Mentour Pilot - 2025-08-09
Get an exclusive NordVPN deal here ➼ https://nordvpn.com/pilot It’s risk-free with Nord’s 30-day money-back guarantee! ----------------------------------------------------- August 10th, 2018. A ground service agent stole a Bombardier Q400 from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and took off for a 75 minute long unauthorised flight…with no formal training. This incident shocked the aviation industry and the world. Exposing cracks in airport security and sparking a real look at mental health within the aviation industry. If you, or someone you know is struggling, please reach out to a mental health expert. Support is always out there. Support Resources: Global - Find your local support line: https://befrienders.org/ Global - 24/7 Help chat: https://crisistextline.org UK – Call Samaritans at 116 123 US – Call or text 988 0:00 - Intro 1:00 - Who Stole The Bombardier Q400? 10:17 - How Was The Plane Stolen? 20:48 - ATC Realizes Something Is Wrong 38:14 - Final Investigation ----------------------------------------------------- If you want to support the work I do on the channel, join my Patreon crew and get awesome perks and help me move the channel forward! 👉🏻 https://www.patreon.com/mentourpilot 737 Course: 👉🏻 Visit https://www.virtual737course.com to learn how to fly a 737 like Petter in our virtual 737 SIM course Make sure to use code "mentournow" for 20% off! ✈️ Our Connections: 👉🏻 Exclusive Mentour Merch: https://mentourpilot-shop.fourthwall.com/ 👉🏻 Premium Mentour Artwork: https://electrify.art/mentour-pilot 👉🏻 Our other channel: youtube.com/@MentourNow 👉🏻 Our Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@MentourPodcast 👉🏻 Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/mentourpilot 👉🏻 BOSE Aviation: https://boseaviation-emea.aero/headsets Social: 👉🏻 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MentourPilot 👉🏻 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentour_pilot 👉🏻 Twitter: https://twitter.com/MenTourPilot 👉🏻 Discord server: https://discord.gg/JntGWdn Below you will find the links to videos and sources used in this episode. SOURCES ----------------------------------------------------- https://www.baaa-acro.com/sites/default/files/2021-12/N449QX-1.pdf https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/seattle/news/press-releases/fbi-completes-investigation-into-august-2018-unauthorized- flight-from-seattle-tacoma-airport https://vault.fbi.gov/richard-russell https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/beebo-russell-seattle-plane-theft-true-story-1187023/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caFIrBXtSxs https://www.youtube.com/@WhatYouHaventSeen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhqkP6eZRwg https://www.youtube.com/@ActionKid https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUt-W8Fcpyw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LLmF9tZoEE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZC8de10mq0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DstWZY_eUOc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gutKuNSppIo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ujOq741RK8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HskJna8duI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkRbinlR00o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RF3ftaTqHjE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEpxK9rGAL8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_DWeELgVog https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_jw-fciuC8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaqaI8EqG5c https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qC_adpMf8KA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cEIp2bLGAY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bi-bJ3cw_AI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzcF7LITYww https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXIr9LNclPQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_oA19aVpdM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHbCvTtTqx4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfRclcwh4bE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTUqWt9DcU4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWFTdhN219U https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqdHfhV4Fbc #Mentourpilot #pilot #aircraft
It breaks my heart how much severe depression can be hidden behind an affable exterior.
Watch the friendly, goofy ones who make everyone laugh
Sounds like there may have been some sort of disassociative condition as well with multiple personalities that can interact with each other or something. He possibly realised he was losing his sanity and wanted to end it before he lost himself. Deeply sad.
@@maryeckel9682This comment hit really hard. 😢
@@pnlrogue1i have to disagree.
Been in this mans shoes. It dont take a disassociate state. It just takes sadness and feeling completely alone in a crowded room. It takes having a bad day.
And im sure people will strongly disagree with me....but it actually takes courage to take the "cowards" way out as they say.
I sympathize with this man, and his family probably has a lot of guilt when they shouldnt.
I was glad to see he didnt want to take innocent people with him.
@@maryeckel9682 Geeze this whole time people have been telling me it's the quiet ones to look out for. Whelp, add the non-quiet ones too now, I guess! That oughta just about cover everyone if my maths are correct.
Man, when he said about doing the Barrel Roll, nose down and call it a day.. What an eerie thing to hear... I loved how caring this episode was written, you guys are very compassionate and great human beings.
Right? It kinda shows what he was thinking with the way he said "nose down and call it a day". Just giving up on life
Yeah 😢
Yes I completely agree. Peter (Mentour) is not just an accomplished pilot himself but a great human and also understands human psychology. He has the ability of reading the minds of unknown people by their actions. As regards Russel, the acrobatics he performed like the barrel roll, probably hints towards the perfection of the ON LINE SIMULATORS or the VIRTUAL GAMES he was sure of adequate enough to get him back on the ground.
@@jayantkunte2252Stop hunching on petters leg already. Hes just a human being like the rest of us. Take away all his free patreon money so he actually has to return to working for a living and see how wonderful and great he is. 😮
@@giggiddy Just here to hate watch?
I think it deserves mention how sensitively and compassionately this story was handled. Well done.
Seconded. It would have been easy to speak poorly of him. But this was handled with clear compassion
I agree. But then again he's trying to sell stuff here... That is the only gripe I have.
Yes. Compassionate.
@acmhfmggru
What kind of remark was that?
@@acmhfmggruWhat happened?
The ATC here was the star of this sad incident. He managed to talk his way through to set a light tone and kept Russell calm.
