# Grand Theft - Airplane **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 11, 2018, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-theft-airplane/819419 "2018-08-11T05:23:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2018, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-theft-airplane/819419/21 "2018-08-11T22:16:54Z")
Turns out he was ground crew: > [@](#): > > The suspect worked for Horizon Air for three and a half years, handling the baggage, cleaning the plane, and was ‘tow certified,’ allowing him to run the little tractors that pull the planes. He went through a 10-year background check to get the job. There’s more coverage at this local news site, too: > **[Family of man killed in Horizon Air crash shares their thoughts](https://komonews.com/news/local/stolen-plane-forces-ground-stop-at-seatac-airport)** > > SEA-TAC AIRPORT, Wash. - The investigation continued Sunday into the man who stole a Horizon plane Friday as family members mourned the loss of the pilot.Richard Russell stole the Bombardier Q400 plane at Sea-Tac Airport Friday night then crashed on... If anyone sees info about his flight path from SeaTac, please post. I’m just curious. Ketron Island is straight south from the airport, but I heard reports of sightings inland. He must’ve made a left turn east, then veered west at some point. He never went over my house (about ten miles south of the airport). ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2018, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-theft-airplane/819419/22 "2018-08-11T22:20:31Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > The air controller tried to direct him to land on a military strip. He rejected that because of their reaction. He knew they would be pretty aggressive. 😉 > > He mentioned being low on fuel several times. I’m not sure if he attempted landing. Tacoma Narrows Airport is within about ten miles of where he crashed. According to the figures I could find, the runway there is long enough for a Q400, but not by a lot. With a novice pilot that would probably be asking for trouble. It’s civilian, at least. What direction was he going when he crashed? If it was north, maybe he was trying to line up for a landing there. Tacoma Narrows is where I got my license. Haven’t been by there in ages, though. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2018, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-theft-airplane/819419/23 "2018-08-11T22:48:35Z")
> [@GusNSpot](#): > > I wonder where & how he learned the start procedures, how to taxi & get to the current take off point on the current runway, set & listen to all the correct radio frequency’s that he would need so as to not be stopped by and airport vehicle before he could taker off? Lots of people got some > “Splain-in to do Lucy.” > > To have learned it all from home available sims and translate it into aerobatics in > THAT airplane and not tear it apart in the air is an interesting question IMO. All of that information is there in the world and accessible to someone who really wants to learn it, and is sufficiently motivated to self-study. Pilot handbooks/user manuals aren’t that hard to get ahold of. I used to routinely get a new one every time I tried out a new airplane (about twice a year on average when I was still an active pilot) Information frequencies, taxi information and the like are published routinely and easily available because you want pilots to have easy access to such information. There are tons of on-line articles about radio procedures you can use for self-study. Most flight simulators these days have options to set real weather, real airports and their procedures, simulated ATC, and aircraft parameters. Heck, I was doing that on my home PC back in the last 1990’s while learning to fly. It’s cliche… but it’s not rocket science. (At least not until you get to jets. This one was a turbo-prop.) > [@](#): > > If he did do it that way, he was plenty smart and a natural pilot. Or disciplined about self-study. > [@](#): > > I think there is much more to the story. Undoubtedly. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2018, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-theft-airplane/819419/24 "2018-08-11T22:58:42Z")
> [@GusNSpot](#): > > I wonder where & how he learned the start procedures, how to taxi & get to the current take off point on the current runway, set & listen to all the correct radio frequency’s that he would need so as to not be stopped by and airport vehicle before he could taker off? Lots of people got some > “Splain-in to do Lucy.” > > To have learned it all from home available sims and translate it into aerobatics in > THAT airplane and not tear it apart in the air is an interesting question IMO. > > If he did do it that way, he was plenty smart and a natural pilot. > > I think there is much more to the story. Amen to the last sentence. I strongly suspect that even though there’s no evidence that he was a licensed pilot, he had at least a few flying lessons somewhere along the way. I also wouldn’t be surprised if he booby-trapped his home, like the Colorado theater shooter did. p.s. Does anyone else remember when a teenage boy stole an airplane not all that long after 9/11, and crashed the plane into a building? IIRC, it was on a weekend so the building was mostly unoccupied, and damage was relatively minimal because it was a puddle-jumper. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2018, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-theft-airplane/819419/25 "2018-08-12T00:06:28Z")
More detailed audio. I admire the persistence and affability of the guys who were trying to cajole him to come down. It’s not something you can train much for. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/X50N4YndsXk/maxresdefault.jpg "SEA TAC hijacker communications with ground control (abridged)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X50N4YndsXk) ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2018, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-theft-airplane/819419/26 "2018-08-12T00:18:37Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I was being sarcastic at the military response. There would have been a shit storm swirling around that plane after it landed. The military never does anything half way. They already had F-15’s in the air. Isn’t scrambling fighters whenever there is a possible hijacking or suspicion of one SOP since 9/11? I was glad to see them up there myself. And no matter how bad off the poor guy was, let’s give him credit for doing this by himself and not with a plane full of passengers like the guy in Germany. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2018, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-theft-airplane/819419/27 "2018-08-12T00:23:25Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > Isn’t scrambling fighters whenever there is a possible hijacking or suspicion of one SOP since 9/11? I was glad to see them up there myself. If you fly out of Portland, you’ll see these guys training. They take it seriously. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2018, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-theft-airplane/819419/28 "2018-08-12T00:39:55Z")
