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. 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.. On July 2, 1982, a . And in recordings of conversations with air traffic controllers, Russell joked and laughed, though he was at times contemplative and raw. Audio released of Russells conversation with an air traffic controller suggests that he was struggling with mental health issues, but his motive for stealing the plane remains unclear. I dont know how he achieved the experience that he did.. [29] An operational supervisor for Horizon Air described Russell as "a quiet guy" who was "well liked by the other workers". Sky King (RE-POST with new footage) || The Day an Airline Employee 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. Radio banter in between, ending with the intercept audio for Rock 41 and Rock 42. suicidepreventionlifeline.org afsp.org AIRBOYD #SeaTac #ChambersBay #Q400 #Horizon. 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. Tribute to Richard Russell, Sky King - YouTube On July 2, 1982, a 33-year-old truck driver named Larry Walters took flight in a patio chair attached to more than 40 helium-filled weather balloons. Literally Media Ltd. With this blog I hope to showcase all that Ive learned in Ms. Newmans Communications 210 class., His WordPress page includes a sketch that reads, Continuing with the theme of ground service work and travel benefits, I plan to create a simple logo that expresses both. Theyre not as easy to fly as, say, a Cessna 150, Beck said. I dont need that much help; Ive played some video games before, he told the controllers trying to help him. A childhood friend remarked that Beebo was loved by everyone because he was kind and gentle to each person he met. Sky King / Richard Russell | Know Your Meme (Video: Elyse Samuels/The Washington Post). 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 hope this prompts a nationwide discussion about mental healthcare overall. On October 6, 1993, now aged 44, he hiked into the Angeles National Forest and died by self-inflicted gunshot. New footage shows airport worker Richard Russell steal plane He did it because he was depressed. As David Hume observed, our brains habitually seek out causation and are restless until a cause, even an erroneous cause, is determined. [34][35] The FBI stated, "Interviews with work colleagues, friends, and familyand review of text messages exchanged with Russell during the incidentdid not identify any information that would suggest the theft of the aircraft was related to wider criminal activity or terrorist ideology. After Russell performed an unauthorized takeoff, two McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle . A former coworker, Rick Christenson, told The Seattle Times: He was a quiet guy. The fire burned a 2-acre (0.8ha) area,[23] but was extinguished by the following morning. 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). He worked at the airline for more than three years, authorities said. He was a quiet and well-liked young man who was active in his church. On August 10, 2018, Mr. Russell, known as Beebo to his friends and family, helped himself to a Horizon Air Bombardier Q400 turboprop and took it on a 75-minute joyride. 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. The incident came to a tragic end when Russell intentionally crashed the plane into Ketron Island in Puget Sound, killing him. [7], SeattleTacoma air traffic control (ATC) maintained radio contact with the occupant. Due to a planned power outage on Friday, 1/14, between 8am-1pm PST, some services may be impacted. After 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 about why and how he undertook the ultimately fatal flight. steal a Horizon Air Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 airliner. He sounds just like anyone else would if they suddenly found themselves in a similar situation. Hijacker does not know how to land the plane. Russell, the sole occupant during the flight, did not survive. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, Digital I will build you up again and you will be rebuilt. In the article, Russell described himself as laid back and easy going. ?, One woman wrote on Twitter, he has stolen a big Horizon turbo prop. 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. Filed under (If you need help, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.). We've received your submission. Ive got a lot of people that care about me. Facebook Richard Russell plane crash video was released. He did a barrel roll in a stolen plane and went out in a blaze of glory. [6], The aircraft was stolen from Plane Cargo 1 at the north end of SeaTac Airport[6] and maneuvered to runway 16C via taxiways. Weird times. [15] He said he was a "broken guy, got a few screws loose I guess. 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. I was dead set against it. Their business contained a sign that read, I have loved you with an everlasting love. About to take off. Hey, I found myself in a predicament. 