[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. But after that apology, oblivion seemed like the only option left to him. 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. 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. Authorities said they did not believe he had a pilots license. It may seem difficult for those watching at home to believe, but Beebo was a warm, compassionate man, the statement read. Ah, minimum wage. All Rights Reserved. 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 waitress, according to her social media account. I feel really bad for Richard and for his family. [23] The Q400 ultimately crashed at 20:43 local time[1] on Ketron Island in Puget Sound, Pierce County, Washington, killing the occupant and destroying the aircraft. As part of his job, Patterson was responsible for fuelling the aircraft. I hope they can make it through this. He said that airline employees go through background checks. Mr. Russell chatted, not too calmly, but coherently, with an air traffic controller during his solo flight. 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?" People like me dont do things like that. by "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 was 29 years old and a member of the ground crew at the Seattle-Tacoma Airport, earning minimum wage. It seemed like he was well liked by the other workers. This story has been shared 176,044 times. Literally Media Ltd. Authorities said Russell was suicidal. On July 2, 1982, a . He was a faithful husband, a loving son, and a good friend. How Psychologically Conditioned Rats Are Defusing Landmines, The Innate Intelligence Observed in the Dying Process, 6 Signs That Youre Depressed and Ignoring It. [4][6][9] A tow boat crew was the first to respond. Hey, I found myself in a predicament. I got a lot of people that care about me. This is a complete shock to us. [36] He had been part of a tow team, which repositions aircraft on the airport apron, for about four years. Who is the aircraft on Runway 1-6 center? an air traffic controller can be heard saying. 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. In the audio clips, Russell calls himself "broken" and says he knows how to fly a little bit thanks to video games. bit.ly/subAIRBOYD Various scanner recordings from liveatc.net and broadcastify.com SEA Ground, Tower, Departure/Approach. He flew around as an air traffic controller calmly tried to reason with him. 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. #iflyalaska #akedchat.. To the consternation of friends gathered to witness the launch, he quickly ascended out of sight and climbed to an altitude of 16,000 feet. He gradually drifted into controlled airspace near Los Angeles International Airport, causing some alarm both to the authorities and to the pilots of at least two commercial jets. Published Yeah I dont know what the burnageis like on a takeoff but yeah. More information as we learn more. [15] He said he was a "broken guy, got a few screws loose I guess. Richard Russell, AKA Rich, the man who took the Sea-Tac plane and crashed it. A former coworker, Rick Christenson, told The Seattle Times: He was a quiet guy. 1.6K. Luke Adams ? ? wrote one woman on Twitter, echoing the comments of many people who heard the audio. At one point in the dramatic audio, Richard Russell told the tower he was losing an engine. Russell wrote that he was pursuing his Bachelor of Social Sciences and hoped to work his way up to a management position at Horizon Air or to join the military or law enforcement. 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. After Russell performed an unauthorized takeoff, two McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle fighters were scrambled to intercept the aircraft. Wish me luck! The incident spawned numerous image macros, photoshops and fan arts on 4chan . Britain is in the grip of a male suicide crisis. 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. steal a Horizon Air Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 airliner. 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.. 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. More information as we learn more, Alaska Airlines wrote on Twitter around 9:20 p.m. on the west coast. I hope they can make it through this. He said that airline employees go through background checks. I sure married a nice pair of calves! she joked with a photo of the couple. Although investigators received information regarding Russell's background, possible stressors, and personal life, no element provided a clear motivation for Russell's actions. Russell was well-liked by his co-workers, according to The Seattle Times. They are grounding all planes and waiting. About to take off. Sep 09, 2022 at 02:47PM EDT USA TODAY. He was very, very friendly automatically willing to bring everyone in, Hannah Holmes, who also participates in Young Life, told The Seattle Times. We know who he is. And in recordings of conversations with air traffic controllers, Russell joked and laughed, though he was at times contemplative and raw. Would love your thoughts, please comment. 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. My logo draft will be a generic suit case with minimalistic travel stickers, encircled by the text: Russell Hustle. Below are some of the clips. 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. [20] They married in 2012. [29] An operational supervisor for Horizon Air described Russell as "a quiet guy" who was "well liked by the other workers". He had planned to seek a management position at Horizon Air or become a military officer after receiving his degree. 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. Russell had no formal training as a pilot and did not have his pilots license. A pair of F-15C jets were scrambled in response to Russells flight before he crashed one hour and 15 minutes after takeoff. Our first date, he kind of cornered me into it, Hannah Russell said to the site. . 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. August 10, 2021 by Kirk Forlatt. 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. Without Him we would be hopeless. Not entirely sure whats happening. 