Plane crashes after 'unauthorized take-off' from SeaTac airport, officials say

a reply to: seagull

He's gotten tons of map props from the maintainer community. This was an epic way to go out. That roll, and pull out missing the water like that was amazing.

a reply to: Zaphod58

He claimed video games helped him his flying skills. Note to game creators: Add fuel management skills.

When the person states they didn't have a need for landing skills, you know it most likely will not have a happy ending.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Just got finished watching, and reading.

Mad props, indeed. I wonder what my Dad would have said. He used to work for Horizon.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: seagull

He's gotten tons of map props from the maintainer community. This was an epic way to go out. That roll, and pull out missing the water like that was amazing.

I thought the same thing. Traded some fun for his life. I think he could have added more to society if he could have gotten his head straightened out.

a reply to: roadgravel

He should have put more fuel on board to start with.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: roadgravel

He should have put more fuel on board to start with.

Good point. I wondered about that also after hearing his remarks.

originally posted by: NJE777
Yeah i saw it in the news.

Had 2 MIGS chasing it. Probably thought it might be terror related.

Crashed into an island. End of terror threat... Unless it was shot down in a strategic safe Place?

They were not Migs. It was at least one F-15.

a reply to: F4guy

It was the two alert birds out of Portland.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: NJE777

He was also extremely low on fuel, and overstressed the engines and airframe doing things they weren't really designed for.

The Q-400, as a Part 25 (and EASA equivalent) aircraft has design load limits of plus 2.5 Gs and negative 1.0 G. An aileron (or barrell) roll is very easy to do within those load limits. And the Pratt and Whitney Canada PW100 engine has an automatic torque limiter to prevent over-stressing the engines. There is no indication of a mechanical failure here. It was low level aerobatics by an untrained idiot in a 20 ton aircraft.

a reply to: F4guy

And if you leave the engines at high power settings the entire flight, which it sounds like he did in the videos, they tend to not react well to it.

Did they recover his body yet? Maybe he pulled off a DB Cooper style escape.

a reply to: EchoesInTime

They haven't said yet that I've seen.

You youngsters will have to enlighten me, but is it really possible this guy learned to fly via video games?

Granted, he was 29 and probably playing for half his life, but I just can't believe he could do that and especially roll the plane and keep going with no other training.

I've put a bunch of hours into Dying Light and did well enough, but I sure as hell could never parkour like Kyle Crane in real life.

a reply to: msfitte

Yes. Some of the flight simulators are incredibly accurate. Microsoft Flight Simulator uses actual cockpit models of real aircraft, as well as real methods of navigation, and real airport models, down to the correct positions of gates. Once you get airborne, flying is fairly easy (not nearly as easy as driving a car, but not as hard as you think). This isn't the first time someone that learned on a flight simulator successfully flew a plane.

ANA Flight 61.

a reply to: lakenheath24

“He learned to fly from video games”

Also I hadn’t heard the orca request, but my spidey senses tingle when hearing this. Yeah maybe he was just whacked, but maybe his plight was related to familial issues. Maybe he wanted to put the mom orca out of her misery?

Maybe this was a ploy by TPTB to tighten airline security?

a reply to: slatesteam

Except that this wouldn't have anything to do with airport security. This would tighten things up on the back side, where the employees are, not where the passengers are. The aircraft was parked in a maintenance area, where passengers had no access, and only badged employees could get to.

originally posted by: EchoesInTime
a reply to: Zaphod58

Here is audio of the pilot, his name was Rich, talking to the air traffic controller during the flight.

At one point, he asked for coordinates of the Orca who is carrying her dead calf. He wanted to see the sights on his last flight.
He says he wants to do a barrel roll before landing, and looks like he pulled it off. He said he learned how to fly from playing video games.

threadreaderapp.com...

From what I've read on local social media sources he was going through a marriage separation. Seems like he was very empathetic and especially in regards to not wanting to hurt any of us here.

Here's a news update:
Source

The correspondence to him was handled very well as well as the National Guard response was prompt and very appreciated.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Phone Number 1-800-273-8255

Site
Regards to his family and friends

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: seagull

He's gotten tons of map props from the maintainer community. This was an epic way to go out. That roll, and pull out missing the water like that was amazing.

I watched the video, his altitude had to be in the low double digits over the water, just insane maneuvering I dunno how he didnt pass out

a reply to: SailorJerry

They said 100 feet when he pulled out.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: SailorJerry

They said 100 feet when he pulled out.

Really? wow, I would have guessed lower but with the distance I suppose so

Still good christ, 100 feet in a bird that big and then to gain altitude like that again holy hannah