Listening to the audio of Richard Russell, as he flew around in the hijacked plane, he sounded like an affable dude, someone you could easily be friends with.
In his Facebook pictures he looks like a friendly goofball.
Very sad that a 29 year-old would go off the rails like this and snap and take to the air like that.
Of course I am aware of the danger he put other people’s lives in. What he did was extremely stupid, but I’m not going to pile on.
This was one of the stranger stories of the year. They still don’t know how the guy was able to perform barrel rolls.
RIP guy.
Wow. Sometimes, when you lose it you just can’t get it back.
This is going to be on the ‘world’s craziest’ type shows for decades to come. lol.
“He was a nice boy. He used to cut my grass.”
– Joe’s Garage, F Zappa
Heard the audio – not once did he curse. Seemed like a nice guy. Amazed he could handle that size plane and do a barrel roll and a loop.
C’mon, he said he played video games. Of course he cold do barrel rolls and loops.
But yeah….. I don’t think anyone has ever landed a plane in Grand Theft Auto.
It’s so surreal! He did sound like a nice guy. It’s almost like he did it on a dare or something. He cruised by Mt. Rainier, talked about hiking in the Olympics, wanted to see the poor mama orca with her lost calf that has been in the Sound now for over a week. Said he was going to do a barrel roll and then maybe set her down after that…it was likely a suicide flight but he sounded like a normal guy hopped up on adrenaline. It’ll probably be a Hollywood movie someday.
The PNW has DB Cooper and now Rich Russell. ?!?
Feel bad for the seatac desk employee playing airplane re-fueller. Poor bastard just standing there on the runway with his tie flopping around…. holding a dripping gas pump…. scanning the skies for his buddy to come in for a landing…
O.K. O.K. I’ll stop raggin’ on the guy. It just reminded me of a story.
https://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/the-tale-of-when-a-marine-mechanic-stole-an-a-4-skyhawk-1745015819
This kid did it right.
It just goes to show: you never know.
Many are leading lives of quiet desperation these days, poorly equipped to deal with reality, and rejecting God, Country, family and gender.
Add a little fake news, a manufactured crisis or two, and some TDS, and the harmless-looking individual near you could SNAP! in the blink of an eye. (Check the Michael Douglas character in “Falling Down.”)
Death lurks around every corner.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKnodzWlKUQ
So be careful!!
@ Aaron
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKnodzWlKUQ
And Marvin Heemyer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bo9Vu_X6lKw
“Affable”
Ted Bundy when dressed in a suit looked very professional. Until one scratches the surface sanity like beauty is only skin deep. Suicide is very selfish and I think his family would have helped him.
Major flash back time.
This Sounds like my little brother.
Desperately trying to figure out what to do. I can hear his voice in this individual pleas for help.
Lost, not knowing what to do.
My little brother passed away at 42 year’s old.
Just a lost soul.
My Dad did everything he could do to stop the mental decline, which is one of the things about my Dad I love.
I asked him once,why are you placating him.
HE LOOKED ME DEAD IN THE EYE AND SAID” MY SON WILL NOT LIVE UNDER A BRIDGE”.
I NEVER ,EVER ,EVER ASKED HIM THAT QUESTION AGAIN. EVER.
MY FATHERS NAME IS GEORGE EDWARD CROOKS. BORN OCTOBER 14,1929. HE PASSED AWAY ON SEPTEMBER 4, 2017.
AND HE TAUGHT ME THE MEANING OF BEING A DADDY AND HE IS MY HERO.
YOU NEVER GIVE UP ON YOUR CHILDREN.
NEVER!!!!!!!!!
My Dad’s worst day was taking my brother flying our Cessna 172, and my brother grabbing the yoke, and putting it in a flat spin.
All the while, screaming he wanted to die.
Just imagine the fear in my Dad’s mind, wrestling the controls to get back on the ground.
He actually had to beat his Son into submission to get control.
AT 85 YEARS OLD,MY DAD STILL CRIED, WHEN IT WAS BROUGHT UP.
AND HE NEVER ,EVER STOPPED CARING FOR HIS CHILD. NO MATTER HOW OLD HE GOT
As for this event.
THIS INDIVIDUAL NEEDED HELP, BUT WAS LOST IN DANTE’S INFERNO WITH NO MAP OUT.
My heart breaks for him and his family.
Sad story Mike, I hope the survivors are coping as well as you can. I have a brother that has been suicidal for 30+ years. He is still alive, we have all tried our best to help him get right, our mom especially. Some people just struggle every day no matter what.
Could have been worse, he could have left for college perfectly normal and came back home a left wing nut case
Always a humbling thought: There but for the Grace of God go I.
(We all have more than enough reasons than Rich to go for a joy ride. We have only God Almighty to thank for restraining us.)
Joe6pak
I understand the daily struggle with a mental disorder. And I will pray for you and your family. Especially for your Mother.
