Harrowing new footage shows airport worker stealing plane before fatal 2018 crash

Newly launched CCTV footage captures the harrowing second a Washington state airport worker stole an Alaska Airways aircraft and took it for a joyride — earlier than fatally crashing it.

Richard Russell, a floor management agent, died after he stole the aircraft at Seattle-Tacoma Worldwide Airport in August 2018 and drove it into the bottom of a distant island within the Puget Sound, authorities mentioned on the time.

His loss of life was dominated a suicide.

Now, in new footage of the moments earlier than he took off, the 29-year-old will be seen strolling by airport safety with a “The Sky’s No Restrict” T-shirt.

Russell is then seen strolling right into a restricted space meant for luggage handlers, getting onto a tarmac tow car, and dragging the aircraft he was set to steal onto the runway.

New surveillance video exhibits the second the luggage handler steals the aircraft earlier than fatally crashing it onto a distant island.

Port of Seattle

Russell managed to get onto a tarmac tow car and achieve management of the aircraft earlier than anybody stopped to query him.

Port of Seattle

The chilling footage of his remaining moments subsequent exhibits Russell leaping onto the aircraft and presumably moving into the cockpit.

“Seattle floor Horizon man. About to take off. It’s gonna be loopy,” he tells visitors management, in keeping with the video offered to native Seattle information outlet KOIN.

Though he didn’t have a pilot’s license, Russell knew the right way to work the aircraft from his expertise as an airport worker, the FBI beforehand mentioned.

“It’s gonna be loopy,” Russell tells air visitors management earlier than taking off.

Earlier than he took off, a number of folks on the airport questioned what was occurring.

“Who's the plane on Runway 1-6 heart?” an air visitors controller will be heard saying. 

“Tower, you'll want to name and scramble now,” one pilot warned, in keeping with the video.

Russell managed to fly the aircraft for over an hour earlier than crashing it within the Puget Sound.

Port of Seattle

After taking off, an air visitors controller mentioned, “He wants some assist controlling his plane.” Russell responded: “Nah, I imply, I don’t want that a lot assist. I’ve performed some video video games earlier than.”

Russell, who labored for Horizon Air, a regional subsidiary of Alaska Airways, flew the aircraft for 73 minutes earlier than crashing it into distant Ketron Island, which has fewer than 20 residents.

“I acquired lots of people that care about me. It’s going to disappoint them to listen to I did this,” he hauntingly mentioned earlier than his loss of life.