He didn't make things worse, but being able to talk WITH Russel doesn't mean he
"managed to talk his way through" to him. I don't blame him for anything though. That was a job for a Psychologist, not technical staff and I think even 9.5 out of 10 Shrinks would have failed at turning that ship around.
I work with people who have attempted suicide. The hardest cases for me are always the people who are kindhearted, despite it all - like this guy clearly is. They try to avoid harm to others in the fallout at all costs - unable to recognize that the only thing everybody wants from them is for them to be safe and okay.
I had one guy block traffic for three hours trying to jump on a bridge, then later burst into tears when he learned that his attempt caused the police captain to miss his daughter’s birthday party. He asked to call the guy to personally apologize. It’s heartbreaking to know that somebody can have so much love for others but have a hard time loving themselves
I lost my brother to suicide 3 weeks ago. This describes him to a T. It breaks my heart but I know he fought it for many, many years for the sake of those he loved 💔
@@SideQ-rr6mydeepest sympathy and love. 💖🙏🌹
Mental cases, like junkies, are so full of shit you cannot believe any emotion they exude.
Grow some balls son.
Beautiful statement.
some of his radio traffic is haunting. The combination of calm, humor, and depression is hard to listen to.
He wanted to see some beauty before the inevitable end. rip Sky King.
I recognize a lot of that humor he had in his voice as masking depression symptoms. Spooky stuff.
@@rangerryda8218 Sadly in this case the whole "he made funny videos" thing was a red flag.
It's literally so common today.
Lol most intelligent funny people are sad
As a pilot who's had to make the tough call of grounding myself to get the treatment I need, I think the only real gesture that the FAA can make to prevent things like this from happening again is making depression treatment less of a threat to your career than it already is. SSRIs are a pain in the ass to change, and if my dosage isn't working, I can't change it unless I want to re-set the six month timer I have until I can pursue even my Part 61 flight training again, never mind all the things it takes to stay current in an airliner. I'm spending over ten grand on lawyers to prove to the FAA that my treatment is working and that they can trust me with a special issuance, and even then, I won't know the answer and if I'll need to spend more money on an appeal until a year from now.
People don't get help in this community because getting help is a financial and social death sentence, pilot or ground crew.
And this has to change. Urgently. To paraphrase a well known one-liner: It's not the ones seeking help you should look out for. It's the ones not seeking help.
My deepest respect for making that difficult call.
Signal boost this, please. Captain Steve mentioned this issue also (he is a counselor Dr. Steve in addition to being Captain Steve). If getting help ends their career, they simply aren't going to get help.
Thank you for sharing. This is something that faces a lot of highly skilled individual - soldiers, doctors, surgeons, pilots, etc. There is only punitive measure, and absolutely no allowance for the reality of rehabilitation. There must be a middle ground
Nearly 80% of people who take their own lives are men.. let that sink in. I bet everyone who reads that didnt know that.. and why arent people aware of this staggering statistic? Because we live in a society that doesnt care about men. If it was women taking their lives at that rate.. that statistic would be shoved down eveyrones throat non-stop in media and mental health campaigns, but its men... so it isnt.
I wanted to be a pilot almost my whole life. I found out through this channel that the FAA publishes a list of meds that get you grounded. I worked with my doctor and got off those meds, and I'm in therapy to make sure I can function without them. But after all that, about a few months ago, I decided it's probably just not worth pursuing. I spent years in books and sims. I even had my discovery flight. I was so determined to save money for lessons and my headset and E6B and all that, and then I kinda just realized that even if I pass student medical, there really isn't any guarantee of job security for me in aviation.
In the final minutes of his life, he found something to live for. RIP.
Depression is nothing to be scoffed at. Thank you for your kindness Mentour team
Depression may not have been in any way involved. If it had been, it is very likely that it would have been spotted well in advance.
However, you are right about depression not being something to scoff at.
@@noelpucarua2843 You'd be amazed at how people battling depression can mask it in their interactions with other people. His reference to "having a few screws loose" shows that he was aware that something was wrong mentally. It seems on the surface like a totally random, impulsive decision but he had spent a long time playing flight simulator games and quizzing pilots about procedures. I suspect he'd been thinking about this kind of thing on and off for quite a while.
That is a common misconception. Many men struggle with it but don’t show it, only to manifest it at the last moment. I myself have been misdiagnosed. I can’t diagnose anyone though, I just saw it.
@@noelpucarua2843 wrong. its just that we arent encouraging men to talk about their emotions enough
@@noelpucarua2843 People can lie on those screenings and often do to avoid repercussions - like unpaid suspension for treatment. Back then (and still today really), the airlines are notoriously harsh on those seeking mental health care.
Just look at the current medical standard depression test, “Beck’s Depression Inventory” (BDI)… it’s super easy to get through that unnoticed.
It’s a crazy story, the actual video footage of him and communications with ATC is both mesmerising and troubling to watch. So calm, so serene….and yet….
So tragic
The guy was just insanely lucky that he didn't crash into people. Sad, yes, but that doesn't mean these insane antics couldn't have very easily killed people.
The communications with ATC really resonate with a lot of us.
people who decided to end it tend to be really calm and happy in the last day.
You should go listen to the full 60 or 70 minutes of ATC recordings.
Thank you for treating this subject with such obvious compassion and care. It would be easy to either make light of Mr Russell or to condemn him, yet this drew lessons without lessening the tragedy, excusing him, or attacking him. It’s a model of how to discuss this issue and convey what needs to be conveyed. I hope his family is doing ok now.
