[31][32] On August 12, the FBI said that it had recovered the flight data recorder along with components of the cockpit voice recorder. 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). Just kind of soaring around, he told air traffic control. That means I lift a lot of bags so many bags, he says. [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]. Someone sneak on board?, A man named Tyler Lucas wrote, Sitting on the runway at SeaTac, preparing for departure. 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. Tower, you need to call and scramble now, one pilot warned, according to the video. He carried with him a CB radio, sandwiches, beer, and a camera. A lot of the people he was helping were troubled kids.. He met his wife, Hannah, in 2010 in Coos Bay, Oregon while we were both going to school, and the couple wed one year later, Russell wrote on his website. The perpetrator, 29-year-old Richard Russell, was a Horizon Air ground service agent with no piloting experience. We believe there are no passengers on board. He said of himself that, Ive got a lot of people that care about me. Residents of the island bore some of the cost for cleaning up, and negotiations were initiated for their reimbursement by Alaska Airlines' insurers. The video was widely circulated online and by major news publications (shown below). 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. Wife of Richard Russel, Hannahh Russel documented her seven-year-long marriage to the 29-year-old on Instagram ( Source : co ) "After failing to persuade Hannah of Alaska's awesomeness, we landed on Sumner due to its proximity to her family," he wrote in his blog. Would love your thoughts, please comment. The airline confirmed that an unauthorized take-off occurred. But there appears to be no manifesto, no digital trail of warning signs from Russell. Reviewed by Ekua Hagan. The day of the incident, a thread on 4chan's /pol/[14] board about the incident gained over 470 posts. After Russell performed an unauthorized takeoff, two McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle . Heres hoping that the next Rich crashes on a couch of a good listener. [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. Thanks for contacting us. 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.. People expressed an emotional connection with him through postings on social media, T-shirts, and tribute songs. This incredible true story is the inspiration for SkyKing, a video installation and project created in summer 2020. Russell said on the aviation audio, This is probably jail time for life, huh? 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. He stated that he did not want to hurt anyone,[17][19] and in the final minutes of the communication apologized to his friends and family. Memes about Sky King spread across the internet after the incident. Speculation has swirled over Russells intent. 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. Richard Russell had a website that appears to have been for a college communications class. I feel really bad for Richard and for his family. At another point, he says he's going to try to "do a barrel roll." 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. Then he took an Alaska Airlines plane. [4][13] A KC-135R Stratotanker refueling tanker was also scrambled from Fairchild Air Force Base to support the F-15 flight. Facebook I hope this prompts a nationwide discussion about mental healthcare overall. Disclaimer: I am in no way proficient in the arts.. Mourners gathered in the comments section of his YouTube video. Below are some of the clips. Acted alone he is 29 year old Pierce county residence. This article was published more than4 years ago. I met Hannah in Coos Bay, Oregon in 2010 while we were both going to school, the about me section says. Everything is shutdown rn pic.twitter.com/AzebdIa3tP, City King (@CityKing_Gank_) September 3, 2022. "[22], The two F-15s attempted to direct the aircraft toward the Pacific Ocean, and did not fire at it. A moniker quickly took hold, echoed by others. Before he took off, several people at the airport questioned what was going on. We are devastated by these events and Jesus is truly the only one holding this family together right now. At another point, Richard Russell said, Im down to 2100; I started at like 30-something.. Not entirely sure whats happening. I was born in Key West, Florida, and moved to Wasilla, Alaska when I was 7. After five hours, he arrived in a tow vehicle near the plane. He preciously worked as a ground service agent at Horizon from 2015 to present. How Psychologically Conditioned Rats Are Defusing Landmines, The Innate Intelligence Observed in the Dying Process, 6 Signs That Youre Depressed and Ignoring It. by Due to a planned power outage on Friday, 1/14, between 8am-1pm PST, some services may be impacted. Many people online compared the incident to 2018's incident with Richard Russell, calling Patterson "Sky King 2.0" or "Sky King 2. 