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. If you or someone you know may be contemplating suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. [37] During his communication with air traffic control, Russell made a complaint about wages, stating: "Minimum wage, we'll chalk it up to that. Luke Adams ? Below are some of the clips. I suspect that most of the time they want to hear some kind of post-mortem diagnosis: He was a paranoid schizophrenic. Maybe that will grease some gears a little bit with the higher-ups. [40] He was a hard-hitting football fullback in high school, scoring six touchdowns in his senior year, after which he moved to North Dakota to join the football team at Valley City State University. Russell cites his position at Horizon in his blog as well. 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. 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. Psychology Today 2023 Sussex Publishers, LLC, Psychology and the Mystery of the "Poisoned" Schoolgirls. Richard Russell: Details emerge of a compassionate man after Seattle plane heist and fiery crash. 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. We had a ground stop for quite a while here, a dispatcher says. Never really knew it until now. He was 29 years old and a member of the ground crew at the Seattle-Tacoma Airport, earning minimum wage. [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). More information as we learn more, Alaska Airlines wrote on Twitter around 9:20 p.m. on the west coast. They deemed Russell the Sky King inspiring an outpouring of memes in his memorial and a possible . The perpetrator, 29-year-old Richard Russell, was a Horizon Air ground service agent with no piloting experience. She foiled their plans. 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. RIP to the SkyKing. 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. Russell was active in his local community, serving as a leader at Young Life, a Christian youth ministry. He claimed to have buzzed Mount Rainier. Richard Russell was a jokester who complained about work, but Sea-Tac Yeah I dont know what the burnageis like on a takeoff but yeah. At one point, Rich reported that he threw up all over the cockpit, according to the audio. Its gonna be crazy, he said at one point in air traffic control transmissions. Tower, you need to call and scramble now, one pilot warned, according to the video. "[21] When an air traffic controller requested he land the plane after this maneuver, he said "I don't know. Sky King Richard Russell Quotes - Wise Famous Quotes Others saw his opinions on certain topics as based. Rick Christenson, who was previously an operational supervisor with Horizon Air and who watched Russells flight over Puget Sound, described Russell to the Times as a quiet guy. It seemed like he was well-liked by the other workers, Christenson said. In one blog, he describedaspirations to land a management job or join the military. Richard Russell: Family of man who stole plane 'stunned and heartbroken' Happening right now. sky king, sky king memes, richard russell, 4chan, sky king 2, based. On Facebook, he had liked the Republican Party and conservative personalities like Sean Hannity and Ben Shapiro. He is not a pilot and does not know how to land the plane. pic.twitter.com/ziBAYv7cgn, Jimmy Thomson (@jwsthomson) August 11, 2018. [4] It landed at SeattleTacoma International Airport at 13:35 local time the afternoon of the incident, after an in-service flight from Victoria, British Columbia. Richard Russell was a suicidal airport ground services worker who stole an airplane from Sea-Tac International Airport. Someone sneak on board?, A man named Tyler Lucas wrote, Sitting on the runway at SeaTac, preparing for departure. 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. 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. I think I might mess something up there too. An airline employee conducted an unauthorized takeoff without passengers at Sea-Tac; aircraft has crashed in south Puget Sound. Although investigators received information regarding Russell's background, possible stressors, and personal life, no element provided a clear motivation for Russell's actions. The story, despite seeming near-mythic, is true. "Guides" "[38], Russell was born in Key West, Florida, and moved to Wasilla, Alaska, at the age of seven. Stay tuned., Richard Russell, Rich: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. Other audio reported a ground stop was underway at SeaTac, the airport that services Seattle and Tacoma, Washington. I hope they can make it through this. He said that airline employees go through background checks. [20], Russell's family released a statement on August 11, stating they were "stunned and heartbroken" and "devastated by the events". 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.. 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. 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. Never really knew it, until now, Richard Russell said at one point. Richard Russell Plane Crash Video From Seattle | Heavy.com 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). 2023 TIME USA, LLC. 