Ben Charles Padilla, an aircraft mechanic who held a private pilots license and was a certified flight engineer, was repairing a 727 airliner in Luanda, Angola for a Florida-based company named Aerospace Sales and Leasing. When Rolling Stone published its article last year, no major regulatory or security changes had been implemented in response to Russells deadly flight. He flew until the plane ran out of fuel and died in the ensuing crash. Investigators on Saturday were trying to retrieve the plane's flight data recorder and its cockpit voice recorder. In fact, there have been a number of occurrences in recent decades in which ground personnel made off with aircraft. The NTSB is now processing the equipment. While investigators concluded Russell intentionally crash the plane, his motive still remains a mystery. MH370 captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah was a flight-sim enthusiast who is known to have taken a simulated flight path similar to the one authorities believe the plane ultimately took into the southern Indian Ocean. We may earn commission if you buy from a link. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. Scroll down to continue . His 75-minute flight during the golden twilight took him south and west, toward the Olympic Mountains. Photos show first responders that night sleeping outside on the ground. The family of a man who authorities saystole an airplane from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and later crashed it called him a faithful husband, loving son and good friend. "It seemed like he was well liked by the other workers. Siddiq Saunderson Moved to L.A. and Immediately Bought a Prius, Millennials and Zillennials Can't Get Enough of Manual Transmissions, Dollar Flight Club Premium Plus (Lifetime Subscription), Tesla Investor Day 2023 Was Pretty Great if You Ignored Elon. Video released to KOMO News from the Port of Seattle capture the final moments of Richard Russell who took a Horizon Air plane from SeaTac Airport without authorization, performed acrobatic. he joked. Please dont hesitate to utilize this resource. Join the Celebration of a Lifetime! SeaTac's tower began asking who was piloting the airplane, which culminated in the first of Mr Russell's exchanges with control that day. Now, nearly four years after the event, authorities have released new video footage showing how 28-year-old Russell who went by the nickname Beebo got through the airport and into the 76-seat plane that he flew to his death. Like a lot of bags. But the plane made turns and aerobatic maneuvers that suggest some skill, she said. The FBI released the findings of its investigation earlier this week, concluding 28-year-old ramp agent Richard Russell, also known as Bebo, stole the Horizon airplane and intentionally crashed it into the south end of Ketron Island. The Associated Press contributed to this report. It evens out in the end.". Airline and Seattle airport officials revealed the following at a news conference Saturday: In audio recordings of the incident posted on Broadcastify, Russell can be heard talking to air traffic controllers as they try to guide him to land the plane. Every time I traveled I would look out my plane window and see these sullen looking individuals leisurely pacing around, or hectically throwing bags into a cart. Newly-released videos from the Port of Seattle show the moments leading up to an airport worker crashing a stolen airplane nearly four years ago. Marine Corps lance corporal Howard A. Foote, Jr. stole an A-4M Skyhawk ground attack jet from Marine Corps Air Station El Toro and took it on a 45-minute aerobatic joyride before returning to base and landing safely. In the footage, Mr Russell can be seen calmly moving through the airport wearing a black shirt that says "The Sky's No Limit." New video shows crash site of stolen plane. "Last night's event is going to push us to learn what we can from this tragedy so that we can ensure this does not happen again at Alaska Air Group or at any other airline," Brad Tilden, CEO of Alaska Airlines, told a news conference Saturday. Copyright 2018 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. Other pilots and SeaTac's tower exchange information about Mr Russell as they quickly realise that something unusual is going on. The King County medical examiner ruled his death a suicide. "But the air traffic controller had to tell him how to set what they call the 'bugs' -- they're just little, sort of, little levers, or little notches on your indicator for your heading, which is kind of basic. In a humorous YouTube video he posted last year, he talked about his job and included videos and photos of his travels. That includes both domestic and international flights. No one noticed the plane had disappeared until Mr Russell was in the air. "He might have been talking to himself in the cockpit," so the voice recorder may provide additional information that wasn't recorded in radio traffic, she said. He later stole the plane and eventually crashed it into an island in Puget Sound. Video from a witness on the ground shows the plane at one point pulling up for a loop, putting the aircraft upside-down and then pulling back up just feet above a body of water. