Planejack

Discussion in 'In the News' started by Holly Saunders, Aug 11, 2018.

  1. Holly Saunders

    Holly Saunders Supreme Member
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    Wow!! I've never heard of this happening before... how utterly terrifying....

    A suicidal airport employee on Friday hijacked an empty commercial plane from Seattle-Tacoma Airport before crashing it into an island 25 miles away after being pursued by F-15 fighter jets.

    The 76-seater Horizon Air turboprop Q400 took off at around 8pm, and two F-15 fighter jets scrambled from Portland 'minutes later' to intercept it, according to Pierce County Sheriff's Office.

    Witnesses described seeing the aircraft performing barrel rolls and loop-the-loops as the military planes directed it away from highly-populated areas and towards Ketron Island, where it crashed into a ball of flame.



    The rest of the story here with Video....

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...acked-Seattle-Tacoma-Airport-say-reports.html
     
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  2. Chrissy Cross

    Chrissy Cross Supreme Member
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    Yes, I saw that this morning....scary!

    Seems he was suicidal but why was it so easy for him to take a plane?

    Can you imagine if he decided to crash over populated areas!
     
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  3. Holly Saunders

    Holly Saunders Supreme Member
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    Exactly my point CC....
     
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  4. Chrissy Cross

    Chrissy Cross Supreme Member
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    What's amazing is that he was just a baggage handler with no flight training, yet he was doing some loops, etc.

    I was just reading the whole conversation he had with air traffic control...kind of sad that he had to resort to doing what he did...

    Seems like a decent sort of guy with some major issues obviously. Just glad nobody was hurt as there were 24 people on that island.
     
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    Last edited: Aug 11, 2018
  5. Joe Riley

    Joe Riley Supreme Member
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    He had a lot of baggage, that's for sure!
     
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  6. Don Alaska

    Don Alaska Supreme Member
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    I read he was a mechanic for Horizon Air, and that was why he had access to the aircraft. He had passed all background checks and was completely cleared. He had enough know-how to get it into the air, but perhaps not enough to land it. I was glad it wasn't a 737 crashing into Seattle!
     
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  7. Chrissy Cross

    Chrissy Cross Supreme Member
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    I read he handled baggage and helped the planes leave the gate etc...the person with those flags.

    Didn't read he that he was a mechanic.

    I heard the conversation he had with the tower and he said he played enough video games to know how to fly the plane.

    He seemed pretty calm but was worried about how much fuel he used and the air pressure..didn't know how to adjust that...felt light headed.
     
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  8. Chrissy Cross

    Chrissy Cross Supreme Member
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    Just copied this from the most recent DM article a lout him....shows lost of pics of him and family...looks like a normal guy....so sad.


    Rich's main role as a ground service agent was to load and unload bags, direct aircraft for takeoff, and de-ice planes in the winter.

    According to a job posting, ground service agents are paid roughly $13.75 an hour and as a full-time employee they receive benefits, travel privileges for themselves and family members and are eligible for a bonus program.

    Nowhere in the job description does it mention that ground service agents are permitted to fly planes.

    During a press conference on Saturday morning NTSB investigator Debra Eckrote said they are trying to determine 'what his process was and where the aircraft was going'.

    'He's ground support so, you know, they have access to aircraft,' she said, adding that that we're 'very lucky' the plane went on a 'very underpopulated island'.
     
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  9. Cody Fousnaugh

    Cody Fousnaugh Supreme Member
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    People keep doing absolutely crazy things these days. A lot of suicidal people in society. Some want help, and get it, while others don't want help and, in one way or another, just want to end their life. Sad, but so, so true.
     
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  10. Martin Alonzo

    Martin Alonzo Supreme Member
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    There is a lot of questions about this one claims he had no flying experience but was able to do a barrel roll that is impossible. So what does that mean he either had knowledge or the plain was under radio control. As he having knowledge seem to be ruled out the other is it was being controlled by some one else most all these planes have this capability. They have F15e which has the ability to jam radio controlled aircraft it would be nice to know what when on. I guess we might never know. I heard the pilot walked away but I did no get a verification of that.
     
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  11. Chrissy Cross

    Chrissy Cross Supreme Member
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    No, he died in the crash.

    He knew enough about planes to take off and fly but not how to land...don't think he really wanted to anyway.

    It was a suicide....thankfully nobody else got hurt and I do feel sorry for him and his entire family.
     
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  12. Hal Pollner

    Hal Pollner Veteran Member
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    Doing acrobatics is no big deal, but I could never get into baggage handling!

    H.P.
     
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