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. Maybe that will grease the gears a little bit with the higher-ups, he said at another point. Its not clear whether Russell, 29, had ever really flown a plane before. Beck said the aerial maneuvers were "incredible" and that he "did not know how [Russell] achieved the experience that he did. 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. 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. 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. He said of himself that, 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. Powered by. Was doing stunts in air or lack of flying skills caused crash into Island. The Sheriffs Department added, Two military F 15 chased plane but was not involved in crash and confirmed, No passengers on plane.. 1:10. Rich, you said you had 2100 pounds of fuel left? the controller responded. Who Was Richard Russell? Man Steals Airplane and Crashes | Time 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. August 12, 2018 1:05 PM EDT. [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). Seattle ground Horizon guy. (More info in comments) 2 years ago today, Richard Russell, an airport ground service agent with no piloting experience, stole an Alaska Airlines Dash 8 and performed various stunts over the Puget Sound before crashing the plane on a sparsely populated island. 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. He also had a pellet gun, with which he eventually shot several of the balloons, beginning his slow descent. My names Richard Russell, Im 27 and currently living in Sumner, WA with my incredible wife Hannah. Human remains were recovered from the site, the FBI said Sunday, and Russell is presumed dead in the crash. Sep 09, 2022 at 02:47PM EDT Just kind of soaring around, he told air traffic control. This dives into the psychology and reason of why he Hi-jacked a plane and then crashed into his death. Authorities said Russell was suicidal. I feel really bad for Richard and for his family. The Sky King of Sea-Tac Airport. It seemed like he was well liked by the other workers. | (@luketadams) August 11, 2018. For the full details on "Sky King" meme and viral story, be sure to check out our entry on the meme here for even more information. These statements should probably be considered the emotional projections of similarly disaffected people. An airline employee conducted an unauthorized takeoff without passengers at Sea-Tac; aircraft has crashed in south Puget Sound. 'The man who always keeps me laughing': Airplane hijacker's wife gushes You can listen to more archived aviation audio on the incident here, some of which captures the mans voice: READ NEXT: TikTok Influencers Son Murdered at Gas Station. He was on meth.. He sounds like a broken man who needed help. On September 3rd, CNN reported that an airport worker named Cory Wayne Patterson had stolen a twin-engine plane from Tupelo Aviation and was threatening to crash it into a Mississippi Walmart. A recording of their conversation . Who is the aircraft on Runway 1-6 center? an air traffic controller can be heard saying. The statement, he added, was the only one that will be released. He appeared regretful about the pain he knew would inevitably visit his family. A week after Richard Russell stole a Horizon plane from Sea-Tac Airport and crashed it on Ketron Island, there are few hints about why he did it or how he was able to fly the aircraft. He was very, very friendly automatically willing to bring everyone in, Hannah Holmes, who also participates in Young Life, told The Seattle Times. We love you bud. The cockpit recordings are widely available online and it would be hard not to feel compassion while listening to them. Someone plucked a bag off a conveyor belt. We are aware of an incident involving an unauthorized take-off of a Horizon Air Q400. In 2018, a Horizon Air employee, Richard Russell, stole a plane with no prior flying experience, making international headlines. 1.6K. | Im in the air right now. I don't want to. I sure married a nice pair of calves! she joked with a photo of the couple. #iflyalaska #akedchat.. Nah, Im a white guy. That last line has caused some controversy online. This is a Tribute Video to the late Richard Russell, better known as the Sky King. Since his famous flight, he had spent a lot of time hiking, reading the Bible, and volunteering with the Forest Service. Would love your thoughts, please comment. [20] They married in 2012. The incident spawned numerous image macros, photoshops and fan arts on 4chan . I think I might mess something up there, too. Richard Russell: Man who stole SeaTac plane was warm and compassionate i cut the audio from a frequency hopper that caught some of what they said to each other. Male is confirmed a suicidal male. Confirmed info .. this is a single suicide male. TikTok Influencers Son Murdered at Gas Station. The media also started sharing audio clips of ongoing conversations between Russell and an air traffic controller. [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 hardest part of stealing a commercial plane from an international airport was already over for Richard Russell.