I agree! My only concern is the thumbnail. It is not as bas as people make it out to be, and I know he has to play the algorithm to succeed, but I find it a little distasteful. I know some girl does this for him. But putting a cartoonish avatar of himself next to “it’s going to be crazy….” Seems at odds with the respect of the rest of the production
This is the one video on your channel that feels much closer to home. I was on a flight that had just arrived into SEA at right about the time that the Q400 took off. We were waiting for much longer than normal with no information until the Captain got on the PA and said "we're dealing with a situation." I remember riding home and seeing the smoke cloud coming off of Ketron island after Richard ditched the plane.
Thank you for your compassion in telling this story Petter, these videos are always set apart from mainstream reporting for this reason alone.
Fly high Sky King <3
I think ATC/esp a law enforcement hostage negotiator could have talked him into landing it.. by talking about the impact on his family if he committed suicide instead of just trying to land (which he likely was able to do successfully even though it would have been messy)
If they talked to him about the impact his death would have had on his family vs the reduced impact had he landed successfully or even just attempted ro.
He probably would have only gotten 10 years effectively, maybe less, with early release.
Also they could have said that this stunt made him a legend, but if he landed successfully he would be even more of a legend.
@jonslg240 i agree if he had more fuel maybe thry could have but he really didnt have much time.
Thank you for covering this with so much compassion – it really matters. I hope it's a reminder to everyone watching that you're more than the worst decision you ever made.
The day the Patreon preview for this video came out, a kind of minor thing happened at work that triggered a whole cascade of negative emotions for me, and for the first time in a couple of years, I felt that "I'm worthless and irredeemable" feeling. And what I noticed as I was living in that feeling and watching this video was how that darkness comes along with a kind of detachment from reality that could potentially lead somewhere really dangerous. The "I hope I haven't ruined your day" and the way he kept mentioning video games really stood out to me – he obviously knew he was really doing this, but that impression of being a bit detached from it all was so chillingly familiar. But he was also just a guy who loved the mountains and wanted to connect with the people talking to him – the fact that he answered them on the radio at all when he already knew he wasn't going to try to land says so much.
As you said, people tend to feel "committed" once the thing is set in motion. Especially in a situation like this with very real consequences – for a guy who was obviously a big aviation enthusiast, I'd imagine that even forgetting prison, the fact that he would never be able to work airside again would've been a pretty big deal. All it takes is a few seconds and one really bad decision.
The way real audio and video was incorporated felt very right – it helps us remember he was a real person in a way a transcript just doesn't, and really shows the fluctuations in his mood etc. I'm sad for him, and for the controller and pilot who were talking to him too. I hope we can all learn to approach each other with a little more curiosity and kindness ❤️
Dissociation is a strategy our brains use to cope with otherwise unbearable thoughts. Mental health issues in my country (UK) are barely cared for in our health system, and people who suffer from them are commonly derided by the media here for "faking" or being weak.
I know this accident happened in the US but I know the situation is similar there. It's crushing that if he had help earlier he wouldn't have done what he did.
Yours is a very well spoken and insightful reply.
Thank you for writing about this the way you did. Just reading it proved to me that YOU are not worthless and irredeemable. You are a compassionate and insightful person.
@@Hayley-s5t It's not just mental health, that is how most people treat and condition or injury that can't be seen. From depression to whiplash. To be fair, depression isn't something that can be fixed for everyone. Many can be, but for many more, life if just something to be borne..until it can't be anymore.
I really find it important to remind myself that we're more than the things we've done in the past. Dwelling on things can really just eat away at your sanity. It's essential to forgive yourself for your regrets, remind yourself that you did your best.
LOOSE THE AI THUMBNAIL, it is not necessary to chase the algorithm, your channel has more class and integrity.
Seriously. I came to the video from a verbal recommendation and nearly passed it up because of the thumbnail and title.
And, uh... What's the big difference between this thumbnail and practically every other one on the channel?
Would definitely lol at you if you found out it wasn’t AI
Agree - the clickbait title is bloody annoying.
Peter definitely doesn't need this clickbait thumbnail. He has a great, well built channel.
He came from my home town and we were all devastated to hear the news💔 I didn’t know him personally, but everyone who knew him just loved him 🙏
Sometimes the biggest entertainers are the most depressed or lonely. People love them but they do not get the excitement from life they give others so they do crazy thing like Beebo did. I listened the tape of his converstation with ATC and sometimes felt this is the best day of his life even knowing the fact that he exaclty knew this is jail time for life. Death or jail time was the price to have a good day in his perspetive. Maybe his brain totally lost the part controls responsibility. He showed he had no chance to further enjoy life. One last dance to have some fun. As he expresses it: " I think I’m going to land it, like in a, a safe, safe kind of manner. I think I’m going to try do a barrel roll, and then if that goes good, I’ll just go nose down and call it a night. "
He sounds like the kind of guy that was there for everyone he knew.. but no one was truly there for him fly high SKY KING ✈️👑
45:30 this reminds me of an open house we had at mechanic school who owned a fully operational although cycled out 727. I was one of the students in the cockpit overseeing the kids in and out. They flipped every switch in there (we had pulled any circuit breaker that could be a problem and screwed the cover on) and every once in a while one would hit the master switch and the whole thing would light up. Their reactions were hilarious from thinking it was awesome to thinking the thing was about to explode
I remember a comment about him that stuck with me;
"He did not go up there to die, he went up there to live"
ooooofffff... my heart :(
@mariaanmo i felt the same way. Literally had tears in my eyes the first time i read it.
