A 29-year-old ground service agent employed by Horizon Air allegedly took off in a Bombardier Q400 turboprop without clearance from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on Saturday, Alaska Airlines reported.
According to a spokesman for the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, Ed Troyer, the individual operating the plane, was confirmed to be a 29-year-old "suicidal male" who acted alone. There were no passengers on board the plane.
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F-15 fighter jets chased the stolen turboprop aircraft until it crashed near Ketron Island in Puget Sound some 25 miles southwest of the airport. According to preliminary information, the crash occurred because the man was "doing stunts in the air" but lacked flying skills.
Alaska Airlines reported that the man responsible for flying the plane was a ground service agent employed by Horizon Air.