We are aware of an incident involving an unauthorized take-off of a Horizon Air Q400. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Patient, new father among 5 killed in medical flight crash, Medical aircraft crash in Nevada leaves 5 dead: report, 5 dead in small plane crash in Little Rock, Human error eyed as cause of Yeti Airlines crash that killed 72 people. Perhaps it was because the only life he seemed to have taken was his own. [46][47], N449QX, the aircraft involved in the incident, pictured 2 months before the crash. At one point, Rich reported that he threw up all over the cockpit, according to the audio. Before takeoff, the pilot explains someone stole an airplane, and is flying around near Mt. He was married and completing a bachelors degree. Facebook Family friend Mike Matthews read a statement from Russells family that said the incident was a complete shock to them. On August 10th, 2018, a service agent for Horizon Air named Richard "Beebo" Russell used his position to steal a Horizon Air Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 airliner from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. As users on Twitter and 4chan shared and discussed the story and further learned about Russell through the conversations with air traffic control and subsequent articles about his life, they deemed him "Sky King" as a title of respect. Because I am a clinical psychologist, people come up to me after a news event like this and ask my opinion. The incident spawned numerous image macros, photoshops and fan arts on 4chan and other online communities. Richard Russell was a jokester who complained about work, but Sea-Tac by Richard Russell: Details emerge of a compassionate man after Seattle plane heist and fiery crash. He said of himself that, Ive got a lot of people that care about me. Will many of us have a better story to tell when we get to wherever were going, one Reddit user saidin a thread. Its burned quite a bit faster than I expected., He also said, Im gonna land it, in a safe kind of manner. Mourners gathered in the comments section of his YouTube video. Richard Russell plane crash video was released. Russell was active in his local community, serving as a leader at Young Life, a Christian youth ministry. Beebos intent was not to harm anyone, and he was right in saying that there are so many people who loved him, Mathews said. "Nah, I'm a white guy." They may not admit for a few days. In 1993, Lawnchair Larry Walters was named an At-Risk Survivor in the annual Darwin Awards. He worked at the airline for more than three years, authorities said. 0:00. (shown below). White nationalists and the 'Sky King' - The Saturday Paper Many saw Russell as a man suffering from depression and sympathized with him. 'The man who always keeps me laughing': Airplane hijacker's wife gushes The couple settled in Sumner, Wa., where Russell got a job at Horizon Air, a subsidiary of Alaska Air Group, so he could easily fly back to Alaska to see his own family. Third, and perhaps most importantly, psychiatric diagnoses provide listeners with psychological distance from the victim. The 2 Most Psychologically Incisive Films of 2022, The Surprising Role of Empathy in Traumatic Bonding, Two Questions to Help You Spot a Clingy Partner-to-Be. | Or that he appeared to be a happy, regular guy. 1,012 words / 5:32 To listen in a player, click here. [33], On November 9, the FBI stated that it had completed its investigation. I met my husband when a friend sent him over to my house to cure my hiccoughs. #iflyalaska #akedchat.. After Russell performed an unauthorized takeoff, two McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle . Everything is shutdown rn pic.twitter.com/AzebdIa3tP, City King (@CityKing_Gank_) September 3, 2022. Nine-tenths of them are from a lower socioeconomic class. [36] He had been part of a tow team, which repositions aircraft on the airport apron, for about four years. Thanks for contacting us. 1.6K. Although investigators received information regarding Russell's background, possible stressors, and personal life, no element provided a clear motivation for Russell's actions. Apparently someone stole a plane from SeaTac? RIP Sky King, a user wrote. He left no children. I love my parents and sister this isn't your fault. 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.. Rainier. Lucas added, Theyve been in contact with the culprit. Cast Your Vote To Select The Meme Of The Month! Sea-Tac airport confirmed the plane was down a short time later. The plane was grounded for the night after returning from Victoria, B.C., which was its final scheduled flight of the day. 7 Ticking Time Bombs That Destroy Loving Relationships, The Single Best (and Hardest) Thing to Give Up, 3 Ways to Reclaim Your Hope and Happiness. What happened from then, left a. In the audio clips, Russell calls himself "broken" and says he knows how to fly a little bit thanks to video games. I wouldnt want to do that. Someone sneak on board?, A man named Tyler Lucas wrote, Sitting on the runway at SeaTac, preparing for departure. This story has been shared 176,044 times. He preciously worked as a ground service agent at Horizon from 2015 to present. Mr. Russell chatted, not too calmly, but coherently, with an air traffic controller during his solo flight. Richard Russell had a website that appeared to have been for a college communications class. This dives into the psychology and reason of why he Hi-jacked a plane and then crashed into his death. I think I might mess something up there too. 