Authorities probe how airline employee could steal plane

Authorities probe how airline employee could steal plane

Officials said that 29-year-old used a machine which was called the first pushback tractor, which was earlier in the maintenance area so that he could keep it and shut it on Friday evening.

Investigators are simultaneously examining how an airline ground agent stole an empty commercial aeroplane, leaving the Sea-Tac International Airport and after being followed by electric jets, crashed into a small island in Puget Sound Gaya, who were quickly nervous to stop the aircraft.

Officials said on Saturday that the person was a 3.5 years old Horizon Airlines employee and got approval in the air, but for his knowledge, he was not a licensed pilot. Officials said that 29-year-old used a machine which was called the first pushback tractor, which was earlier in the maintenance area so that he could keep it and shut it on Friday evening.

In this case, an American official told that the Associated Press was the man Richard Russell. The officer was not authorized to discuss the matter and talk on the condition of not printing the name. The video showed Horizon AirQ400, a turboprop plane that seats 76 people, is doing a big loop and other dangerous manoeuvres, such as the sun set on Puget Sound.

Two F-15C planes from Portland were dashed and followed the aircraft but officials say they could not set fire on it before crashing on a small Keatron island in Tacoma, Washington, south-west of Washington. The video showed a fire burning among trees on the island, which is less populated and can only be reached by boats. No structure on the ground was damaged, which blew a small forest fire.

"It is very fragmented," said the Western Pacific regional head of the National Transportation Safety Board, Debra Acute, about the plane. "Feathers are closed, the fuselage is, I think, is located upstairs."

Investigators expect that they will be able to recover both the cockpit voice recorder and event data recorder from the plane. Russell is believed to die in an accident. They could be heard on the audio recording, which tells air traffic controllers that it is "just a broken man".


An Air Traffic Controller tried to persuade her to celebrate the aeroplane. The controller says, "Regarding an airfield in United Base Lewis-McCord, the controller says," There is a runway on your right in about a mile. " "Oh man. If I try and get there, those people will bother me, "the man replied, later said," Maybe this is the time of prison for life, huh? "

Later that man said: "I have a lot of people who care about me. It's going to disappoint them to hear that I did this ... just a broken boy, some screws got loose, looks like. "

Russell's family said in a statement that they are astonished and are suffering from the heart. He referred to the recording of talking to air traffic controllers and said that it is clear that Russell, who had gone from the "Bebo" surname, did not intend to harm anyone, and "it was right to say that many People love him. "

Horizon Air is part of the Alaska Air Group and flies small routes throughout the United States. Q400 is a turboprop plane with 76 seats.

At a news conference in the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, officials from Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air said that they are still working with the authorities because they check what happened. Alaska Airlines CEO Brad Tilden said, "The incident last night will motivate us to know what we can do with this tragedy so that we can ensure that it does not happen again on Alaska Air Group or any other airline. is."

An employee who was a suicide point for one of the biggest potential dangers for a commercial air travel in a strange incident involving officials: employees of the airline or airport cause catastrophe.

FBI Agent and Transport Safety expert Errol Southers told AP, "The biggest threat to aviation is the internal threat." "We have an employee here who was at the level to reach the aircraft and skilful skill was able to get out with that plane."

Ground service agents take direct aircraft to handle luggage, along with takeoff and gate approaches and D-ice planes. Sheriff's Department spokesman Ed Troyer said there was no relation with terrorism.

A coach in Wasilla High School in Alaska, where Russell was about to throw a footballer, wrestler and discus, told Anchorage Daily News that he was shocked at the news. Track and Field Coach Gary Howell said that he is "absolutely the kind of child you want in your team." "That energy was, that vibration," said Howell. "That girl was five-five in the hallway, even though you do not know him."

On social media pages, Russell said he lived in Sumner, Washington, and he was married in 2012.

He posted in a humorous YouTube video last year, he talked about his job and included videos and photos of his various trips."I pick up a lot of bags. Like many bags, they said, a lot of bags.