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? Filed under 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. He worked at the airline for more than three years, authorities said. [12] Flights in and out of SeaTac Airport were temporarily suspended. Russells social media accounts have become funeral guestbooks, digitized for the world. Commercial aircraft are complex machines, he said. Many people online compared the incident to 2018's incident with Richard Russell, calling Patterson "Sky King 2.0" or "Sky King 2. The candle that burns twice as bright burns half as long, another said. RIP to the SkyKing. I would like to apologize to each and every one of them. 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 story, despite seeming near-mythic, is true. Never knew he was fighting a battle non of us knew about. He did a barrel roll in a stolen plane and went out in a blaze of glory. Video related to richard russell, rich: 5 fast facts you need to know, Click to subscribe! [6], The aircraft was stolen from Plane Cargo 1 at the north end of SeaTac Airport[6] and maneuvered to runway 16C via taxiways. You couldnt even tell it was a plane except for some of the bigger sections, like the wing section, western Pacific region chief Debra Eckrote said. He was a faithful husband, a loving son, and a good friend, Mike Mathews read from the statement at a press conference. 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. 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. Happening right now. Magazines, Digital 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 . 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 audio between the man known as Rich and air traffic controllers further captured his demeanor. When I arrived, he was in the kitchen, in the middle of his Sunday morning ritual of cleaning his cleaning supplies. [46][47], N449QX, the aircraft involved in the incident, pictured 2 months before the crash. Its going to disappoint them to hear I did this, he hauntingly said before his death. Ive got a lot of people that care about me. "[22], The two F-15s attempted to direct the aircraft toward the Pacific Ocean, and did not fire at it. Or that he appeared to be a happy, regular guy. The statement, he added, was the only one that will be released. Preliminary info is that a mechanic from unknown airlines stole plane. Purportedly, when the arresting officers asked why he had risked his life with such a stunt, he said, A man cant just sit around., Later, he told the press, It was something I had to do. He carried with him a CB radio, sandwiches, beer, and a camera. 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. Excerpts taken from Mr. Ballen 's video on the Sky king.Top 3 stories that sound fake but are 100% real | Part 5:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zaa53S-8lDMMr.Ballen's Channel:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtPrkXdtCM5DACLufB9jbsAHIJACKED SEATTLE PLANE INSANE FOOTAGE, TRAFFIC CONTROL AUDIO, CRASH DAMAGE:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeYVtVg6aGs Raw: Family Press Conference For Suicidal Mechanic Who Stole Plane In Seattle:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5fFJgdhBm4Stepbrother of Richard \"Beebo\" Russell talks about stolen plane incident:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FvRMhQ44kYMusicFrom Internet Archive, Public Domain MusicThe Pachelbel Canon: by Orchestre De Chambre Jean-Franois Paillardhttps://archive.org/details/lp_the-pachelbel-canon-and-other-baroque-favo_orchestre-de-chambre-jean-franois-paillard/disc1/01.02.+Canon+In+D+For+Strings+And+Continuo.mp3Pachelbel's Canon in D:https://archive.org/details/PachelbelsCanoninD I think I might mess something up there, too. Never really knew it, until now, Richard Russell said at one point. [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). 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. Never really knew it, until now.". Quite a scary experience. Normal operations at Sea-Tac Airport have resumed. [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. Richard Russell Plane Crash Video From Seattle, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. 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. #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. Hannah and Beebo met at a Campus Crusade for Christ gathering at Southwestern Oregon Community College last year, the site reported. [7], SeattleTacoma air traffic control (ATC) maintained radio contact with the occupant. 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. It had first flown in 2012 and was delivered new to Horizon Air in the same year. [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. 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. On Instagram, Hannah Russell posted recent photos with Rich. Powered by. Russell, who was a ground service employee for Horizon Air and did not have a pilots license, took the twin-engine turboprop plane from a maintenance area where it was parked at the airport. Ah, minimum wage. Russell was active in his local community, serving as a leader at Young Life, a Christian youth ministry. [33], On November 9, the FBI stated that it had completed its investigation. He is not a pilot and does not know how to land the plane. Patterson did not end up flying the plane into Walmart, instead landing it in a nearby field where he was arrested. But that flight was his last. He was a quiet and well-liked young man who was active in his church. [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]. Who's Afraid of the Rorschach Inkblot Test? Buy "Richard "SkyKing" Russell" by BogTron as a Sticker. Disclaimer: I am in no way proficient in the arts.. It is impossible to encompass who he was in a press release. The hardest part of stealing a commercial plane from an international airport was already over for Richard Russell. Because I am a clinical psychologist, people come up to me after a news event like this and ask my opinion. If you or someone you know may be contemplating suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. 