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 Sky King Richard Russell: Understanding Why He Died At another point, Richard Russell said, Im down to 2100; I started at like 30-something.. KINGs Madison Wade reports. Commercial aircraft are complex machines, he said. [37], Horizon Air CEO Gary Beck stated that, as far as the company knew, Russell did not have a pilot's license. The video starts with images of what its like to work as a baggage handler for an airline, sometimes in the rainy weather. [12] His flight pattern was also shared online, with Twitter[13] user @RMaons writing, "SKY KING 2.0 ON FLIGHT RADAR, AIRCRAFT IS CALLED KING AIR LOOOL" (shown below, right). This is a Tribute Video to the late Richard Russell, better known as the Sky King. 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. Richard Russell was a suicidal airport ground services worker who stole an airplane from Sea-Tac International Airport. 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. #seatac pic.twitter.com/OVtJqphgqo. 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. [4][13] A KC-135R Stratotanker refueling tanker was also scrambled from Fairchild Air Force Base to support the F-15 flight. Due to a planned power outage on Friday, 1/14, between 8am-1pm PST, some services may be impacted. It may seem difficult for those watching at home to believe, but Beebo was a warm, compassionate man. [18] He was active in his church and a leader in the local Christian youth ministry Young Life. On Facebook, he had liked the Republican Party and conservative personalities like Sean Hannity and Ben Shapiro. Russells social media accounts have become funeral guestbooks, digitized for the world. I dont need that much help; Ive played some video games before, he told the controllers trying to help him. Pilot said it was most bizarre thing hed heard in his career. [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. The footage shows him going through security wearing a T-shirt that says "the sky's no limit." [44], In the days after the crash, clean up and recovery crews contracted by Alaska Airlines and their insurers were present on the island to remove debris. At one point, Rich asked for help in getting the cabin depressurized, complaining he was getting lightheaded. Sky King (RE-POST with new footage) || The Day an Airline Employee 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. He was a faithful husband, a loving son, and a good friend, Mike Mathews read from the statement at a press conference. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, Digital steal a Horizon Air Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 airliner. He was very, very friendly automatically willing to bring everyone in, Hannah Holmes, who also participates in Young Life, told The Seattle Times. Audio captured emotional conversations between the man, named as Rich, and air traffic controllers trying to help him land safely. Sky King / Richard Russell | Know Your Meme pic.twitter.com/ziBAYv7cgn, Jimmy Thomson (@jwsthomson) August 11, 2018. He was on meth.. Although he didnt have a pilots license, Russell knew how to work the plane from his experience as an airport employee, the FBI previously said. 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. One man wrote on Twitter, 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. Tower, you need to call and scramble now, one pilot warned, according to the video. Why did I do it? On that day, Twitter[11] user @CityKing_Gank_ posted a clip of Patterson flying the plane over his town, garnering over 17,000 likes and 4,000 retweets in six days (shown below). [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. 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. Hannah and Beebo met at a Campus Crusade for Christ gathering at Southwestern Oregon Community College last year, the site reported. 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. Never really knew it, until now, Richard Russell said at one point. How Psychologically Conditioned Rats Are Defusing Landmines, The Innate Intelligence Observed in the Dying Process, 6 Signs That Youre Depressed and Ignoring It. He had broken up with his girlfriend of 15 years and was having trouble finding steady work. Rest in peace Rich. People contended that he didnt want to die "he just wanted to feel alive for once in his life.. She foiled their plans. I'm listening through the archive of the radio chatter on the #seatac hijacking. 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. [20] A veteran pilot said the maneuver "seemed pretty well executed, without either stalling or pulling the wings off. A moniker quickly took hold, echoed by others. So I dont know how he achieved the experience that he did.. He was a faithful husband, a loving son, and a good friend. Disclaimer: I am in no way proficient in the arts.. The plane crashed through several lines of 100-foot trees, the National Transportation Safety Board said, according to CNN. Sea-Tac airport confirmed the plane was down a short time later. 