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." Tilden said that air traffic control was immediately aware that Russells take off in the aircraft was an unauthorized departure.. However, late in the evening of August 10, 2018, tower audio indicated that some planes were being released. On Instagram, Hannah Russell posted recent photos with Rich. He sounds like a broken man who needed help. [18] After the incident, Joel Monteith, a pilot for SkyWest Airlines, relayed to an emergency dispatcher that in 2017, he saw Russell and another man "pointing and flipping switches" in the cockpit of a SkyWest aircraft parked at SeaTac Airport. Quite a scary experience. #SeaTac @king5 #ketron #dupont #andersonisland pic.twitter.com/78LC5PXKhU, Katreichel (@Katreichelart) August 11, 2018, The Sheriffs Department also wrote: Told F 15s made it within a few minutes of theft of plane. Although official accounts other than through live aviation audio were hard to come by at first, many passengers took to social media to report that pilots were telling them a man had stolen a plane. Someone plucked a bag off a conveyor belt. Others saw his opinions on certain topics as based. It was recovered along with the cockpit voice recorder, authorities said Sunday, amid a streak of disintegrated debris. 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). I think I might mess something up there, too. Rainier, the Olympic Mountains). Location of SeattleTacoma International Airport (north) and Ketron Island (south) within northwestern Washington state. I was dead set against it. Their business contained a sign that read, I have loved you with an everlasting love. Hearing a diagnosis would comfort them somehow. This is a Tribute Video to the late Richard Russell, better known as the Sky King. Holy smokes, Ive got to stop looking at the fuel because its going down quick.. Knowing what you value will help you build the most meaningful life possible. "[42] During his conversation with air traffic control, Russell said he "[knew] what [he was] doing a little bit" because he had experience playing video games. 1.6K. The fighter jets were scrambled from Portland. He did a barrel roll in a stolen plane and went out in a blaze of glory. Human remains were recovered from the site, the FBI said Sunday, and Russell is presumed dead in the crash. This dives into the psychology and reason of why he Hi-jacked a plane and . The statement, he added, was the only one that will be released. 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. He was married and completing a bachelors degree. Alaska Airlines (@AlaskaAir) August 11, 2018, People posted photos and videos to Twitter of a plume of smoke and possible crash site. Below are some of the clips. What happened from then, left a. Apparently someone stole a Horizon Q and is flying it over SeaTac. Why did I do it? He appeared regretful about the pain he knew would inevitably visit his family. Nah, Im a white guy. That last line has caused some controversy online. "Sky King" is a nickname given to 29-year-old ground service operator Richard Russell after he stole a Horizon Air Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 airliner from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac) and died after crashing on Ketron Island in Puget Sound. He played athletics in high school in Wasilla, Alaska. Alaska Air Group CEO Brad Tilden said at a news conference Saturday that Russell worked for Horizon Air for four years and was on the clock and in uniform when he stole the twin-engine turboprop plane, which was parked in a cargo lot at the time. On October 6, 1993, now aged 44, he hiked into the Angeles National Forest and died by self-inflicted gunshot. 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.. Hannah and Beebo met at a Campus Crusade for Christ gathering at Southwestern Oregon Community College last year, the site reported. pic.twitter.com/Ra4LcIhwfU. They wont let anyone leave the airport while hes up there. steal a Horizon Air Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 airliner. As the voice recordings show, Beebos intent was not to harm anyone and he was right in saying that there are so many people who love him.. . This is a Tribute Video to the late Richard Russell, better known as the Sky King. [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. Glenn Sullivan, Ph.D., is a professor of psychology at the Virginia Military Institute and a clinical psychologist in private practice in Lexington, Virginia. Just a broken guy, got a few screws loose I guess. Luke Adams ? (If you need help, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.). 