Russell, the sole occupant of the aircraft, perished in the crash. We know who he is. [39] He attended Wasilla High School, where he wrestled and competed in track and field. Magazines, stole a plane at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Or create a free account to access more articles, 'Beebo Was Loved By Everyone.' The chilling footage of his final moments next shows Russell jumping onto the plane and presumably getting into the cockpit. Hey all! Audio captured emotional conversations between the man, named as Rich, and air traffic controllers trying to help him land safely. Others reported that the man had supposedly buzzed Mt. Rich, you said you had 2100 pounds of fuel left? the controller responded. He then boards an empty 70-seater plane and took off. It was a strange day when Horizon Airlines Employee Richard "Beebo" Russell stole a plane in the middle of his working shift. 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. You seemed like a nice guy and a hell of a natural pilot., Seattle hijackers plane heist, midair stunts and fiery crash expose gaps in aviation security. The fire burned a 2-acre (0.8ha) area,[23] but was extinguished by the following morning. He appeared regretful about the pain he knew would inevitably visit his family. Memes about Sky King spread across the internet after the incident. Not entirely sure whats happening. "[17] He asked ATC if he could get a job as a pilot with Alaska Airlines if he successfully landed the aircraft. Never really knew it, until now, Richard Russell said at one point. [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). The man who stole a commercial aeroplane in Seattle, and took his life by crashing it, has become a folk hero to neo-Nazi groups and incels, drafted into a poisonous delusion that is becoming mainstream. "Nah, I'm a white guy." How Psychologically Conditioned Rats Are Defusing Landmines, The Innate Intelligence Observed in the Dying Process, 6 Signs That Youre Depressed and Ignoring It. Weird times. It was worth it, he said, to conveniently travel to Alaska, where he grew up, to visit family. Facebook/YouTube 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. He preciously worked as a ground service agent at Horizon from 2015 to present. My names Richard Russell, Im 27 and currently living in Sumner, WA with my incredible wife Hannah. This is not a terrorist incident. The incident resulted in Russell losing his life when he crashed on Ketron Island in Puget Sound, but people on sites like 4chan refused to let his story end there. 1:10. I sure married a nice pair of calves! she joked with a photo of the couple. Sep 09, 2022 at 02:47PM EDT After Russell performed an unauthorized takeoff, two McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle fighters were scrambled to intercept the aircraft. Russell, the sole occupant during the flight, did not survive. 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. Audio from the SeaTac tower reported that aircraft were lined up on the tarmac at one point. | #seatac., A woman named Robanne Stading wrote on Twitter, #seatac airport is on a ground halt because evidently a mechanic is flying an unauthorized flightseeing trip around the mtns. Posted Sep 24, 2018. Powered by. Russell said to dispatchers, You think if I can land this successfully, Alaska will give me a job as a pilot? and the Air Traffic Control tower said, I think they will give you a job doing anything if you pull this off. He replied, according to some sites, Yeah right! The story, despite seeming near-mythic, is true. The majority of the memes are in celebration and memorial of Russell, while others are more trollish shitposts. pic.twitter.com/ziBAYv7cgn, Jimmy Thomson (@jwsthomson) August 11, 2018. 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, Russell wrote about himself and his wife online. Patterson did not end up flying the plane into Walmart, instead landing in a field where he was arrested. [37] During his communication with air traffic control, Russell made a complaint about wages, stating: "Minimum wage, we'll chalk it up to that. They were born, they laughed, they struggled, they loved, and they died. The perpetrator, 29-year-old Richard Russell, was a Horizon Air ground service agent with no piloting experience. I would like to apologize to each and every one of them. 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. Or that he appeared to be a happy, regular guy. A friend wrote on Facebook, So heart brokenhe was such a kind person to me. Commercial aircraft are complex machines, he said. It may seem difficult for those watching at home to believe, but Beebo was a warm, compassionate man, the statement read. [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). Third, and perhaps most importantly, psychiatric diagnoses provide listeners with psychological distance from the victim. Richard Russell, 29, hijacked a 76-seater plane from Seattle-Tacoma on Friday. This is a Tribute Video to the late Richard Russell, better known as the Sky King. He was always smiling.. There wasnt anything particularly wrong with them. Mourners gathered in the comments section of his YouTube video. Other video shows him clocking in to work. I'm listening through the archive of the radio chatter on the #seatac hijacking. A 2012 article in the World described how Russell met his wife. So many bags, he said. The incident spawned numerous image macros, photoshops and fan arts on 4chan and other online communities. (@luketadams) August 11, 2018. He was very, very friendly automatically willing to bring everyone in, Hannah Holmes, who also participates in Young Life, told The Seattle Times. Sea-Tac airport confirmed the plane was down a short time later. Family Left Heartbroken After Airline Worker Steals and Crashes Plane. The libs are trying to solve the housing crisis in deep blue areas by having teachers live with their students. The fighter jets were scrambled from Portland. 