Makes me wonder what would have happened if he landed the thing. ---
**Author:** ![Desert\_Nomad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desert_nomad/32/177_2.png) [@Desert\_Nomad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desert_Nomad)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2018, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-theft-airplane/819419/29 "2018-08-12T01:39:12Z")
> [@Sunny\_Daze](#): > > If you fly out of Portland, you’ll see these guys training. They take it seriously. I’ve seen them while flying my plane near Klamath Falls. Last time ATC called me up and said a pair of F-15s at 600kts was going to be passing me on the left and they had me in sight. It was just enough time to snap a picture. ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2018, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-theft-airplane/819419/30 "2018-08-12T03:59:15Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > What direction was he going when he crashed? If it was north, maybe he was trying to line up for a landing there. He was going south. He did a barrel roll over Chambers Bay then flew south to Ketron. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2018, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-theft-airplane/819419/31 "2018-08-12T04:35:35Z")
A Classic Suicide. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2018, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-theft-airplane/819419/32 "2018-08-12T05:10:41Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > The video I saw showed him attempting an aileron roll, and then going into a dive like the bottom part of a loop. There was little altitude when he pulled out of it. It could have been telephoto distortion, but it looked like a pretty heavy pull. Depth perception this that video is tricky, but if I had to give a name to to what he did, I’d say he tried for an aileron roll end ended up with a split s. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2018, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-theft-airplane/819419/33 "2018-08-12T06:49:08Z")
> [@Pork\_Rind](#): > > Depth perception this that video is tricky, but if I had to give a name to to what he did, I’d say he tried for an aileron roll end ended up with a split s. I agree. He has tried a roll but hasn’t got the nose anywhere near high enough to begin with. During the roll the nose has dropped and he’s ended up in a steep dive about 3/4 the way through at which point he seems to have decided to just pull rather than continue rolling. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2018, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-theft-airplane/819419/34 "2018-08-12T14:42:51Z")
> [@Pork\_Rind](#): > > I’d say he tried for an aileron roll end ended up with a split s. I agree. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2018, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-theft-airplane/819419/35 "2018-08-12T14:56:38Z")
The press is trying to turn this story into something of greater significance than it is. It was a dramatic suicide, maybe starting out as just a lark by someone with some kind of problem, but clearly he intended no harm to others. I wish he hadn’t done it, don’t want to encourage it, but grudgingly have to tip my hat to a guy who went out with style. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2018, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-theft-airplane/819419/36 "2018-08-12T16:29:10Z")
Long article on Richard Russell. He seemed like a normal guy. Well traveled, wife and loving family. There’s no indication that he’d do something like this. I can only guess the joyride was done on impulse. Then everything quickly spiraled out of control. He had committed a serious crime and the situation seemed hopeless. That’s just my conjecture. I’m not convinced this started as a suicide plan. > **[Expert weighs in on mystifying suicide of Seattle plane hijacker](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6050787/Suicidal-Seattle-airport-worker-identified-Richard-Russell.html)** > > Richard Russell, a married 29-year-old Horizon Air employee, was remembered in a family statement read out on Saturday as a 'faithful husband' and a 'good friend'. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2018, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-theft-airplane/819419/37 "2018-08-12T16:59:28Z")
We’ll just have to agree to disagree **Ace**. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2018, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-theft-airplane/819419/38 "2018-08-12T17:22:18Z")
Well, Richard did reject any attempt to land. The joyride ended in a suicide as he attempted air stunts that a novice could never complete. Only he knew his original intentions at the beginning. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2018, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-theft-airplane/819419/39 "2018-08-12T17:50:12Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Long article on Richard Russell. He seemed like a normal guy. Well traveled, wife and loving family. > > There’s no indication that he’d do something like this. > > I can only guess the joyride was done on impulse. Then everything quickly spiraled out of control. He had committed a serious crime and the situation seemed hopeless. That’s just my conjecture. I’m not convinced this started as a suicide plan. > > [Suicidal Seattle airport worker identified as Richard Russell | Daily Mail Online](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6050787/Suicidal-Seattle-airport-worker-identified-Richard-Russell.html) > [@from the article](#): > > Nowhere in the job description does it mention that ground service agents are permitted to fly planes. Well of course it fucking doesn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2018, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-theft-airplane/819419/40 "2018-08-12T18:32:08Z")
He said he didn’t plan on landing, which does suggest he was suicidal. He seems like a good guy. He may have done us a favor exposing how easy it is to steal a plane with that job. Imagine if he’d wanted to hurt people. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-theft-airplane/819419.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-theft-airplane/819419.md?page=3)