Thread by @spdustin

Tonight, an apparently suicidal man named Rich stole a Horizon Air Q400 turboprop from #SeaTac, and took off without clearance.

What follows is a transcript of the last ~20 minutes of the transmissions between Rich, an unnamed controller, and a pilot named “Captain Bill”:

1/23

The broadcast was a jumble of chatter, so where you see […], some time elapses before the next transmission.

ATC: Turn back around so we can stay in contact.

2/23

Rich: I’ve got a lot of people that care about me…and…it’s gonna disappoint them to hear that I did this. I would like to apologize to each and every one of them. I’m…just a broken guy. Got a few screws loose, I guess. Never really knew it ‘til now. Um…just, you know…

3/23

[…]

Rich: Man, have you been to the Olympics [referring to the mountains], these guys are gorgeous. Holy smokes.

ATC: Yeah, I have been out there. It’s…it’s always a nice drive.

[…]

Rich: [beginning clipped, unintelligible]

ATC: Yeah, I bet you do.

4/23

ATC: I haven’t done much hiking over there. And, uh…but if you could, if you could start a left turn…and, uh…turn back towards the east. I know you’re gettin’ a good view there…but, uh…if you go too much further in that direction, I won’t be able to hear you any more.

5/23

Rich: Alrighty…uh, hey, pilot guy, can this thing do a…uh…backflip, you think?

[…]

Rich: I’m gonna land it…um, like, uh…in a safe…safe kind of manner.

6/23

Rich: I think I’m…uh…I think I’m gonna try to do a barrel roll? And if that goes good, then I’ll just go nose down and call it a night.

ATC: Well, Rich, before you do that…uh…let’s think about this. I got another…uh…pilot comin’ up…

7/23

ATC: …here in a minute or two I hope…and, uh…we’ll be able to give you some advice on what to do next.

[…]

8/23

ATC: [cut off] we call it a bug, it’s like a little blue rectangle, it’s somewhere around that compass, do you see that?

(May be referring to the portion of the display showing the plane’s programmed heading)

[…]

9/23

Rich: Um…I’m just kinda light headed, dizzy. Um…man, and, you know, the sights went by so fast, too. I was thinking, like,
I’m gonna have this moment of serenity, you know…be able to take all…take in all the sights…

10/23

Rich: …Uh…there’s a lot of pretty stuff…but, uh…I think they’re prettier in a different context.

[…]

ATC: [cut off] …the right-hand side, uh, above ya, on the right-hand side air conditioning panel, you’ll see…uh…it’s a big panel…

11/23

ATC: There’s three switches along the top of it, make sure all three of those switches are in the down position, facing the nose of the airplane.

(May be referring to switches controlling “bleed air” to keep cabin pressurized)

12/23

[…]

Rich: [cut off] …don’t know where I’ve been at this whole time.

ATC: Okay, Rich, thank you.

Rich: Twenty-five hundred to be exact.

(May be referring to fuel burn rate; lbs/hr consumed?)

ATC: Thank you. And, do you have an idea how much fuel you have left?

13/23

Rich: Ah, man, not enough. Not enough to get by…uh…like, uh…760? Seven hundred sixty pounds?

[…]

Rich: I’m…gonna do this barrel roll real quick.

14/23

ATC: Well, no need to do that. If you could, just start a turn to the right, and I’ll tell you when to stop turning, and you can keep it level from there?

[…]

Rich: I wouldn’t mind just shootin’ the shit with you guys, but it’s all business, you know?

[…]

15/23

Rich: I feel like I need to be, what do you think, like five thousand feet at least to be able to pull this barrel roll off?

[…]

16/23

ATC: [cut off] …already there. Uh…if you could…I see you’re still turning to the right, you wanna maybe start making a turn back to the left a little bit?

[…]

Unknown voice: …could be a hero if he pulled off the landing…

[…]

17/23

(Another pilot is enlisted to talk Rich through a safe landing, and he radios to Rich.)

