The airline employee who stole a plane from the Seattle airport and fatally crashed onto a small island was not a licensed pilot

Youtube/Handout via REUTERS

• Airline ground agent Richard Russell stole an empty Horizon Air plane on Friday night from Sea-Tac International Airport and fatally crashed into a small island in the Puget Sound.
• Officials have said that the 29-year-old was not a licensed pilot, but had clearance to be among aircraft.
• Video from the incident shows the Horizon Air Q400 doing large loops and dangerous maneuvers before crashing on to an island 90 minutes after taking off.
• It remains unclear how Russell attained skills to do loops in the aircraft, or how he knew how to start the engine, which requires a series of switches and levers.

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The airline ground agent who stole an empty commercial airplane, took off from Sea-Tac International Airport, and fatally crashed into a small island in the Puget Sound was not a licensed pilot, officials said Saturday.

The man, identified to the Associated Press as 29-year-old Richard Russell, was a 3.5-year Horizon Airlines employee and had clearance to be among aircraft.See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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SEE ALSO: The man who stole a plane from Sea-Tac Airport and crashed it has reportedly been identified as 29-year-old Richard Russell