No, i'm pretty confident he went there to die and to make sure he cornered himself and can't back out. Maybe he was waiting for his wife to apologize or call in, who knows. Usually the woman is the reason for cases like these
It feels so true, I've never been in a cockpit, but even seeing Mount Rainier from a distance on a regular SeaTac to California route is quite something, so to fly around it would definitely be living, at least it would for me.
Exactly what I thought when I heard about it. It seems to me like an escape from a treadmill in which the man was trapped.
Wow. This brought me to tears.
I can completely understand him and his actions.
I have suffered from depression most of my life. Sometimes people knew it, but mostly they didn't. For many people who suffer from depression its embarrassing so we do well in hiding it.
On a routine December day in 2009 I tried to take my life. I was on life support for awhile and not expected to live. When I did wake up a few weeks later I was angry that I was alive. I was ashamed and embarrassed. Noone, including myself, actually seen it coming. I still cant explain why to this day. I just had a bad day.
So i really feel for this guy, deeply. I hope his family isnt playing the guilt game that I put mine through.
Me too, and also have learned to live with my depression episodes. God bless you.🙏🏻
I’m glad you’re ok now.
I’ve had similar experiences.
If your IQ is 125 plus you’re pretty much guaranteed depression. I found CBT helps.
We who suffer from depression become amazing actors. I would swear that some days I have given Oscar-worthy performances. 😊
Glad you're still with us pal. Depression is a brute to deal with, I know. Keep on keeping on.
How’d u do it
I was at QX at the time, as a check airman. The voice you hear trying to talk him into landing, is another check airman that is a friend. It was a very tough day at Horizon.
We probably met. I work at the learning center where QX trains. I always work the over night shift maintaining the simulators.
My deepest condolences and sympathy to him. I can't even begin to imagine what he was - and still is - thinking. 😢
I can imagine that. Obviously a horrible experience.
We probably flew together a few times. I was an FA with QX until about a year before this took place, and still had several friends there at the time.
Did someone looked into his wife what was she doing to him or behind his back? Men killing themselves is usually because of female abusing them
I've experienced a mental break during severe depression. It's so scary because nothing seems serious, nothing seems real. There's just an urge to "do something" even if you don't know what that something is. All I did was hurt myself, but I'll never forget calling some friends who didn't know where I was and how incredibly concerned they sounded and I just couldn't understand why they sounded that way; I tried to explain how it was no big deal and they were being overly worried. i felt totally fine. I didn't want to bother anyone else, but I did finally decide I should go to the hospital because I couldn't manage by myself. It wasn't until the police showed up to my hospital bed that everything finally hit home and I realized what I had done and how much I had put, and was about to put, my loved ones though. That my experience at least. And I could really hear that same kind of psychosis in his actions and voice, and can imagine the fighter jets showing up was akin to me seeing the police walk into my room. Except for him, he didn't see any way back. Very chilling when it involves the possibility for so much damage.
This story really showcases the human experience. Just a broken guy who's got a few screws loose. It just highlights how fragile we all are. That's why this story resonates with so many people who have a great deal of empathy for Russel, even though what he did wasn't right. RIP Sky King
I remember hearing about this years ago and then going to view any video i could find about it, and read anything else i could find. And when i heard he was nicknamed Sky King, it brought a tear to my eye. Heart breaking stuff, and yet you sense he went out the way he wanted to, with wings.
Really it shouldn't resonate with people. If you want to go out, maybe dont do millions of dollars of damage on the way out?
@silvercrownt you don't get it. Clearly. It's about life. The complexities of who we are as people. Broken and barely held together with one bad decision from it all being over. And u chime in with nonsense about money?? like that even matters.
@@COOLOCKERsame! I was compelled to know all there was to know about it. There is something so beautifully horrific about it.
@@silvercrownt Mate, my comment is about the human condition. If money concerns you more than a persons feelings, maybe you should stay away from people.
Rest in peace Sky King Beebo - I hope you are no longer suffering and in pain
and based on that barrel roll he could have been a good pilot!
@@alexandercalder2143chances are he knew that with his issues he'd be lucky to be allowed to train for a PPL and saw this as his only chance to achieve his dream of flying an airliner, messed up as that is
My partner took her life in 2012, and I can’t describe how tough it is in a way that someone who hasn’t been through it can understand. I pray his family has found some peace and a path forward. I hope Mr. Russell found some peace as well.If you are struggling, please reach out to someone. Anyone! You are cared about.
Im sorry for your loss, and I wish it could have gone differently.
But what happens when there's nobody to reach out to? What happens when the people around someone cant help them or dont want to? Do they deserve to just end it cause thats what the world is saying to them clearly? Because at this point thats all I see this shit as
@@cherriberri8373 I understand you. It really does feel like there’s no one left to reach out to, or that the ones around us just can’t understand or help. That pain can make it seem like the only option is to give up. I’m not going to pretend it’s easy or that there’s a magic fix. It’s brutal. But I’ve learned that even in those moments, there can be someone out there... maybe not in our immediate circle who will listen without judgment. Sometimes it’s a stranger, a helpline, or even a space like this. You matter, even if the world feels like it’s telling you otherwise. Another advise would be to keep yourself distracted. Discover hobbies, interests and find joy in them.. you are loved
@@cherriberri8373Please don't
I’m sorry for your loss 😔 depression is hard to understand, we don’t know how people inside.and reach out , if you’re feeling low . People care
I'm so sorry for your loss ❤ It really is its own kind of grief.