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. I don't need that much help. I mean, I would hope it is, for a guy like me. The agency says the 28-year-old's loved ones hosted an intervention for him, who "seemed fine" besides increased drinking. He was in the air for about an hour. The footage shows him going through security wearing a T-shirt. Could 3 Particles on a Tie Lead Us to D.B. and last updated 2018-08-12 08:56:01-04. Within minutes of the plane's takeoff, the military scrambled two armed F-15 jets from Oregon to follow it, according to local and airline authorities and two sources with knowledge of the situation. But could you start a left-hand turn, please?". How was a man able to steal and pilot a plane? CNN's Kyung Lah reports.. August 11, 2018 / 11:29 PM "Although investigators received information regarding Russells background, possible stressors, and personal life, no element provided a clear motivation for Russells actions.". The Seattle FBI office said Sunday that it had recovered the flight data recorder and components of the cockpit voice recorder from the Horizon plane. "Seattle Ground, Horizon Guy. Onlooker John Waldron took video that shows the plane rolling inverted at low altitude, then pulling into a half-loop in a aerobatic high-g maneuver called a split S. Whether through skill or luck, Russell managed to pull the plane out of its rapid descent just above the wave tops. The sheriff's department described Russell as suicidal. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. video Plane crashes near Seattle airport. Some speculated the plane was stolen as part of an insurance scam, or perhaps taken by terrorists who planned to use it as a flying bomb, but the truth remains unknown. The plane was a Bombardier Q400, a turboprop that seats 76 people, owned by Horizon Air, part of Alaska Airlines. After the plane approached Ketron Island, Waldron saw a thick column of smoke followed by a loud explosion, he said. "NORAD fighters did not fire upon the aircraft," North American Aerospace Defense Command said Saturday morning in a news release. An air traffic controller called him "Rich," and tried to convince him to land the airplane. A Warner Bros. "I think I'm going to try to do a barrel roll, and if that goes good I'll go nose down and call it a night," Richard Russell said from the cockpit, according to a recording of his conversation with the controller. Win Tickets to Weezer with Spoon and White Reaper at White River Amphitheater on August 20th! The theft illustrated what aviation experts have long known: One of the biggest potential perils for commercial air travel is airline or airport employees causing mayhem. All Rights Reserved. The incident, which the FBI's Seattle office did not consider terrorism, raises questions about airport security. The whole saga took place late on a Friday night in the west-coast time zone; by Monday morning, the constant news churn of the middle years of the Trump presidency seemed to have pushed any follow-up coverage of the Horizon Air crash out of the headlines. Foote served four and a half months in the brig and later went on to become a test pilot in civilian life. "Everyone was literally frozen in place, muttering about what possibly happened," he said. Richard Russell: Details emerge of a 'compassionate' man after Seattle plane heist and fiery crash By Alex Horton August 13, 2018 at 8:01 a.m. EDT A Horizon Air employee described as. Jeff Wise is a New York-based science journalist specializing in aviation and psychology. Newly released video shows the fiery scene firefighters encountered after an airplane stolen from Sea-Tac Airport crashed on Ketron Island. He said his actions were "going to disappoint" the people who cared for him, and described himself as "just a broken guy" with "a few screws loose, I guess.". I feel really bad for Richard and for his family. What happened from then, left a. "Congratulations. 7 months ago. Nearby co-workers weren't even aware of Russell's actions, which happened six hours into his shift, according to reporters. Investigators "did not identify any information that would suggest the theft of the aircraft was related to wider criminal activity or terrorist ideology," according to a summary of the FBI report. Earlier in the flight, Russell says: "This is probably, like, jail time for life, huh? He was immediately killed. 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Authorities said Russell did not have a pilot's license. SEATAC, Wash. - It was a shocking scene above the Puget Sound, as Horizon Airlines employee Richard Russell stole and flew a turboprop from Sea-Tac Airport while air traffic tried to talk him . "This is a complete shock to us," the family said in a statement Saturday night. The man has been identified as Richard Russell, a law enforcement official familiar with the investigation confirmed to CNN on Saturday night. 2. He first can be seen wandering through security, and is spotted again later on the tarmac. ", "I've got a lot of people that care about me, and it's going to disappoint them to hear that I did this," Russell says. He is the author of The Plane That Wasn't There: Why We Haven't Found MH370. Airline officials believe he was in uniform and worked a shift Friday, Tilden said. Mr Russell's aerial joyride ultimately ended in a fiery crash on a remote island in Puget Sound. Russell was credentialed to be in secure areas at the airport, said Brad Tilden, CEO of Alaska Air Group, which owns Horizon Air. On board was 29-year-old Richard Russell, a baggage handler for Horizon Air who is also flying the plane for unknown reason. