‘Broken Man’ Who Stole an Airplane: Inside the ‘#SKYKING’ Tragedy

New documentary uses previously unreleased audio and emotional family interviews to explore the mental health crisis that led to hijacking in 2018.

Meg Godlewski

Monday, April 20, 2026 at 03:05 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

A Horizon Air Bombardier Q400 [Credit: Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

The documentary "#SKYKING" investigates the 2018 incident where Richard Russell, a Horizon Air ramp agent with no pilot experience, stole a Dash 8-400 from Sea-Tac Airport, flew it for over an hour, and intentionally crashed it, leading to his death.
The film explores Russell's deteriorating mental state, potential financial struggles, and alleged workplace mistreatment (low pay, derogatory terms, denied promotion) through interviews with his family and friends, who reflect on missed signs and his description of himself as a "broken man."
It incorporates previously unreleased ATC audio recordings and addresses the controversial "folk hero" status and politicization of Russell's story, which his family finds distressing.

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On August 10, 2018, a ramp agent for Horizon Air at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (KSEA) who had zero pilot experience stole an empty de Havilland Dash 8-400 and took it for a one-hour-and-15-minute joy ride around southwestern Washington state.

All the while he talked with an air traffic controller (ATC) and an experienced Q400 pilot, both of whom tried to get him to land the aircraft. Instead, the pilot, 29-year-old Richard “Beebo” Russell, performed a barrel roll then ended the flight with an intentional crash on a sparsely populated, heavily forested island west of Tacoma.