On August 10, 2018, Richard Russell, a 28-year-old ground service agent for Alaska Airlines, stole a Horizon Air Q400 aircraft from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and crashed it on Ketron Island, Washington. Russell, who had no flying experience, accessed the plane using his employee badge and took off, spending over an hour in the air before intentionally crashing.
During the flight, Russell communicated with air traffic controllers, joking and apologising for his actions. When asked if he was comfortable piloting the plane, he replied, 'Oh hell yeah, it's a blast man. I've played video games before so, uh, I know what I'm doing a little bit.' He also joked about getting a job as a pilot if he landed successfully.
As the flight progressed, Russell's tone became more sombre. He said, 'I've got a lot of people that care about me. And uh, it's going to disappoint them to hear that I did this. I would like to apologise to each and every one of them. I'm just a broken guy, got a few screws loose, I guess.' He then performed a barrel roll before guiding the plane down.
The FBI determined that the crash was intentional and ruled Russell's death a suicide. No link to criminal activity or terrorism was found. Russell's family described him as 'a faithful husband, loving son and a good friend' who never intended to harm anyone.
Alaska Airlines stated they would learn from the tragedy to prevent future incidents. The Samaritans helpline is available 24/7 for those in distress.