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.. This is a complete shock to us. Old Medication, New Use: Can Prazosin Curb Drinking? Richard "Skyking" Russell : r/lostgeneration A former coworker, Rick Christenson, told The Seattle Times: He was a quiet guy. [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. This article was published more than4 years ago. Quite a scary experience. His conversation with controllers revealed limited experience. We are working back ground on him now, the Pierce County Sheriff wrote. (More info in comments) 2 years ago today, Richard Russell, an - reddit Another called it cathartic and liberating.. Newly Released Footage Shows Richard Russell Steal Plane - Breitbart I hope they can make it through this. He said that airline employees go through background checks. It seemed like he was well liked by the other workers. Sky King Rich ' Beebo' Russell FULL AUDIO W Air Traffic Control Our first date, he kind of cornered me into it, Hannah Russell said to the site. I'm listening through the archive of the radio chatter on the #seatac hijacking. Two F-15 fighter planes were scrambled to follow Rich, who eventually crashed into a wooded area a little over an hour after takeoff, killing only himself. In a final video that he posted to YouTube, Rich Russell showed an active life full of travel and adventure. 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. Seattle plane hijacker Richard Russell's haunting final words Luke Adams ? Posted Sep 24, 2018. Hannah and Beebo met at a Campus Crusade for Christ gathering at Southwestern Oregon Community College last year, the site reported. A former coworker, Rick Christenson, told The Seattle Times: He was a quiet guy. On Instagram, Hannah Russell posted recent photos with Rich. [4] The New York Times Richard Russell Who Stole Plane Near Seattle Raises Troubling Security Questions, [5] The Washington Post Richard Russell Details emerge of a compassionate man after Seattle plane heist and fiery crash, [6] CBS News Richard Russell pilot of stolen Horizon Air plane had lighthearted tone before deadly crash, [10] CNN Pilot arrested after threatening to crash plane into Mississippi Walmart and eventually landing in a field, police say, [14] 4chan Pilot threatening to crash hijacked plane into Walmart in Tupelo, Mississippi, We love you bud. 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. Footage of Patterson flying the plane went viral on social media and people quickly started comparing it to the 2018 Sky King incident. Rich, you said you had 2100 pounds of fuel left? the controller responded. I just want you to whisper sweet nothings into my ear, said Rich, who claimed he could fly the plane because he played video games. Richard Russell Plane Crash Video From Seattle, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. About. Keep the aircraft nice and low, the tower responded to the man at one point, advising him to keep it over the water. And in recordings of conversations with air traffic controllers, Russell joked and laughed, though he was at times contemplative and raw. He flew around as an air traffic controller calmly tried to reason with him. [20], On April 14, 2022, the FBI released 500 pages of previously classified documents related to the investigation. "[34], Richard Russell was a Horizon Air ground service agent from Sumner, Washington. But that flight was his last. (@luketadams) August 11, 2018. I think Im gonna try to do a barrel roll, and if that goes good, Im just gonna nose down and call it a night., Hannah Russell: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know. Acted alone he is 29 year old Pierce county residence. Authorities said they did not believe he had a pilots license. Ah, Rich, dont say stuff like that, the controller said. You can listen to all of his SoundCloud clips here. At one point, he explained that he did not know how to follow instructions to punch in data or how to assess his fuel consumption after takeoff. I was kind of hoping that was gonna be it, you know? Compilation of footage of the aircraft being flown erratically in the vicinity of Seattle, and the pursuing F-15s, News report featuring surveillance footage, Man Steals a Passenger Plane and Crashes it Just After Takeoff (With Real Video), Washington State University Global Campus, "National Transportation Safety Board Aviation Accident Preliminary Report Accident Number: WPR18FA220", "Update on Investigation into Unauthorized Flight", "Alaska Air Horizon plane crashes after being stolen by airline employee", "How it unfolded: Full coverage of the Horizon Air crash and the man who stole the plane from Sea-Tac", "Stolen plane was chased by military jets before it crashed", "Crash: Horizon DH8D at Ketron Island on Aug 10th 2018, stolen aircraft crashed into forest", "Stolen plane closes Seattle-Tacoma airport before crashing", "Oregon F-15s Scramble To Seattle To Intercept Possibly Stolen Q400 Airliner (Updated)", "F-15Cs Intercept Stolen DASH-8 Airliner out of Seattle Tacoma Airport Before Crash", "LIVE: Plane stolen from Sea-Tac Airport crashes on small island; no passengers on board", "Pilot wanted to do aerobatics, apologized for his actions as he spoke with air traffic control", "NORAD F-15Cs intercept suicidal pilot in dramatic chase near Seattle", "Passenger Plane Stolen by Employee Crashes on Island Near Seattle Airport", "Seattle hijacker's plane heist, midair stunts and fiery crash expose gaps in aviation security", "Richard Russell, 'Rich': 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know", "Airline worker who stole plane told air traffic control 'I don't want to hurt no one', "SeaTac Hijacker Had the Skills to Take Out a Skyscraper Horizon Air ground handler