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New Audio Recordings Shed Light on How Plane Heist at SEA Was Possible

Sept. 13, 2018
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3 min read
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New Audio Recordings Shed Light on How Plane Heist at SEA Was Possible
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The Seattle Times has uncovered new evidence on Richard Russell, the ground crew member for Alaska subsidiary airline Horizon who stole a jet from the Seattle-Tacoma Airport in August and died when he crashed the plane after a 75-minute joyride.

According to interviews and newly released emergency dispatch recordings, Russell was caught in the cockpit of an unoccupied aircraft a year before he stole the Horizon Q400 plane from the SEA tarmac.

A pilot for Sky West Airlines, Joel Monteith, called an emergency dispatcher after he saw Russell and another man in the cockpit of an empty aircraft at SEA “pointing and flipping switches.” Monteith said he confronted the two men, and when he asked what they were doing, they said they were learning how to use the aircraft auxiliary power in order to tow it — one of their responsibilities as ground crew.

But for Monteith, their behavior still raised alarm bells — enough so that he called the emergency line. "They kind of … started to get up and then leave the airplane when I confronted them," Monteith said. "So, that was kind of suspicious.”

The exchange about the incident between Monteith and the emergency dispatcher was captured in an audio recording obtained by the Seattle Times in a state Public Records Act request — one of several new pieces of evidence that surfaced as a result of that information dump.

Furthermore, Monteith, who is 55 and has been a pilot for 30 years, told the dispatcher that he remembered interacting with Russell once in the cockpit of a Embraer E-175 Monteith was flying. In that encounter, Monteith remembers 29-year-old Russell "asking questions (and) wanting to do my flows, which is the preflight preparation I do for takeoff.”

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At about 8:00pm local time on August 10, Russell stole an empty Bombardier Q400 aircraft from SEA. Russell did several aerial stunts that he told air traffic controllers he learned from playing "video games before," and then he crashed the plane on Ketron Island in south Puget Sound after being chased by US Air Force F-15s.

"I don’t think the thing with this guy is like a plot that this dude just came up with like overnight,” Monteith told the Seattle Times. “I think that maybe this guy had been thinking about doing this for a long time and then maybe the Q400 that he took was just an airplane of opportunity.”

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Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

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  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

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  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
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  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.