A suicidal mechanic stole a propeller airplane at Seattle–Tacoma International Airport on Friday and crashed it into a nearby island, authorities said.
The craft belonging to Alaska Airlines’ regional carrier Horizon was swiped from SeaTac and crashed into Ketron Island southwest of Tacoma, officials said.
Authorities quickly determined this wasn’t an act of terrorism.
“Most terrorists don’t do loops over the water,” Pierce County Sheriff Paul Pastor told reporters. “This might have been a joyride gone terribly wrong.”
Two F-15 fighters were scrambled and all SeaTac flights were briefly grounded, the Tacoma News Tribune reported.
“I’m sorry to share with you this evening that at approximately 8 p.m. one of our Q400 airplanes made an unauthorized takeoff from SeaTac airport. We believe it was taken by a single Horizon Air employee and that no other passengers or crew were on board,” Horizon Air Chief Operating Officer Constance von Muehlen said in a taped statement
.
“Shortly thereafter it crashed near Keatron Island by south Tacoma. Our hearts are with the family of the individual aboard as well as our Alaska Air and Horizon Air employees.”
When one of the F-15s made contact with the rogue pilot, the plane took a nosedive and crashed, a source at Joint Base Lewis–McChord Air Force Base told KOMO
.
“Male is confirmed a suicidal male. Acted alone he is 29 year old Pierce county residence,” the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office tweeted .
In a live air-traffic control feed, ATC made contact with the rogue pilot and called him “Rich” and “Richard,” the Seattle Times reported .
The pilot said he was worried about his fuel.
“I’m down to 2,100 (pounds),” he told the ATC. “I started at 30 something. … I don’t know what the burnage is like on takeoff, but it burned quite a bit faster than I expected.”
The calm air-traffic controller asked the pilot to land at Joint Base Lewis–McChord Air Force Base, but “Rich” feared he wouldn’t be greeted well there.
“Oh man,” the rogue pilot responded. “Those guys will rough me up if I try and land there. I think I might mess something up there too. I wouldn’t want to do that. They probably have anti-aircraft.”
The air-traffic controller urged him to land at the base.
“They don’t have any of that stuff,” the air-traffic controller said. “We’re just trying to find a place for you to land safely.”
Fighter pilots reached the rogue pilot within minutes and steered him away from highly populated areas, the sheriff said.
“This is not a terrorist incident. Confirmed info .. this is a single suicide male. We know who he is. No others involved,” the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office said .
Fire and rescue crews rushed to the crash scene.
“What we have is that someone stole a plane from Alaska Airlines,” Pierce County Sheriff’s spokesman Ed Troyer told the News Tribune .
“We have multiple 911 calls, over 30, reporting a fireball. Witnesses said and Alaska Airlines plane is going down. We have police boats, we have everybody responding, we’re trying to contact the military. We are sending resources and people. Hopefully it is just a stolen plane with one pilot and no passengers.”

Pictures or it didn't happen!

H

Nigeria is so backward
When will we start stealing
Plans

carzola:
Nigeria is so backward When will we start stealing Plans

Come and lecture us nah

Steal plane commit suicide for Nigeria, your family go pay the gbese

richeeyo:
Steal plane commit suicide for Nigeria, your family go pay the gbese

Lol.. I trust naija government.... This is nigeria

Did he die?

Jay5mie:
Did he die?

Noooo... He's at ajegunle playing bet9ja

mechanic

Originaligboman:

Noooo... He's at ajegunle playing bet9ja

It was a valid question. Not all plane crashes result in death.

NothingDoMe:
It was a valid question. Not all plane crashes result in death.

I know... That's another way of saying he died