'Sky King' Richard Russell Stole a Plane in 2018 With No Intention of Landing

May 2024 · 3 minute read

Richard Russell is known as the "Sky King" as a result of he stole a plane from the Seattle airport in 2018 and crashed it, killing himself.

Source: YouTube

The Gist:

Content caution: This article mentions suicide.

It's been 5 years since Richard Russell first stole a plane, and his tale has handiest grown in the years since. Russell, who has develop into referred to as the "Sky King" for his daring aerial feats, stole a plane in 2018 and flew it for over an hour ahead of he crashed it in Washington state.

As his story continues to flow into, even though, many have tried to understand precisely why Russell determined to fly a plane, and why he looked as if it would relaxed with the data that he wouldn't be capable to land it at the end of his flight.

Source: YouTube

Why did 'Sky King' Richard Russell kill himself?

Russell was a 28-year-old employee of Horizon Air in August of 2018 when he stole a plane from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Recordings of his conversations with Air Traffic Control have made it clear that Russell knew he wasn't going to be landing.

“I wasn’t really planning on landing it,” he mentioned. “I just wanna do a couple maneuvers — see what it could possibly do ahead of I put her down, ya know?” he stated.

Russell were having a look up educational information on how you can fly a plane prior to stealing one, and he controlled to take off without a hitch. Horizon staff knew there used to be something incorrect nearly straight away, and Russell had rather extensive conversations with Air Traffic Control, together with one second the place he apologized to them and hoped that his stunt hadn't spoil their days.

Russell didn't truly be offering much perception into why he had determined to scouse borrow the plane, so the exact causes for his determination have remained a mystery. His family stated that he played soccer thru much of his adolescence, and sustained several concussions whilst enjoying.

They further recommended that Russell will have been struggling with chronic stressful encephalopathy (CTE) without figuring out it, which may end up in despair, impulsive choice making, and suicidal ideation.

Source: YouTube

The closest Russell ever were given to a proof came more in the shape of an apology to his loved ones.

“I got a lot of people who care about me, and it’s going to disappoint them to listen to that I did this,” he stated. “I would like to express regret to each and every one of them. [I’m] just a broken man. Got a few screws unfastened, I suppose. Never in reality knew it until now.”

After successfully completing a barrel roll, Richard used to be as soon as again encouraged to land, and crashed into Puget Sound shortly thereafter. His demise was once dominated a suicide, and his story began to circulate online as more other people realized concerning the madness and unhappiness behind this tale.

If you or any person you already know are experiencing suicidal ideas, name, text, or message the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Dial or textual content 988, call 1-800-273-8255, or chat via their website.

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