He was mentally sound and stable—just another man with a broken heart for not achieving what he truly desired. Perhaps if flight school had been more affordable, or if he had received a scholarship, he would still be soaring among us today. That’s the harsh reality no one talks about: he pursued studies he was compelled to take, not the passion that once set his soul alight. It’s heartbreaking to see him end up like this. For anyone who has ever dreamed of being a pilot but was held back by circumstances, the pain is indescribable. All they seek is a helping hand. May God bless him.
He didn’t went up to die ,he went up in the skies to live ❤️
Beautiful description 💯
The majority of men feel this way from time to time, I can't help but respect that like the 9/11 jumpers, at the end he took total control of what he saw as the end of his life, proving something to himself before he went, then calling it a day.
What you are saying is almost excusing Russel for this crime. Pure nonsense. “ If flight school was more affordable….” Many people,like me worked and saved for years to put ourselves through flight school. Of course that was back in 1980s when most people realized they were responsible for their own self and failings. Flight school almost 40 years ago was about the same cost, just adjusted for inflation.
To suggest that incidents like this can be avoided by lowering the cost of attaining a pilot's license is ridiculous. This man knew right from wrong, he broke the law and potentially could have killed other's doing so. Captains have been escorted out of cockpit's preparing for take off, under the influence of alcohol. These men are not insane, they are human. We all make mistakes, but endangering the lives of others is inexcusable.
Unfortunately, this man lost his life, the story could have ended far worse.
@@KarlPhillips-e2n The people who jumped from the towers on 9/11 were in a different situation. They knew they faced certain and imminent death. Their only choices were to remain in the building and endure a horrifically slow and painful death by burning, or to jump and have it end quickly on impact. One can even argue that the people who jumped out of the World Trade Center towers on 9/11 did not actually make any decision to commit suicide but merely decided to flee a thousand-degree inferno that was upon them at whatever cost. That is a far different scenario that shouldn't even be considered as an act of suicide. In their case, jumping was an act of survival (for a few seconds) and escape from a more horrific death.
Man, every time I hear his radio calls, it really gets to me.
same, every time i get this knot in my throat
RIP Sky King. I worked around people who had worked with him when I delivered baggage for AK. When this happened, they cleared out our airport as a possible destination for divert landings. Still remember that night as all the PD screamed into the port. Sad how it ended, but for a moment his actions brought a light on men's mental health issues, and Russel himself became a legend.
Thank you for calling him sky king. It was hard earned.
@@shawnpresser8374 The man didn't survive his flight, but for one glorious moment-- he lived.
If "the law" would have left him alone, perhaps he might have landed. If anything, he needed psychological help, not jail time. He most likely crashed it to avoid prosecution. R.I.P. Sky King..
@@robertsandberg2246 "The Law" cannot just "leave you alone" when you're flying a stolen airplane around a major metropolitan area. You weren't born before 9/11 apparently.
@@robertsandberg2246
Yeah, that’s a great plan after displayed so much mental stability.
Hard to believe it's already been 7 years. Rest in peace, my friend. Fly high, Sky King.
I know to me it seems like this happened like 2 years ago but it's been 7 years already it's crazy how time flies.
please stop romanticizing a broken man committing an extremely dangerous crime
@@iLLadelph267 LOL!! Sue him! xD
@@iLLadelph267 No. I don't think I will.
@@iLLadelph267because of the way you worded it, now I DO want to romanticizing him.
I think he's a hero for pointing out a huge flaw in the system. His actions has saved thousands of lives.
This lines up with a friend I lost from depression. When he took his life it was a totally routine day, even wearing headphones listening to a typical podcast up until the moment it happened. It seems he disassociated to the point that it was just another thing to do for the day. I had no idea he struggled with it at the time, he was usually the guy who lifted people up and cracked jokes, I never guessed he was struggling until it happened. Depression is so scary because it can be really difficult to spot the signs if they don't reach out for help.
My best friend took his life and did the same. He called all of his childhood friends and made plans to hang out in the next week. We all found that out at his memorial.
@@123blarsonMy cousin did the same thing. 😥
@@KyriaNunNuitI learned through the process of grieving and later on in life at therapy that it's Very Common. Alot of Suicidal people don't throw out red flags because they don't want to be stopped. I realized those plans were his his goodbyes to the people he loved but in a way that didn't spark any suspicion.
As someone who's suffered from depression most of my life I can tell you that unfortunately the stigma with mental health issues, which are only further exacerbated for men, and the suppression of such topics on many public platforms leaves an impression of being unwelcome. That it's your problem nobody wants to hear about and you just need to deal with it on your own. I was fortunate enough to have a great support circle of family members and friends who made me feel safe talking to them about it, but I've also known people for who I was the only person they dared to discuss the topic with so not every has the luxury of feeling like they have someone who will listen to them. This in the end, speaking for myself but I imagine it's similar for others, made me feel like I have to conceal it, hide it, and because of how important to do that it felt, I got really good at it. Even my closest friends were completely surprised when I decided to speak out, having no idea - and they likely never would realize had I not told them, or until it was too late.
That's why videos like these are important and why platforms putting pressure not to discuss these topics, and now government preventing young people from doing so, is so incredibly harmful.
Wow... this one was unique.
First of all, the way you presented this tragic story is absolutely brillant. No sensationalism, no speculations, just the facts as they are known. And with a lot of heart and passion, which makes even events like this some kind of enjoyable to watch (I hope it is clear how i mean this.) The clip where he jumped off the push truck to get on board the plane to stop it from running off made me laugh, even knowing what was about to happen. I don´t know what happened to Mr. Russell before the incident. But i dearly hope that he will mostly be remembered as a loving husband and a good man.
