Richard Russell facts for kids

Richard Russell (born around 1988 or 1989 – died August 10, 2018) was an American aircraft mechanic. He worked for Horizon Air. On August 10, 2018, Russell took a Q400 passenger plane without permission. This plane could carry 76 people. He flew it for about an hour before it crashed near Seattle. During his flight, Russell spoke with air traffic controllers. He told them he did not know how to land the aircraft after taking off.

The Plane Incident

On August 10, 2018, Richard Russell, who had been a mechanic for Horizon Air since 2015, took off in one of the company's passenger jets. He flew the plane for about an hour. The aircraft then went down in a forest near Seattle.