Sonebody just stole a Horizon Air passenger plane from Sea-Tac

[thatguy950]

I’m more surprised he was married, in those pics he looks 100% sane and normal

[snowmountains]

Here is his very interesting blog:

https://richardrussellsite.wordpress.com/

Looks like a very fun-loving and adventurous soul. An unlikely candidate for depression or mental illness.

Some video footage are from a small plane where he was probably a passenger.

[pnwguy2]

One of the mysteries of this incident is how this man, (who reportedly has no pilot license), was able to not only get this 76-passenger airliner airborne, but to do very complicated aerial acrobatics. This doesn't add up. But, it is still early in the investigation, and I'm sure more info will come out. I don't mean to be flippant, but perhaps simulator or video games taught him how to fly? I wouldn't rule it out.

[tudorjason]

Something must have happened. In my experience, those who seem to have a great life and have it together for a long time, but then suddenly something terrible happens, find themselves feeling like their life has crashed and burned. I know, terrible words to choose but I couldn't think of others. The facts that he worked at SEA and his level of security clearance allowed him to make his final decision easy.

[Avalon08]

Originally Posted by pnwguy2

One of the mysteries of this incident is how this man, (who reportedly has no pilot license), was able to not only get this 76-passenger airliner airborne, but to do very complicated aerial acrobatics. This doesn't add up. But, it is still early in the investigation, and I'm sure more info will come out. I don't mean to be flippant, but perhaps simulator or video games taught him how to fly? I wouldn't rule it out.

In one of the snippets of conversation with Air Traffic Control, the controller makes a comment that "he just needs help controlling the plane" and Richard sort of corrects him to the effect of no, not really, I've played video games before. It would be comical if it weren't so tragic.

[pnwguy2]

Originally Posted by Avalon08

In one of the snippets of conversation with Air Traffic Control, the controller makes a comment that "he just needs help controlling the plane" and Richard sort of corrects him to the effect of no, not really, I've played video games before. It would be comical if it weren't so tragic.

Indeed. This is coming together and it is very bothersome. Apparently, this man was a "gamer" either with video games or "simulation" games.

Of course, this will need to be investigated further, but right now it seems like a logical answer. Wow.

[AleeGee]

This could have been horrendous, but wasn't, because of the focused efforts of the 142nd in Portland, with assistance from McChord.
You know if you want something bad enough, you will get it any way possible. The airport shouldn't kick itself too hard. He might have been looking for his opportunity to steal that jet for months, possibly years. He found it, and he crashed, and I feel nothing for him but contempt. Gratitude is in order for the Air National Guard, and sweet relief that no babies, children, pets, men or women were...........

[flyingsaucermom]

Originally Posted by AleeGee

This could have been horrendous, but wasn't, because of the focused efforts of the 142nd in Portland, with assistance from McChord.
You know if you want something bad enough, you will get it any way possible. The airport shouldn't kick itself too hard. He might have been looking for his opportunity to steal that jet for months, possibly years. He found it, and he crashed, and I feel nothing for him but contempt. Gratitude is in order for the Air National Guard, and sweet relief that no babies, children, pets, men or women were...........

Unfortunately you're giving too much credit to the guard.

F-15 took off at around 8:15pm ([url]https://komonews.com/news/local/f-15s-scramble-out-of-pdx-to-intercept-stolen-plane-in-washington[/url]).

However Horizon Air was airborne at 7:35pm ([url=http://avherald.com/h?article=4bc36d84&opt=0]Crash: Horizon DH8D at Ketron Island on Aug 10th 2018, stolen aircraft crashed into forest[/url]).

That left him 45 minutes to kill plenty of babies, children, pets, men and women inside or outside the airport.. intentionally or not.

It's mainly because he wasn't intentional that nobody else died.

[pnwguy2]

In the end, the military had little to do with the outcome of this event. The errant pilot had no fear of them, which leads to something mentally going wrong with him, IMO. He didn't sound suicidal, but he also didn't seem to grasp reality. Perhaps mental illness enters into the equation.

The best news is nobody else was injured or killed.

The worst news is Sea-Tac needs a total reassessment of their ground control system. I can't even imagine the kind of meetings that are going on at the Port of Seattle about this incident. The airport experienced a total failure in this regard. Heads are likely to roll.