100%. You summed this up better than I did
For a ground handler with mental issues, he flew pretty good in the end. Maybe in an alternate timeline he could have actually become a pilot. Thats the saddest part of this story.
Becoming a pilot in the US is out of reach for many unless you have money for private lessons and go from there. It's not like there's a pilot school he could have gone to. And honestly, if he was this good in the Sim and it translated well enough for him to pull off what he did, maybe other people should have a legitimate chance at a career path. Would solve a lot of the pilot shortage issues as well.
It would've been literally impossible. A ground handler would never be able to rub enough pennies together to earn a pilot's license. The freedom of the skies belongs to the rich.
@@PlatypusVomitanything is possible when you put your mind to it -- going to be tough but if you want it you will achieve it.
This sadly hits the truth right smack dab on the head. Unless you get into the training program of a select few airlines, there's no one to help you finance it. Everyone else needs to have the money themselves or figure out a way to convince a bank to lend you the money.
"... A ground handler with mental issues ... Maybe in an alternate timeline he could have actually become a pilot." –kobkob33393
Given that only the mentally fit should ever become pilots, in this alternate timeline in which Richard Russell did not have mental issues, he could have become many things—maybe even a ground handler, loving husband, and youth ministry leader.
Beebo was a legend. Found love, travelled the world, went out on his own terms doing one of the craziest things you can do. The Rolling Stone maggot that called him a thief, could never muster 1/1000th of the courage Beebo did to pull this off.
I'm glad you didn't demonize the man . He definitely wasn't a mean person , he just didn't know how to ask for help in my humble opinion. Sad and tragic story indeed . Well done.
If I didn't know how good the videos are I would never click on this thumbnail
Same for the Concorde crash story. This really is the one downside of MenTour Pilot I regret the most: the fact that it is so obvious he clickbaits the stupid masses, the fact that he puts revenue as his first priority.
@@akseli9this channels great but dude is clearly pretty corporate and fake haha
Yeah I really wish they'd stop with this clickbait nonsense, the videos are extremely well made and their titles should reflect that.
@@akseli9Yeah. Imagine spending years building up your channel and then trying to get as many people as possible to watch it.
Sorry the thumbnail wasn't to your liking. Hopefully they will contact you to get your approval on the next one.
He and I both were contractors from different companies working with Alaska Air/Horizon Air. I remember we would occasionally see each other in passing on our shifts and smile, wave, or say hello. We never spoke to each other or anything, just being friendly Washingtonians with strangers.
When I heard about this happening, I no longer worked at the airport but, was shocked by the footage and audio of this!! It was heartbreaking listening to the audio and knowing he perished in the crash.
When they announced his name (which I never knew) and I saw his photo. I recognized him instantly and it made his story even more crushing knowing he was a friendly & nice guy that I knew in passing. My condolences to his friends and family. Godspeed, Beebo. 💔🙏
My heart was broken for this man knowing that he had given up, he never intended to harm anyone he was not that kind of man. I was very disappointed you did not tell the story that led him to take one great joyride before his end from despair. He believed in hard work and merit would reward him in due course and he would move up to higher level positions but that became clear it was never going to happen. " He was a dedicated and hardworking individual who consistently sought to improve himself and advance in his career. Despite his strong motivation and efforts to excel, he was repeatedly passed over for promotions. This persistent lack of recognition took a significant emotional toll, leading to feelings of disappointment and depression, as he came to believe that upward mobility would remain out of reach."
I knew you exclude what led to this sad adventure, I hope he enjoyed the only act of defiance he ever committed. There are many Russel's out there suffering the same way, I personally have great sympathy and understanding for him, though I would never take a plane in the air as a last adventure but he knew enough to get him up and he knew he was never coming back.
This was a really difficult watch. I had not expected to cry, but the audio was just so heartbreakingly painful to listen to. Thank you for telling his story with so much compassion. RIP Sky King.
Rest in peace Beebo. I knew what story this was as soon as he started talking about a particular person from the ground crew. It always gives me goosebumps to hear that audio...and this will probably be the first video I've cried for. He left so many people behind that loved him and he seemed like such a great guy, so it's immensely sad that he had some sort of mental break like that. Thank you for covering this one, Petter.
I wonder if he knew ppl loved him. I find, when we are depressed, we don’t feel anyone really loves us.
@@HeartbreakingHistoryhe even said he did in the recording :(
This wasn't a mental break in the usual sense, and I cried, too. He felt suffocated by his life, loved flying, and no one would give him a chance. He made his own chance, took it, and lived before he died. Many never do. He died doing what he loved. It was wrong, but it makes more sense than most will ever understand.
Why would you cry? Very few people get to go out on their own terms. I respect that.
@@ThePaulie02 Just because he got to go out on his own terms doesn't mean that it isn't sad.
Former ramp agent here, most ramp agents are certified to start the APU and turn on any applicable lights for taxi. This is so if you have to tow an aircraft somewhere, it can be seen by other traffic, so you can get the aircraft to a comfortable temperature before boarding and also to allow for things like catering and cleaning to happen with lights on
There are a select few non-pilots that are actually certified to start the engines and taxi the aircraft, I am not one of them, but most airlines have a maintenance personnel able to do this, and I don’t know of any regulation stoping ramp agents from having this training as well
Don't the planes require a key? A card with an Rfid chip could let ground personnel move the planes around without the ability to take off.
@@dannydaw59 Cessnas and smaller airplane might use a key. But its generally just flipping switches in the correct order.
Generally, no. Petter talks about this for the commercial aircraft. I've flown in a few small aircraft, and have been in or around dozens and never saw any with a lock.