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. I'm listening through the archive of the radio chatter on the #seatac hijacking. After performing the stunt, along with other maneuvers, the plane crashed on Ketron Island in the Puget Sound. [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. To impress a woman, he arrived in a helicopter to take her on a classified mission, officials said. Hey all! sky king, sky king memes, richard russell, 4chan, sky king 2, based. An airline employee conducted an unauthorized takeoff without passengers at Sea-Tac; aircraft has crashed in south Puget Sound. 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. Apparently someone stole a plane from SeaTac? "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. Nine-tenths of them are from a lower socioeconomic class. Facebook Now video was released. The majority of the memes are in celebration and memorial of Russell, while others are more trollish shitposts. 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. 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. 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.. The Port of Seattle released the video. He tilted the wings and rumbled low over Puget Sound. A football teammate suggested his mental instability had been caused by undiagnosed chronic traumatic encephalopathy that may have come from repeated concussions. In July 2022, video was released that showed Russells last moments going through security, taking off in the plane, and communicating with air traffic control. Richard Russell was a suicidal airport ground services worker who stole an airplane from Sea-Tac . About 1 hour and 15 minutes after takeoff, Russell died by intentionally crashing the aircraft on lightly populated Ketron Island in Puget Sound. At one point, Rich reported that he threw up all over the cockpit, according to the audio. Its burned quite a bit faster than I expected., He also said, Im gonna land it, in a safe kind of manner. People expressed an emotional connection with him through postings on social media, T-shirts, and tribute songs. The incident came to a tragic end when Russell intentionally crashed the plane into Ketron Island in Puget Sound, killing him. 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. A 2012 article in the World described how Russell met his wife. His conversation and tone is very casual. At another point, he says he's going to try to "do a barrel roll." Just a broken guy, got a few screws loose I guess. An airline employee conducted an unauthorized takeoff without passengers at Sea-Tac; aircraft has crashed in south Puget Sound. 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? 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. We love you bud. Russell cites his position at Horizon in his blog as well. They turned him into a hero with the name, and with it came a lot of memes. I would like to apologize to each and every one of them. 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.. Normal operations at Sea-Tac Airport have resumed, the airport wrote. Its not clear how he pulled off the intense maneuvers captured on video. A childhood friend remarked that Beebo was loved by everyone because he was kind and gentle to each person he met. 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.. KINGs Madison Wade reports. ?, One woman wrote on Twitter, he has stolen a big Horizon turbo prop. Stay tuned., Richard Russell, Rich: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. 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. A lot of the people he was helping were troubled kids.. 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. Nah, Im a white guy. That last line has caused some controversy online. The mans bizarre and ultimately doomed flight pushed fighter planes into action. Never really knew it until now. And part of his job was to drive the tractor that backed the aircraft into position for takeoff. I usually have to work outsidebut it allows me to do some pretty cool things too.. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, Digital He left no children. Tower, you need to call and scramble now, one pilot warned, according to the video. Since his famous flight, he had spent a lot of time hiking, reading the Bible, and volunteering with the Forest Service. The perpetrator, 29-year-old Richard Russell, was a Horizon Air ground service agent with no piloting experience. Public acts of violence such as mass shootings often reflect the perpetrators troubled, dark past. The cockpit recordings are widely available online and it would be hard not to feel compassion while listening to them. She foiled their plans. As of 2019[update], this clean up effort was still ongoing, with pieces of aircraft wreckage still being located on the island after the first anniversary of the incident. "[20], Rolling Stone magazine investigated the incident and reported in 2021 that some of Russell's friends and family believe he may have suffered brain injuries during his football years in high school and college. Theres something wrong with all of us. Never actually wanted to hurt anyone. Oh, a purple one! Russell exclaimed. quote: On August 10, 2018, a Horizon Air Bombardier Q400 was stolen from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac) in Seattle, Washington. [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. In 2018, a Horizon Air employee, Richard Russell, stole a plane with no prior flying experience, making international headlines. The perpetrator, 29-year-old Richard Russell, was a Horizon Air ground service agent with no piloting experience. The wife of an airline employee who hijacked a plane in Seattle had recorded their seven happy years of marriage on Instagram, calling him 'the man who keeps me laughing'.. Richard Russell has . 2007-2023 Holy smokes, Ive got to stop looking at the fuel because its going down quick.. Seattle-Tacoma Intl. His familys brief statement did not address any potential mental health issues. Family friend Mike Matthews read a statement from Russells family that said the incident was a complete shock to them. Due to a planned power outage on Friday, 1/14, between 8am-1pm PST, some services may be impacted. georgia tech acceptance rate 2021 out of state,

George Watson's College Term Dates, Articles S