Officials were still trying to figure out exactly how Richard Russell managed to steal a Horizon Air Bombardier Q400 on Friday night at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, but as investigations continued the process by which he was able to take off in the twin-engine turboprop began to emerge.
Russell, a three-year employee of Horizon Air, part of Alaska Airlines, worked as a ground service agent. His responsibilities included towing and pushing aircraft for takeoff and gate approach, de-icing planes and handling baggage.
Somehow he managed to steal the empty commercial airliner that seats 76 people and fly it for 75 minutes, before fatally plunging it into a thickly forested island.
Here are at least eight things someone would have to do to steal that plane the way Russell did:
1. Get near the plane: Russell already had clearance to be in the area of the plane. According to CNN, ground service-based staff have access to the ramp area.
2. Use a tractor to rotate the plane 180 degrees: Mike Ehl from the Port of Seattle said this is how Russel was able to put the parked plane in the proper position to taxi forward and progress toward the runway, once he got the engines running, The Seattle Times reported.
3. Remove security tape from plane's door: Most airlines don’t lock airplanes, but according to theTimes the Q400 would have had security tape around the doors so that crew would know if any unauthorized persons had entered.
4. Remove wheel chocks, release parking brakes: Before turning it around, Russell would have had to remove the wheel chocks which keep the wheels in place, and release the parking brakes, according to a Horizon Air pilot who flies Q400s and spoke to the Times.
5. Get the plane started: The airliner didn't require a key to get started, but it did require certain buttons and switches to be activated in a particular order. Experts told the Times that the flight desk procedure would not be too difficult to figure out with help from simulator software accessbile online.
6. Maneuver around the ramp area: Normal procedures would require a flight crew to communicate with ground traffic control for clearance and direction around other aircraft, vehicles and ramp equipment. On Friday night, the situation turned chaotic with Russell ignoring a controller who repeatedly demanded identification from the Bombardier turboprop, the Times said.
7. Access the runway: It’s still unclear how Russell managed to get the plane all the way to the runway, then get on it and line up to take off.
8. Take off: It’s unclear whether Russell had any previous flight experience. Jeff Price, an aviation consultant and former ramp worker, pointed out to CNBC that it’s not difficult to gather information on how to fly a plane – or think you know how.
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