@@dannydaw59 As for some access card or RFID mechanism, the logistics of that would be mind boggling. Key management of tens of thousands of personnel across hundreds (minimum) of owners would be an enormous task. Getting the hardware and software designed and certified airworthy for a couple hundred common types is. especially daunting. And it could open some tricky attack surfaces too, such as malicious code that would let a flight crew fly the plane, then later revoke their flight control access while airborne.
I suspect just keeping an eye on them when parked is easier and more reliable.
@@strehlowMy assembly plant uses rfid keycards to clock in and out. I can't go through certain doors. It's not hard for h.r. to turn badges on and off. The readers on planes could be updated over wifi every time they pull up to the terminal. Doing nothing is worse.
this is so heartbreaking. im glad he didnt hurt anyone else. I wish he could have been talked down.
This is such a sad story. Loved to watch your coverage of it.
Hope you're flying high Sky King
The Orca mentioned at 36:00 is named Tahlequah, tragically she lost another calf this year & was seen carrying the dead baby for weeks AGAIN with others in her family helping her carry. And it’s not a case of nature being nature, the struggles of the Southern Resident Orcas are entirely human made. Orcas are, contrary to popular opinion, at the local population level the pickiest eaters in the world, and would starve to death instead of changing their diets (this is why there has never been an attack on a human or pet in the wild). The Biggs Orca families in the PNW eat seals & are doing well, the Southern Residents eat salmon which are overfished & blocked by dams. many have died and only 74 left. Another reason for their decline is the capture of 80 of them in 1970, numerous young ones were taken away to be sold to marine parks & 5 died during capture. During the capture, no humans were harmed despite being in the water capturing them.
What a sad and touching story about the Orcas.The mother carrying her dead calf with the help of family members is extremely sad.Worrying that their numbers are so low in the wild.
@@barryvincentredmond3973Absolutely. The 2nd dead calf hits home for me. I wasn’t here in Seattle area during her 1st “tour of grief” (she carried the dead baby for 17 days, totaling 1,000 miles. This Q400 event happened on day 12), but I was here for the 2nd death this year. I was one of few people who saw the baby when she was still alive (there are Facebook groups in Seattle that tell people when they are here based on visual sightings) but in malnourished condition, with family members taking turns holding her up, few days later she died.
For many animals, people often attribute human-traits to nonhuman behaviors (“anthropomorphism”), but for Orcas, we are underestimating it. They have entire parts of their brain in the section that contains empathy that humans don’t even have. They have great memories too, when watching them here in Puget Sound they still avoid Penn Cove (for pilots: that is the CVV VOR) where they were captured 55 years ago, they hold no grudge against humans though as you can see them swimming by dozens of kayakers & paddle boarders everyday when they are here without issues, there are even stories from the native tribes of them saving people from drowning.
While this is bad, on the face of it, animals must adapt to their environment or die. It's just an evolutionary process. Human made or not, we are part of the chain. It is only our ability to show compassion for other animals that even causes this situation to be recognised.
This is such good information. I will keep in mind advocating for them. They are precious and beautiful. They deserve to be protected…
@@barryvincentredmond3973 Absolutely. The 2nd dead calf (this year) hits especially close to home. I wasn't in Seattle back in 2018 during her 1st "Tour of Grief" which lasted 17 days when she carried the dead baby 1,000 miles (this Q400 event happened on day 12). But in 2025 I was here in Seattle (SEA based FO) and was one of the few people who saw the new baby alive during the brief few days (there are FB groups in Puget Sound that tell us when they're here by visual sighting reports). We were initially excited but quickly turned to concern when we saw Tahlequah and others in the family taking turns helping her breathe. It was clear she was malnourished & died a few days later. No one knows exactly how long she carried this dead baby for, but it was weeks.
For most animals, people overly attribute human traits (anthropomorphism), but with Orcas we are underestimating it. They have entire sections of their brains in the part that controls empathy that humans don't even have. I've seen Orca moms who lost kids adopt others, there have been 57 cases of Orcas attempting to feed people by giving divers gifts. They have great memories too, watching them in Seattle, they still today avoid Penn Cove where they were captured 55 years ago (for pilots, that's the CVV VOR), they hold no grudge against humans though, every day they are here they swim by dozens of kayakers, paddleboarders, and if it's hot- occasionally swimmers & never show aggression. Natives even have stories of them rescuing drowning swimmers
The entire society runs on trust, that's one of my favorite things to point out when I notice people take everything for granted.
You cross that bridge, it means you trust the engineers that conceived it, the workers who built it and maintain it.
You book a stay in a hotel, you better trust the people who cook, clean, and welcome you.
Even something as trivial as using the internet, you expect corporations to keep your data safe (insert NordVPN sponsor transition here).
Everyone matters. This is truly a heartbreaking conversation and I only feel sympathy towards the guy, no matter what made him do that, if there was anything.
"certain types" are making society less and less high-trust, though...
For some having a concern for others is natural but for others its a skill that has to be learned. Its not hard to pass on compliments especially strangers in a plesant cheerful way. Asking if someone needs help , first aiding, giving directions.etc. I work in a hotel but also have a long time former aviation career.
I have a slightly different take on the matter...at least in western countries, increasingly so.... trustless is increasingly the rule because many abuse individualism as an easy way out of social responsibility (you shall not harm others and do your best to avoid harming them indirectly as well)... this is pretty clear with the virus that shall not be named and people refusing basic protection measures...
He broke the trust of the people who hired him.
