Page 6 - ARUBA TODAY

A6 U.S. NEWS
Monday 13 august 2018

Employees pose big potential danger to aviation, experts say

By RACHEL LA CORTE and Ketron Island, southwest
KEITH RIDLER of Tacoma, Washington.
Associated Press Video showed fiery flames
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — The amid trees on the island,
theft of an empty plane by which is sparsely populat-
an airline worker who per- ed and only accessible by
formed dangerous loops ferry. Investigators expect
before crashing into a re- they will be able to recover
mote island in Puget Sound both the cockpit voice re-
illustrated what aviation corder and the event data
experts have long known: recorder from the plane.
One of the biggest poten- Russell could be heard on
tial perils for commercial audio recordings talking to
air travel is airline or airport air traffic controllers, who
employees causing may- tried to persuade him to
hem. “The greatest threat land the airplane.
we have to aviation is the “There is a runway just off
insider threat,” said Erroll to your right side in about
Southers, a former FBI agent a mile,” the controller says,
and transportation security referring to an airfield at
expert. “Here we have an Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
employee who was vetted “Oh man. Those guys will
to the level to have access rough me up if I try and land
to the aircraft and had a there,” Russell responded,
skill set proficient enough later adding “This is prob-
to take off with that plane.” ably jail time for life, huh?”
Video showed the Horizon Later Russell said: “I’ve got
Air Q400, a turboprop plane a lot of people that care
that seats 76 people, doing about me. It’s going to
large loops and other dan- disappoint them to hear
gerous maneuvers as the This undated image posted to Richard Russell’s YouTube channel shows Russell, an airline ground that I did this ... Just a bro-
agent. Investigators are piecing together how Russell stole an empty commercial airplane, took
sun set on Puget Sound. off from Sea-Tac International Airport in Seattle, and crashed into a small island in the Puget Sound ken guy, got a few screws
The flight lasted about 75 in Washington. loose, I guess.”
minutes, and ended Friday Associated Press Russell went by “Beebo”
night when he crashed into fire the plane, authorities loops with a plane like this, rect aircraft for takeoff and on social media, and on
the small island after being said. The man could have he certainly had the ca- gate approach and de-ice his Facebook page, which
chased by military jets. The caused mass destruction, pacity to fly it into a build- planes, as well as handle had limited public access.
two F-15C aircraft scram- Southers said. ing and kill people on the baggage. It’s unclear how He said he was from Wasil-
bled from Portland didn’t “If he had the skill set to do ground,” he said. the 29-year-old Russell at- la, Alaska, lived in Sumner,
A U.S. official briefed on the tained the skills to do loops Washington, and was mar-
matter told The Associated in the aircraft, authorities ried in 2012.
Press the man was Richard said. Gary Beck, CEO of In a humorous YouTube vid-
Russell. The official wasn’t Horizon Air, said it wasn’t eo he posted last year, he
authorized to discuss the clear how the man knew talked about his job and in-
matter and spoke on the to start the engine, which cluded videos and photos
condition of anonymity. He requires a series of switches of his various travels.
is presumed to have died in and levers. At a news con- “I lift a lot of bags. Like a lot
the crash. ference, officials from Alas- of bags. So many bags,” he
Officials said he was a 3 ka Airlines and Horizon Air said. Russell’s family said in
1/2-year Horizon employee said they are working with a statement that they are
and had clearance to be authorities. “Last night’s stunned and heartbroken.
among aircraft, but that to event is going to push us to They referenced the re-
their knowledge, he wasn’t learn what we can from this cordings and said and that
a licensed pilot. He took tragedy so that we can en- it’s clear Russell, who went
the empty plane from a sure this does not happen by the nickname “Beebo,”
maintenance area. again at Alaska Air Group didn’t intend to harm any-
Alaska Airlines said the sus- or at any other airline,” said one and “he was right in
pect was a ground service Brad Tilden, CEO of Alaska saying that there are so
agent employed by Hori- Airlines. many people who loved
zon. Those employees di- The plane crashed on tiny him.”q