Cpt. Bill: Alright Rich, this is Captain Bill, congratulations, you…uh…did that, now let’s…uh…let’s try to land that airplane safely, and not hurt anybody on the ground.

18/23

Rich: Alright. Now, damn it! I don’t know, man! I don’t know! I don’t want to! I was kinda hoping that was going to be it, you know?!

(Rich’s voice is very distraught here, rising in pitch, volume, and intensity. He doesn’t want to survive this night.)

[…]

19/23

Rich: [cut off] …up too long, I feel like one of my engines is going out or something.

Cpt. Bill: Okay, Rich, if you could…uh…you just wanna keep that plane right over the water, maybe keep the aircraft nice and low.

20/23

Some time after that last transmission, the ground stop was lifted for eastbound and southbound departing traffic at SEA. It has been reported that the stolen plane had crashed, and that Rich was successful in his suicide attempt.

21/23

Everybody you meet has a secret smile, and a secret pain.

If you have a pain that hurts to carry, PLEASE stop right now, and talk to someone. Anyone. Lay down your burdens.

National Suicide Prevention Hotline
📞 800-273-8255

Trevor Project (LGBTQ crisis)
📞 866-488-7386

22/23

People have made light of this man’s struggles. We don’t know what led him to end his life in this way. He thought it would be poetic and beautiful, but in the end, it hurt him even more.

Suicide is not a joke…not a punchline. It’s a devastating loss.

Be good to you.

23/23

P.S: The controllers and pilots who spoke to Rich were calm, friendly, and sympathetic, while also trying to protect innocent lives. They knew Rich wanted to end his life tonight.

It’s a line very few of us can say we’re able to balance with such grace under pressure.

PS/23/end

Correction: “Olympics” was referring to the park.

Update 1: The ground service agent, Rich, has not been officially identified. However, there is reasonable support for his identity to be found. I'm not going to share it here until the authorities do.

I respectfully request that anyone replying refrain from identifying Rich.
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As well, I will warn you: self-professed vigilantes *may* soon (if they haven't already) "dox" Rich using public records information cross-checked with personal info they found on a blog.

The records they'll find are not those of this man, but someone several years older.

Update 2: in an earlier recording (which I have not transcribed in this thread), Rich is heard saying:

"I've played some video games before. I would like to figure out how to get this…make it pressurized or something so I'm not lightheaded."

There are two things of note:
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First: He was feeling lightheaded, and was likely hypoxic (oxygen deprived). Once you're above 7,500 ft or so, hypoxia can occur.

Its symptoms include nausea (Rich had reported vomiting earlier in his flight), lightheadedness, and behavioral changes (such as mania).
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Aircraft have controls—which ATC directs him to adjust later, as seen in the portion I transcribed earlier—to "bleed air" from around the engines and direct it into the cabin to increase the pressure and, therefore, the available oxygen.

Second, the video game comment:
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Many video game enthusiasts can attest—especially those who have played flying games, and understand "inverted Y-axis"—it's not so hard to believe that you can fly a plane. Usually, rational thought kicks in, and you realize there's a lot more to it.
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As it appears, Rich was in the throes of a depressive episode.

Depression *lies* to you.

He possessed enough basic flight knowledge to take off, and even (apparently) use rudder controls along with the steering yolk to make coordinated turns ("stepping on the ball"),
…

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but he did not seem to possess the detailed knowledge of someone who has had a great deal of formal training, or even consumer-level simulator experience. His belief in his abilities—and his mental state–was likely magnified by the effects of acute hypoxia.

Update 3: I typically tweet about politics and technology. Both topics (especially the former) can be divisive.

Since this thread was posted, it's been retweeted and quote-tweeted by conscientious and empathetic humans from ALL points on the political spectrum.
…

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It is rare to see such a thing these days on social media. It gives me hope that there are certain ideals or mores that don't have to act as stark dividing lines between the parties.

In tragedy, we all seek understanding. Meaning. Comfort.

All of us.

Red and blue.

❤️💙

Update 4: Authorities have released his identity.

Requiescat In Pace, Richard Russell.