@@sanniepstein4835 if that's all you gather from this story I feel sorry for you
just some opinion, please dont put too much of AI effect in your thumbnail, your valuable content deserves a more organic and natural looking thumbnail
"I've got a lot of people that care about me. It's gonna disappoint them that I did this. I would like to apologize to each and every one of them."
That made me cry. 😢 Poor guy. 😞
This story is heartbreaking and it made me cry. As a person that struggles with major depression and SI, I appreciate the compassion that you told this story with. Thank you.
Same here. I couldn't help but cry for him. He had troubles but instead of going to a crowded mall with a gun and doing the unthinkable, he didn't want to harm anyone. He wanted that last hoorah before ending it all.
This story is as sad as it is unusual.
Stop your crying.
SMI State Arizona
@@rogerpenske2411 No one cares.
@@Thirdgen83your point??
That barrel roll in front of the sunset. That's a sickeningly beautiful last thing to do. Genuinely nearly threw up, so awful, but so beautiful. I'd never do something like that, but I mean, once you're off the ground in a stolen aircraft, what else are you going to do but see the sights, fly out over water, try some aerobatics, and then find the lowest impact area to crash in? The main thing I don't get is how someone with a good family he clearly cares about could decide to do something like that.
A lot of married men feel like they can't be vulnerable in front of their family, so they can feel alone and desperate even in a marriage with someone they care for. One of the issues is that a lot of women do respect your vulnerabilities if you open up about them, I sure have some stories about opening up only to have them hit me with it when they're upset and want to hurt me, so when given a burden they can't bear alone they may feel that they have no way out. They can't share their burden with someone else, so while you hope he reaches out to a brother, but in reality that isn't always an option. Especially with the amount of men with little to not close friends due to all male only spaces have been clinically removed from society over the past century or so.
Good question.
English football team, Norwich City FC, made a very powerful video about mental health. In the video were 2 guys: one quiet and reserved, the other always with a smile and cracking a joke. Knowing it's a video about mental health, you believe it's going to be the quiet and reserved guy who's going to take his life. Then they throw the curve ball, it's the happy joker who's no longer with us.
My point in highlighting that video is that you can never know who's struggling with mental health, or what sort of things are going on in their own mind. Even people who appear to have it all can be battling some truly dreadful demons.
I strongly believe that, as much as we know about the human mind just now, we still have a lot to learn. I like to think that in the future (maybe not a future I'll live to see) we'll be able to pinpoint what it is inside our brains that causes depression and we'll be able to do something to fix it.
@@Teribus13AMEN, especially the last paragraph. Mental health issues need to be handled exactly the same way physical health is handled (insurance wise I mean) or we’re just going to keep losing people.
"The main thing I don't get is how someone with a good family he clearly cares about could decide to do something like that."
Struggles often are invisible to exterior people. People struggling with their life quickly learn how to hide how bad they feel to people around them. I've been in this situation before and to this day i don't know why i didn't proceed to "call it a day" and jump while I was on the edge. It took me about a decade to start to understand some of the things that were happening in my head, and it still really obscure even to me. Family and caring about other people is unrelated. I'll try to describe how i felt in those moment: I just felt immense pain and was trying my best to hide it from everyone because the few times i tried to talk about it people started to (unintentionally) diminish it. I just wanted to vanish from existence because it just felt easier than to deal with the pain and the struggles.
I was actually going through recurrent SIM training when this was unfolding. For those of you who don’t know. As a commercial pilot who depends on your job to support your family, it’s predicated on successfully passing the SIM training. As I was waiting on the hotel van, this was happening in real time on the news. I didn’t know the outcome until later that night. It didn’t ease (my already super sensitive) nerves. When I got back to the hotel later that night. I learned of the initial outcome. After hearing more of the story, I realized the guy suffered a mental breakdown that even he realized a little too late. A very sad, yet scary event.
As someone who has spent the majority of my life, including my childhood, with depression and on and off sucidal ideation, when i'm reminded of this story it hits hard. So many people still, even with awarness becoming more and more common, suffer with mental health quietly and often don't know how to go through life without just trying to push through. This life is hard, and we all need to help and care for one another more. I've been spending the last few years trying my hardest to get the help I need, but it is not easy. I hope anyone who can relate to this desperation, this need to do something extraordinary to make life seem worth while at least a little bit before stopping it, will listen to this and choose to get help intsead. Life is fucking hard, but it's ok to not be ok, and it's ok to ask for help. You are worth it.
It's way too hard to get appropriate help in the US with our obscene health care system.
@@maryeckel9682 I am aware, it's one of the most difficult things to deal with here. But, we all have to keep trying.
This is a very brave comment and I admire you for writing with such honesty. You are worth it.
i find it helpful when I try to help others. It gives something that keep me going thru the day.
That's so well said - "this need to do something extraordinary to make life seem worth while at least a little bit before stopping it" -- I think you really hit the nail precisely on the head as to what thsi poor man's last action was about. RIP airman.
@MentourPilot - 2025-08-09
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@dustycarrier4413 - 2025-08-09
Instead of pinning an advertisement, maybe pin something about mental health.
@wesss9353 - 2025-08-09
Could you get an advert that isn't a scam?
@ThatWouldBeCareless - 2025-08-09
@@dustycarrier4413 I'm guessing it's part of the contract with the sponsor that they'll be linked in a pinned comment. . . But yeah, not a great look on this one.
@bearb1asting - 2025-08-09
23:17 you forgot SANTA
@misguidedviking - 2025-08-09
It's equal parts funny and disconcerting that every car out there has mechanisms in place to prevent unlawful entry but you can just start up planes' engines without a key card.