2007-2023 Literally Media Ltd. So I dont know how he achieved the experience that he did.. "[16] When ATC suggested that the plane be landed at Joint Base LewisMcChord, the occupant refused: "Those guys will rough me up if I try and land there. The audio between the man known as Rich and air traffic controllers further captured his demeanor. Richard Russell Plane Crash Video From Seattle, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. I love my parents and sister this isn't your fault. [41] They sold the bakery in 2015 so his wife could be closer to her family; they settled in Sumner, Washington, and Russell found employment with Horizon Air. 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.. Im going to disappoint them to hear that I did this. "[17] He asked ATC if he could get a job as a pilot with Alaska Airlines if he successfully landed the aircraft. In 2018, a Horizon Air employee, Richard Russell, stole a plane with no prior flying experience, making international headlines. 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 works as an assistant pastry chef and . I'm listening through the archive of the radio chatter on the #seatac hijacking. But he mentioned video games during his recorded conversation with air traffic control, which some have taken as a reference to flight simulator software. ATC said, "they would give you a job doing anything if you could pull this off", to which he replied, "Yeah right! Commercial aircraft are complex machines, he said. 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. Human remains were recovered from the site, the FBI said Sunday, and Russell is presumed dead in the crash. Tower tracking flight and in contact. Sep 09, 2022 at 02:47PM EDT [33], On November 9, the FBI stated that it had completed its investigation. Well chalk it up to that. They turned him into a hero with the name, and with it came a lot of memes. They deemed Russell the Sky King inspiring an outpouring of memes in his memorial and a possible . He was always smiling.. Russell was active in his local community, serving as a leader at Young Life, a Christian youth ministry. 2007-2023 What now? Preliminary info is that a mechanic from unknown airlines stole plane. When I heard that Mr. Russells aircraft had gone down, I thought, The poor bastard. And then I thought, How many tens of thousands of people are out there who are just like him?, Larry Walters and Rich Russell were people just like us. Audio from the SeaTac tower reported that aircraft were lined up on the tarmac at one point. On social media, Richard Russell used the name Beebo Russell. Although authorities have not released his name, The Seattle Times identified the man as Richard Russell. Posted Sep 24, 2018. We decided to sell and move in 2015, because we were both so far removed from our families. ", "Plane Thief Said He Trained on Games, Didn't Plan to Land", "NORAD: Fighter jets were trying to direct stolen plane over Pacific Ocean when it crashed", "Towboat crew dropped everything to respond to Ketron Island crash", "Firefighters battle more than flames after Ketron Island plane crash", "Seattle plane crash: 'heartbroken' family remember gentle man who meant no harm", "Ketron Island residents grateful Horizon Air plane didn't crash into homes", "Thanks to everyone for sharing accurate information, insuring the public's safety. He attended Washington State Global University Campus from 2016-2017, seeking a bachelors degree in social science. Phillip Hamilton. "[38], Russell was born in Key West, Florida, and moved to Wasilla, Alaska, at the age of seven. The incident spawned numerous image macros, photoshops and fan arts on 4chan . 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. Videos of the plane being followed by two F-15 fighter jets started going viral online as the story broke. 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.). "Guides" 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. 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.. They were born, they laughed, they struggled, they loved, and they died. Yeah I dont know what the burnageis like on a takeoff but yeah. pic.twitter.com/ziBAYv7cgn, Jimmy Thomson (@jwsthomson) August 11, 2018. Pilot said it was most bizarre thing hed heard in his career. Patch confirmed there was a security incident underway at SeaTac. ? wrote one woman on Twitter, echoing the comments of many people who heard the audio. Family friend Mike Matthews read a statement from Russells family that said the incident was a complete shock to them. About. 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. 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. 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. Goodbye" (shown below, left). Authorities said Russell was suicidal. I will build you up again and you will be rebuilt. In the article, Russell described himself as laid back and easy going. 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. 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. The federal agencies will lead the investigation. 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..