Hulu doc '#SKYKING' revisits the Sea-Tac Airport heist that stunned the world
Air traffic controllers speak to man who stole plane
Air traffic controllers speak to man who stole plane
SEATAC, Wash. - Less than eight years ago, a Horizon Air employee stole an empty plane from a hangar at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and flew it over Puget Sound.
The story of 28-year-old Richard "Beebo" Russell is now being told in a documentary that premiered Tuesday, April 14, on Hulu.
"#SKYKING: Panic in the Sky" features never-before-heard audio and family interviews. It covers the 70-minute flight during which Russell stole the $33 million aircraft, and examines the broader mental health crisis in the United States.
Who was Richard "Beebo" Russell?
Richard Russell, 28, was a Horizon Air ground service agent who had worked for the airline since February 2015. Although he was credentialed to be in secure areas near aircraft, he was not a licensed pilot and had no flight experience.
Alaska Air Group, the parent company of regional carrier Horizon Air, said Russell’s duties included loading cargo and assisting teams that towed planes to gates. Officials noted that Russell had worked his scheduled shift and was likely in uniform when he took the aircraft.
Nicknamed "Beebo," Russell was described by friends as warm, friendly and funny.
"We talked about traveling a lot," said former coworker DeAndre Halbert. "That’s the one thing we had in common."
Case of stolen Horizon Air plane from Sea-Tac
An airline worker, later identified as Richard Russell, stole an empty Horizon Air Q400 turboprop plane from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport just after 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 10, 2018, officials said.
Russell flew the plane over Puget Sound, performing loops and barrel rolls for about 70 minutes before crashing on Ketron Island, a sparsely populated area southwest of Tacoma in Pierce County. Russell died in the crash.
Witnesses reported seeing the plane fly upside down as the pilot attempted aerobatic maneuvers. In recordings of his conversations with air traffic controllers, Russell did not threaten to harm others and apologized to his loved ones while flying the stolen plane.
"I’ve got a lot of people that care about me," Russell said. "It’s going to disappoint them to hear that I did this. I would like to apologize to each and every one of them."
FBI releases documents detailing stolen plane investigation
Years after the crash, the FBI released a nearly 600-page report detailing the investigation into Richard Russell's actions.
The documents highlighted concerns raised by friends and family in the days leading up to the incident and described the contents of a notebook found in his locker.
According to the records, Russell skipped work on Aug. 3, 2018, and expressed "feeling as if he was not living up to what others expected of him." Two days later, family and friends attempted an intervention after Russell appeared "strange and evasive."
Investigators noted that those close to him also believed he had been drinking more than usual.Inside Russell’s work locker, investigators found a notebook with two completed pages. One page contained comments on then-President Donald Trump’s immigration policies. The other featured a note that read:
"He wanted to create something. Something with profound insight and charm. He had once been confident in his writing so he gave that a shot. During one of his many breaks at work he decided to go for it. "Rather than use the down time to escape in books or social media he would use it to benefit his all mankind. He sat I [sic] the corner of the dilapidated locker room searching for the concepts he wanted to convey. What did he know the most about? What did he feel strongly about? Several questions fizzled in his mind but no resolutions were made. It all felt so irrelevant. He was a cure. Nothing was worthy enough for the paper."
FBI release 567 page document detailing 2018 stolen plane investigation
For about 70 minutes, 28-year-old man Richard Russell flew a stolen plane across the skies of Western Washington before crashing it into Ketron Island in Pierce County.
The Source: Information in this story came from original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle, the Pierce County Sheriff's Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
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