Richard Russell knew how to fly without tearing the plane apartand enough fuel to be a flying bomb. "[38], Russell was born in Key West, Florida, and moved to Wasilla, Alaska, at the age of seven. He had psychotic depression. We consider ourselves bakery connoisseurs and have to try a new one every place we go. Others said it was wrong to glorify him for an act that could have killed more people. I hope they can make it through this. He said that airline employees go through background checks. Glenn Sullivan, Ph.D., is a professor of psychology at the Virginia Military Institute and a clinical psychologist in private practice in Lexington, Virginia. [7], SeattleTacoma air traffic control (ATC) maintained radio contact with the occupant. On August 11th, 2018, a post about the plane crash was submitted to 4chan's /pol/ board,[1] where an anonymous user replied "Sky King?" But as the cockpit recordings and videos of Russells antics spread, and Internet users uncovered his online postings, his final act drew both admirers and detractors. Airport (@flySEA) August 11, 2018. After attempting the aircraft took off, two F-15 fighter jets were deployed. Richard "Beebo" Russell: Sky King (throwback stolen - TigerDroppings [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 August 10, 2018, a Horizon Air Bombardier Q400 was stolen from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac) in Seattle, Washington. 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. Russell was well-liked by his co-workers, according to The Seattle Times. I was dead set against it. Their business contained a sign that read, I have loved you with an everlasting love. RIP to the SkyKing. "Heroes" - Peter Gabriel 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. (If you need help, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.). Russell had no formal training as a pilot and did not have his pilots license. Monteith stated the men told him they were training to use the aircraft's auxiliary power unit so they could tow it, but said it was "suspicious" that they left when he confronted them. As Melville noted, We are all somehow dreadfully cracked about the head, and sadly need mending., Be wary of simple explanations of any human behavior, and of simple solutions for complex problems. Our first date, he kind of cornered me into it, Hannah Russell said to the site. It seemed like he was well liked by the other workers. After he landed, Mr. Walters was arrested and charged with unlawful operation of an aircraft within a controlled air traffic area. Mr. Russell was clearly overwhelmed with the world in which he found himself, a world vandalized, a world stripped of his ancestral . Russell cites his position at Horizon in his blog as well. Buy "Richard "SkyKing" Russell" by BogTron as a Sticker. 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). 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. Sky King ~ Richard Russell on Vimeo People like me dont do things like that. Rainier, the Olympic Mountains). Goodbye" (shown below, left). "[18] Hearing Mr. Russell speak during his final hour is an emotional experience. In a video he posted for a college class in December, Russell joked about the sometimes mundane duties of his job. "[21] When an air traffic controller requested he land the plane after this maneuver, he said "I don't know. I suspect that most of the time they want to hear some kind of post-mortem diagnosis: He was a paranoid schizophrenic. Filed under His performance there was a disappointment; he left for Southwestern Oregon Community College, where he met his wife at a Campus Crusade for Christ meeting. 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. USA TODAY. This video is not meant to glamorize suicide. He has buzzed Mt Rainer and the Seattle area. A friend wrote on Facebook, So heart brokenhe was such a kind person to me. Heres hoping that the next Rich crashes on a couch of a good listener. Latest update from tower indicates no interest on his part to land the plane. Other video shows him clocking in to work. Get the help you need from a therapist near youa FREE service from Psychology Today. Videos of the plane being followed by two F-15 fighter jets started going viral online as the story broke. 1:10. ATC said, "they would give you a job doing anything if you could pull this off", to which he replied, "Yeah right! His conversation and tone is very casual. They wont let anyone leave the airport while hes up there. A lot of the people he was helping were troubled kids.. New footage shows airport worker Richard Russell steal plane [1][7][8][9] In response, two McDonnell Douglas F-15C Eagles of the Oregon Air National Guard's 142nd Fighter Wing under the command of NORAD[10] were scrambled at around 20:15 local time[11] from Portland Air National Guard Base to intercept it. I was born in Key West, Florida, and moved to Wasilla, Alaska when I was 7. Stay tuned., Richard Russell, Rich: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. 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. Full video form John Waldron on Facebook being shown on CNN #seatac pic.twitter.com/R98bl5uQBr. 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. 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. We are aware of an incident involving an unauthorized take-off of a Horizon Air Q400. Oh, a purple one! Russell exclaimed. 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?