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. How was he able to take off without being stopped? The video shows Russell wearing a shirt that reads The skys no limit, as he passed through security at the airport, where he worked. The incident spawned numerous image macros, photoshops and fan arts on 4chan . Published Essential reporting and analysis from correspondents around the world. After he landed, Mr. Walters was arrested and charged with unlawful operation of an aircraft within a controlled air traffic area. The final descent at Ketron Island was determined to be intentional, and suicide was listed as the manner of death. Legal Information: Know Your Meme is a trademark of Literally Media Ltd. By using this site, you are agreeing by the site's terms of use and privacy policy and DMCA policy. Human remains were recovered from the site, the FBI said Sunday, and Russell is presumed dead in the crash. . 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. He flew around as an air traffic controller calmly tried to reason with him. I dont need that much help; Ive played some video games before, he told the controllers trying to help him. What happened from then, left a. I had this dream for 20 years, and if I hadnt done it, I think I would have ended up in the funny farm. That is an example of what we clinicians call good insight.. The statement, he added, was the only one that will be released. [4][13] A KC-135R Stratotanker refueling tanker was also scrambled from Fairchild Air Force Base to support the F-15 flight. 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. He was a faithful husband, a loving son, and a good friend. 7 things to know", "One year after stolen Horizon plane crash, scars remain on Ketron Island", "FBI releases classified documents from 2018 Horizon Air plane theft, crash", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2018_Horizon_Air_Q400_incident&oldid=1136228770, This page was last edited on 29 January 2023, at 10:06. He played athletics in high school in Wasilla, Alaska. The perpetrator, 29-year-old Richard Russell, was a Horizon Air ground service agent with no piloting experience. And part of his job was to drive the tractor that backed the aircraft into position for takeoff. The Port of Seattle released the video. | 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, where it was chased by fighter planes as he attempted stunts in the air before the plane crashed. [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. In 1993, Lawnchair Larry Walters was named an At-Risk Survivor in the annual Darwin Awards. Male is confirmed a suicidal male. That means I lift a lot of bags so many bags, he says. Audio captured emotional conversations between the man, named as Rich, and air traffic controllers trying to help him land safely. I was kind of hoping that was gonna be it, you know? Other audio reported a ground stop was underway at SeaTac, the airport that services Seattle and Tacoma, Washington. 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. Russell took the Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 turboprop from the northeast corner of the airport, according to the Times. (Video: Elyse Samuels/The Washington Post). It is not surprising that I thought of Larry Walters when I first heard about Richard Russell. August 10, 2021 by Kirk Forlatt. 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. ATC said, "they would give you a job doing anything if you could pull this off", to which he replied, "Yeah right! Maybe that will grease the gears a little bit with the higher-ups, he said at another point. 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. He said of himself that, Ive got a lot of people that care about me. On YouTube, he also went by the name Beebo Russell. 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. Failing to convince Hannah of Alaskas greatness, we settled on Sumner because of its close proximity to her family., Richard added, I, meanwhile, obtained a job working for Horizon Airlines (partnered with Alaska Airlines) so Im able to fly to Alaska at my leisure. We are aware of an incident involving an unauthorized take-off of a Horizon Air Q400. These statements should probably be considered the emotional projections of similarly disaffected people. Richard Russell had a website that appears to have been for a college communications class. 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. Or he could have had grim plans to take his own life. 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. [4][6][9] A tow boat crew was the first to respond. If he was bipolar and did that, then I dont have to worry about doing that, because Im not bipolar. That is something that they do. 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. At one point during the exchange, Russell said he knew how to put the landing gear down but that I really wasnt planning on landing it. Russel also told the controller that he was just a broken man.. Mr. Russell chatted, not too calmly, but coherently, with an air traffic controller during his solo flight. Yeah I dont know what the burnageis like on a takeoff but yeah. [46][47], N449QX, the aircraft involved in the incident, pictured 2 months before the crash. 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. Its not clear how he pulled off the intense maneuvers captured on video. The incident resulted in Russell losing his life when he crashed on Ketron Island in Puget Sound, but people on sites like 4chan refused to let his story end there. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, Digital He also posted audio clips of interviews he conducted to SoundCloud for what appears to have been a multimedia college class. At another point, he says he's going to try to "do a barrel roll." On August 10th, 2018, Russell stole the airliner from a maintenance position at the Sea-Tac airport. Because I am a clinical psychologist, people come up to me after a news event like this and ask my opinion. [6], The aircraft was stolen from Plane Cargo 1 at the north end of SeaTac Airport[6] and maneuvered to runway 16C via taxiways. 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.. Many saw Russell as a man suffering from depression and sympathized with him. We had a ground stop for quite a while here, a dispatcher says. I dont need that much help; Ive played some video games before, he told the controllers trying to help him. They may not admit for a few days. 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? 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. 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