TACOMA, Wash. — Newly launched FBI paperwork present the person who stole a turboprop from Seattle-Tacoma Worldwide Airport in 2018 appeared unsettled to his family members earlier than the theft, which ended when he crashed the airplane on Pierce County’s Ketron Island.
The information say 28-year-old Alaska Airways floor employee Richard Russell of Sumner, Washington, entered the empty turboprop passenger plane about 7:30 p.m. Aug. 10 because it sat on an airport tarmac and flew it for about an hour and 10 minutes, The Information Tribune reported.
The Air Nationwide Guard scrambled two fighter jets to intercept the airplane, however Russell deliberately crashed it, the information present.
The Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Workplace dominated his demise a suicide. Individuals who knew Russell instructed FBI brokers and different regulation enforcement personnel they’d no info indicating they knew of Russell’s plans to steal or crash an airplane, in response to the information.
“Contacts with Russell’s employer decided there have been no personnel points,” in response to the information. “Russell was often known as a quiet man who learn quite a bit. Russell had just a few unexcused absences, however nothing thought of important.”
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Different witnesses instructed FBI brokers Russell “didn’t go to work Aug. 3 and had expressed feeling as if he was not dwelling as much as what others anticipated of him,” the information present. The witnesses mentioned he went to work Aug. 4 to attempt to choose up a shift, however the subsequent day he “appeared unusual,” and household pals tried an intervention, in response to the information.
“Russell appeared positive to relations after the intervention, although he was ingesting extra,” the information present. “The week of Aug. 6, Russell appeared positive to household/pals.”
4 days later, Russell entered the airplane, taxied and took off with out authorization. The FBI discovered proof he had been looking flight simulators earlier than the incident. He crashed the airplane on sparsely populated Ketron Island. He was the one fatality.
In the course of the flight, Russell talked about his family members with air-traffic controllers.
“I want to apologize to each certainly one of them,” he mentioned. “Only a damaged man. Received just a few screws free. By no means knew it till now.”
Federal investigators concluded Russell acted alone.