Seattle plane hijacker may have been trying to emulate his pilot grandfather

Seattle plane hijacker Richard Russell may have been trying to emulate his hero pilot grandfather when he took an Alaska Airlines jet on an hour-long joyride, DailyMail.com can reveal.

Russell’s granddad served with the US Marine Corp as a Naval Aviator before retiring with the rank of Major.

Major Robert F. Russell then flew passenger jets for renowned airline Trans World Airlines (TWA) for 27 years, serving in various positions until his retirement as an International Captain in 1991.

Naval aviators are renowned for their mid-air acrobatics including barrel rolls and loop-the-loops – the exact moves pulled off by Russell in the Dash 8 – Q400 aircraft before his death.

And Major Russell was a patriarchal figurehead in the Russell family and an inspirational hero to his 10 grandchildren.

d Russell's grandfather was Robert F. Russell who served in the US Marine Corp as a naval aviator and retired with the rank of major

Seattle plane hijacker Richard Russell’s grandfather was Robert F. Russell (right) who served in the US Marine Corp as a naval aviator and retired with the rank of major

Tragically, his grandson, disgruntled baggage handler ‘Beebo’ Russell, seemingly chose to replicate his grandfather’s flying ability using skills he learned while playing video games.

After 75 minutes in the air he then opted to crash the jet rather than land it safely as his grandfather would have done.

The plane, which was stolen from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on Friday, crashed on Ketron Island, a small island in the Puget Sound, and Russell was killed.

Investigators revealed Monday that human remains had been found.

According to an online obituary published in the Kansas City Star, grandfather Russell was an active member of Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, the Tailhook Association and the Association of Naval Aviation.

The experienced pilot was a former member of the Confederate Air Force, Valiant Air Command, Experimental Aircraft Association and Warbird’s of America and was active in air show flying until 1990.

He was also a ‘Life Member’ of the T-34 Association.

Naval Aviators learned their trade in Beechcraft T-34 Mentors during the 1950s.

The plane is a propeller-driven, single-engined, basic trainer or light attack aircraft designed and manufactured for the United States Air Force (USAF) and United States Navy (USN).

The hijacked Horizon Air Q400, which took off from Seattle-Tacoma Airport before crashing 25 miles away in south Puget Sound

The crash site at south Puget Sound

These images show the hijacked Horizon Air Q400 which took off from Seattle-Tacoma Airport on Friday before crashing 25 miles away in south Puget Sound (left, in the air; right, after the crash)

Debris from the plane crash was visible from the air on Saturday after Russell crashed to his death

Debris from the plane crash was visible from the air on Saturday after Russell crashed to his death

Russell was married to his wife Hannah, who he met in 2010 while they were both in school

Richard and his wife Hannah

Russell was married to his wife Hannah, who he met in 2010 while they were both in school. He has been described by friends as a ‘good guy’ with a ‘contagious smile’ 

About 2,300 T-34s were built between 1953 and 1959.

But after Major Russell cut his teeth in a T-34 and rose through the ranks, he had the opportunity to fly the very best of aircraft the military had to offer – a mouth-watering life experience for any grandson to learn about.

The veteran pilot, who lived out his final years in Kearney, Missouri, passed away aged 77 on April 2, 2014.

According to the obituary posted shortly after his death, he was survived by his wife Karolyn, two sons, including Russell’s father Richard B. Russell Snr, a daughter, and a step-son and step-daughter.

Friends says Russell may have learned how to fly by reading and playing video games. Flight Simulator X for PC, is a popular flying game that can teach budding pilots how to fly the Dash 8 ¿ Q400 ¿ the exact twin-propeller turbo-prop plane stolen by Russell

Friends says Russell may have learned how to fly by reading and playing video games. Flight Simulator X for PC, is a popular flying game that can teach budding pilots how to fly the Dash 8 – Q400 – the exact twin-propeller turbo-prop plane stolen by Russell

He also has 10 grandchildren, six great grand-children and several nieces and nephews.

Friends of the younger Russell, 29, revealed to DailyMail.com that Beebo was ‘highly intelligent’ and likely learned to fly from playing video games and ‘reading a lot’.

Former colleague Bobby McGahuey, who worked with Russell at Sea-Tac for two years, said he was an ‘amazing’ guy who was ‘well-liked’.

He said Russell was a ‘hard-working, intelligent, give the shirt off his back’ type of guy.

‘I miss sitting at the back tables in the break room talking about random things, or books, making each other laugh,’ he said.

McGahuey added: ‘I wish I knew his wife to let her know that even though she can’t feel it at the moment, that she is the luckiest, because she got to see a side we all didn’t see of Rich, she got the closeness we all wanted but only got a sliver. He was an amazing guy.’

Erica Fuller, who met Russell nine years ago in college in Oregon, said he was a ‘good guy’ with a ‘contagious smile’ and always full of laughter.

‘He always had a really positive outlook on everything and a really bright spirit,’ she added.

Russell’s friends say he enjoyed playing video games and DailyMail.com has learned the baggage handler could have easily learned how to pilot the jet with the right game.

In fact one of the most popular flying games is Flight Simulator X for the PC.

A quick search online shows that budding pilots can even learn to fly the Dash 8 – Q400 – the exact twin-propeller turbo-prop plane stolen by Russell – by buying an expansion pack for the game called ‘Dash 8 – Q400 Pilot Edition’.

This is the family home of Hannah Russell, wife of Richard Russell.  The family have asked for privacy and handed out a written statement when reporters approached the home

This is the family home of Hannah Russell, wife of Richard Russell. The family have asked for privacy and handed out a written statement when reporters approached the home

The small townhouse in Sumner, Washington where Russell lived with his wife Hannah was all quiet Monday

Well-wishers had left bouquets of flowers with attached notes on the doorstep

The small townhouse in Sumner, Washington where Russell lived with his wife Hannah was all quiet Monday. Well-wishers had left bouquets of flowers with attached notes on the doorstep

The pack is on sale on Amazon for $129.98 and boasts a ‘fully functioning virtual cockpit’ which features ‘state-of-the-art dual Flight Management System, Traffic Collision Avoidance System, weather radar, glass cockpit displays and autopilot.’

It adds that the controls are all custom coded to ‘match the functionality of the real aircraft’.

The small townhouse in Sumner, Washington where Russell lived with his wife Hannah was all quiet Monday.

The front of the tidy property had been spruced up with an assortment of potted plants and flowers.

Well-wishers had left bouquets of flowers with attached notes on the doorstep. 

Sea-Tac Airport now has enhanced security in cargo areas as a result of Russell’s actions, with a larger visible presence of Port of Seattle police and airport security staff. It’s understood the FBI, which is investigating the crash, will be at Horizon Air – the company which employed Russell – Tuesday to recreate the scene and interview workers. 

Horizon employs around 300 ground service agents with roughly 100 on each shift. Grief counsellors and therapy dogs were brought into the Horizon break room to help employees cope Monday. 

 



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