He is your brother, but he is her child.
No parent wants to have a child who loses touch with reality, and goes off the deep end.
I find solace in the fact that my DAD tought me to be a better man.
May God bless you and your family.
AbigailAdams
You. Are the Bestest.
“I wouldn’t mind just shooting the shit with you guys but it’s all business, you know?” Those ATCs had critical work to do but I wonder how different this would have turned out if someone could have been cut loose to “shoot the shit” with him for awhile?
Jeeze…. you people are scarily sympathetic to this nut job….. alright, fine. Unlock the flaps. Look for the lever or knob on the dash or in between the seats. Unlock those for flight. Make sure your fuel is on, fuck it, just go to full rich and push the throttles forward. These things need a key to fly… unless you’re stealing a jet or something…
That should cover it. Now go out and steal a plane and enjoy the thrill of powered flight.
No key needed…autostart…
what about the fuel, the chocks, the pushback, etc.?
What…no checklist?
Very sad story overall.
He did all that, Smudgie. Control tower lookin’ on with their thumbs up their butt apparently. It’s kinda’ hard to miss a big ass commuter turboprop pushing back from the gate and rollin’ down a taxi runway.
But again, unlock those flaps or it’s a hella’ short flight.
Awww little Aaron is so mad because sometimes somebody has a breakdown.
Unlock the flaps. If you turn the yoke the flaps move. It’s called a flight console. remove the lock on the yolk. Oh and don’t forget to take the sock off the speed indicator.
And remember to pull the carb heat as you hand pull the prop.
Dipshitus demaximus.
People have meltdowns, just be glad this individual did not decide to take out a daycare center.
His gripe was with his demons.not yours to understand, but yours to recognize. If you can not empathize with the voice you hear crying out for help, then I feel sorry for you and the people who love you.
I will pray for you
Most first time pilots can’t do a turn without dropping the nose of the plane and starting into a spin.
If this guy was doing rolls and loops he was an experienced pilot.
Thanks Mike, I would have gone into more detail but your mom doesn’t like it when I type in bed.
Not good, not good at all.
We forget, too early, planes in the skies over Manhattan making unusual ‘manuevers’ like in 9/11??
Over Puget Sound, fighter planes being scrambled??? What was going through THOSE pilots minds???
You can even hear the trepidation in the voices of the vid makers.
@ Abigail Adams – never seen so may likes WOW 202? Right on.
BUT, my Gods grace will never put me irresponsibly behind a throttle and break of a plane.
Is the fact this guy went down in his own blaze of glory not killing anyone in the process…noble or romantic?
@ BFH – yes a an affable guy we alllonce knew, but someone that turned out to be someone very different, evidently.
@ Aaron Burr – EFF YOU for talkin’ trash about Mikes mom.
What is YOUR PROBLEM? Who the hell are you?
Disagree, without being a DICK HEAD.
What is YOUR psychosis?
MAGA2016
KAGA2020
At least he only took himself out.
After ever tragedy where some suicidal ass kills a bunch of innocent folk, then himself I always grouse: “Why didn’t he just take himself out?”
Poor guy, I think he just snapped.
@ Poor Lazlo – he only took himself out? How many lives did this man just destroy or affect?
I could be wrong but most suicides DO involve, stat wise, ONE person in the act itself.
Look at Table 2:
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/suicide.shtml
That was not a case of ‘snapping’ that was planned OUT.
This is very serious shit, taking ones own life.
And yes, may God give rest to that troubled soul.
Just sayen, several weeks ago their was a missile launched out of this facility that was unreported. That’s a fact. Conspiracy theorists are reporting this suicide is part of the cover up. Sounds like a pretty dedicated individual. Who knows.
@ Cardo – you might be right rabbit. I watched more vid, as in the roll and loop? What, an altitude 100′ above the Puget Sound?
All from watching video games he learned how to do this??? Although he did get light headed.
Air Control knew the guy personally turns out.
Was this suicide by Fighter..Plane….or other?
He sounded maybe somewhat rational at times but not reasonable at times, out of both and fuel in the end.
Maybe he knew how to take off better than he knew how to land the aircraft WHICH is more difficult…ie…9/11 hi-jokers did not want to learn how to land when the learned to FLY.
ORCAS???
Who the HELL know what is in that planes cargo or it’s intentions??
Nothing to see here, move along…
MAGA2016
KAG2020
I get real stupid ideas every now and then. Meh, who am I kidding, stupid is my life.
A motorcycle ride to unknown areas with speeds in excess of 120 MPH clears my head and brings things back to reality, if only temporarily. No maps or GPS, being lost is key.
And a walk with the dog.
@m r mike: My condolences for your brother.
@Aaron Burr: That was uncalled for, despite the provocation. IMHO.
Family statement pretty much confirms that he was a good guy. He went out spectacularly.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/family-airport-worker-crashed-plane-062238835.html