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Russell responds: "Awwww-right. About to take off. At least 12 dead after winter storm slams South, Midwest, The Saturday Six: Dental device controversy, scientist's bug find and more, Trump speaks at CPAC after winning straw poll, 3 children killed, 2 others wounded at Texas home, Man charged for alleged involvement in 2 transformer explosions, Nikki Haley slams potential GOP contenders, and Trump and George W. Bush, Duo of 81-year-old women plan to see the world in 80 days, Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant to "take some time away" from the team after allegedly brandishing a gun in a club, Alex Murdaugh trial: What to know about the double murder case, FBI probes how airline employee stole plane, FBI investigating how airline employee stole plane before crashing, New details emerge about employee who stole, crashed airplane, NTSB to investigate in-flight turbulence that left 1 passenger dead, Pittsburgh woman missing for 31 years found alive in Puerto Rico, someone can simply take a passenger plane from a major U.S. airport without authorization, push us to learn what we can from this tragedy. Minimum wage, we'll chalk it up to that. Foote was an experienced glider pilot and had undergone 100 hours of simulator flying in the Skyhawk and had hoped to become a military pilot before his ambitions were derailed by health issues. Air traffic control became suspicious of Mr Russell after he cut in the line for takeoff. The rest of Mr Russell's time in the air was well documented, thanks to his regular contact with SeaTac's tower. Find flight for cheapWith its premium plus plan, youll be able to browse flight deals going for up to 90% off in business, premium economy, and economy class. At one point, he apologizes and says he is a "broken guy" with "a few screws loose. "I would like to apologize to each and every one of them. Win Your Trip to Our 2023 iHeartRadio Music Awards! The body camera and cell phone video shows firefighters climbing through dense brush and fallen trees to get to the crash site on Ketron Island. ", First published on August 13, 2018 / 5:34 AM. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. Nearby co-workers weren't even aware of Russell's actions, which happened six hours into his shift, according to reporters. I've played some video games before, he said. . Richard B. Russell reportedly stole a Horizon Air plane for a joyride before crashing and killing himself near Seattle. But the plane slammed into tiny Ketron Island, a sparsely populated island southwest of Tacoma. Also see | Cockpit audio from worker who stole empty plane from Sea-Tac Airport. The sky thief Richard Russell captivated the audience's attention after the Authorities at the Port of Seattle released an airport surveillance video of plane stealing. The worker performed several aerial stunts in the stolen aircraft before ultimately crashing on Ketron Island. 4.3M views 7 months ago A newly released video sheds new light on the moments leading up to Richard Russell crashing a plane. You did that. Indeed, in transcripts of his conversation with air-traffic control as he zig-zags the stolen plane through the airspace above the 15th-largest city in the U.S. (some of which can be heard in the video above), Russells demeanor goes from awestruck, to giddy, to fearful, to guilty, as he seems to process in real-time the weight of what hes done, and the unlikelihood that hell survive. Ultimately the FBI determined that Mr Russell intentionally brought the airplane into a dive onto a small island in Puget Sound, where he died. "Yeah, he knew how to fly," she continued. / CBS/AP. ", Russell posted collages of photos from his trips around the world, writing that travel was "what keeps me going in the most unfavorable circumstances.". The black boxes are now being sent to the National Transportation Safety Board for processing. Surveillance footage obtained by KOMO shows 28-year-old Richard Russell using a tow vehicle to pull a Horizon Air Q400 aircraft onto the tarmac before climbing into the cockpit on August 10, 2018. Meyer had recently been passed over for promotion and had been arrested for drunk and disorderly conduct. They said it's not clear whether he had ever taken flight lessons or used flight simulators, or where he gained the skills to take off. By Louis Lucero II and Melissa Gomez. SEATTLE -- He cracked jokes, complimented the professional demeanor of an air traffic controller and apologized for making a fuss. "He was getting really stressed about the financial situation he was in. "Most importantly," he said in a voiceover about his job, "I get to visit those I love most. I don't know, man! Because there were no passengers or crew aboard the plane, it wasnt considered a hijacking, and authorities response to the event seems to indicate that nobody ever expected an airport employee to hop in a plane and go for a ride with no apparent intent to terrorize, kill, or even make a greater statement.