3M views 7 months ago A newly released video sheds new light on the moments leading up to Richard Russell crashing a plane. Hannah, who had gone to culinary school, was detail oriented and ran the show, the newspaper reported, while her husband was more laid-back and eager to experiment with new and wild recipes.. Maybe that will grease the gears a little bit with the higher-ups, he said at another point. Its gonna be crazy, he said at one point in air traffic control transmissions. Russell, 29, was born in Key West, Florida, and moved to Wasilla, Alaska, when he was 7, according to a blog he created for an online communications class at Washington State University. So many bags," he said. They said it's clear Russell didn't intend to harm anyone, and "he was right in saying that there are so many people who loved him. richard russell audio transcript. Authorities don't know why he took the plane, but he could be heard on audio recordings telling air traffic controllers that he is "just a broken guy.". Ah, Rich, dont say stuff like that, the controller said. MECHANIC Richard Russell stole a passenger plane before performing loop-the-loops and crashing into an island. I would hope it is for a guy like me. People on Twitter who were following the aviation audio reported that the man attempted a barrel roll with the plane at one point. Keep the aircraft nice and low, the tower responded to the man at one point, advising him to keep it over the water. "He was a quiet guy. No one noticed the plane had disappeared . At one point, Rich asked for help in getting the cabin depressurized, complaining he was getting lightheaded. Criss said his son talked to Russell the week before the crash and nothing seemed amiss. Its blast, man, Mr. Russell replied. Without Him we would be hopeless. The plane was not scheduled for a flight when Mr. Russell commandeered it. (If you need help, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.). In a video Russell made, he focused on the flight benefits that came with his job, which he used for a trip to France and frequent trips home to Alaska. He never talked about any mental-health issues, Fan said. Who was Richard Russell? But is true.., Here is a statement from the family of Richard Russell, the Horizon Air employee who stole a plane, crashed it into Ketron Island.This is a complete shock to us. It read: This is a complete shock to us. They dont steal airplanes. Rich, you said you had 2100 pounds of fuel left? the controller responded. Damnit Andrew, peoples lives are at stake here, Rich said at one point in the audio, which you can listen to later in this article. Officials were quick to point out that Russell, an employee of three and a half years with Alaska Airlines regional subsidiary Horizon Air, passed the background checks necessary to handle baggage and clean aircraft. Security footage shows man stealing plane he later crashed into a He also enrolled at WSU, and graduated in 2017 with a degree in social sciences, the registrar said. He sounded just perfectly fine, Criss, referring to Russell by his nickname, told the Anchorage Daily News, which worked in cooperation with The Seattle Times on this story. "Oh man. In what appears to be his personal blog, Russell described himself as a native of Key West, Florida, who moved to Alaska at age seven. "Nah, I'm a white guy." FBI: Richard Russell, who stole plane from Sea-Tac, acted alone, crashed on purpose; motive a mystery . They had different personalities. SeaTac was the first city in the country to raise its minimum wage to $15 an hour, paving the way for much larger cities like Seattle, San Francisco and New York. The Associated Press contributed to this report. A man who answered the door at the Graham home of Russells mother-in-law Wednesday made it clear that the family did not intend to comment further. That means I lift a lot of bags so many bags, he says. The married airport employee "hijacked" the Alaska Airlines plane before being caught on video performing stunts in the sky as he was tailed by fighter jets. On social media, Richard Russell used the name Beebo Russell. (If you need help, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.). After taking off, an air traffic controller said, He needs some help controlling his aircraft. Russell responded: Nah, I mean, I dont need that much help. Patch confirmed there was a security incident underway at SeaTac. Later crashes the plane on an remote island near Seattle. The Sky Thief: Beebo Russell's Last Flight - Rolling Stone Pilots wonder how plane thief learned to do aerial acrobatics, Sea-Tac Airport's security challenge: 12,600 people have access to aircraft, Sea-Tac officials, airlines to meet Monday to discuss security protocols after turboprop heist, "We were all screaming, 'Oh my god": How the Horizon Air theft and crash unfolded, Sea-Tac air traffic controller faced 'one in a million' scenario with stolen plane, SeaTacs much-publicized $15 an hour minimum wage. 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? There were no passengers aboard. Wish me luck! \"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. Russell also mentions his job at Horizon in the blog. Thats McChord field, the controller tells Richard Russell. 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. I got a lot of people that care about me. The fighter jets were scrambled from Portland. Videos Show Richard Russell's Final Moments Before Shocking Plane Crash Those guys will rough me up if I try and land there, Russell responded, later adding, "This is probably jail time for life, huh? Richard Russell speaking with an air traffic controller at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Never really knew it, until now, Richard Russell said at one point. You can listen to all of his SoundCloud clips here. Mr. Russell took off around 7:30 p.m., according to the authorities. ?, One woman wrote on Twitter, he has stolen a big Horizon turbo prop. "I lift a lot of bags. pic.twitter.com/ziBAYv7cgn, Jimmy Thomson (@jwsthomson) August 11, 2018. She posted a series of selfies showing the couple on various adventures. (modern). Russells family has declined to comment beyond a statement issued the day after the crash. Others reported that the man had supposedly buzzed Mt. "You think if I land this successfully, Alaska will give me a job as a pilot?" More: How did an airline worker manage to steal a commercial aircraft? Latest update from tower indicates no interest on his part to land the plane. My names Richard Russell, Im 27 and currently living in Sumner, WA with my incredible wife Hannah. At one point in the dramatic audio, Richard Russell told the tower he was losing an engine. It seemed like he was well liked by the other workers," former coworker Rick Christenson told The Seattle Times. Richard Russell: Family of man who stole plane 'stunned and heartbroken' His responsibilities included towing and pushing aircraft for takeoff and gate approach, de-icing them, and handling baggage. At another point, Richard Russell said, Im down to 2100; I started at like 30-something.. We talk about workplace culture, what is the culture of an organization? Myself, my friends, everybody, weve been talking to each other and were all like, Why? I dont understand.. This is not a terrorist incident. The perpetrator, 29-year-old Richard Russell, was a Horizon Air ground service agent with no piloting experience. 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. Video showed the Horizon Air Q400 doing large loops and other dangerous maneuvers as the sun set on the Puget Sound. Never before seen footage of Richard Russell Final Flight. \"I always felt bad for the guys and gals who handled luggage. At the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, thousands of passengers in the terminal or left sitting in planes on the tarmac were delayed. The FBI also said it found human remains among the wreckage. 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. Ive got a lot of people that care about me. Every time hed come into work hed always have a stack full of books, said Brown, who didnt recall the titles. On Facebook, Rich, using the name Beebo Russell, wrote that he lived in Sumner, Washington, was from Wasilla, Alaska, and was married to Hannah Russell, who worked as an assistant pastry chef and waitress, according to her social media account. We've received your submission. On what is believed to be his personal blog, Richard Russell said he was born in Key West, Florida, and moved to Alaska at age seven. I enjoy that it is a physical job with a lot of different tasks you can partake in. Richard Russell at his job as a ground service agent. he joked. At a news conference on Saturday, Mike Mathews, a family friend, read a statement on behalf of Mr. Russells family.
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