Richard Russell, an employee at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport stole a passenger plane last weekend. He was killed when he crashed twenty five miles away.

"A ground crew guy that had mental health issues, jumped on to a plane and flipped a switch and flew the plane all over for an hour. Now imagine if you decided to weaponize that plane and turn it toward Seattle what could've happened", says Congressman John Katko. 

There are a number of security threats and safety concerns for airlines. And Syracuse Hancock International Airport is prepared for them.

With victims on the floor and first responders on scene, the airports mock drill Saturday looked like the real deal.

"Today we are testing our response skills, we are conducting a live fire drill that includes the simulation of a plane crash with passengers on board..it's really important," says Christina Callahan, Syracuse Hancock International Airport Executive Director.

From the smoke-filled plane to the bruised volunteers playing victims, it's a way to get some hands-on experience as a team.

Following the drill, airport officials will critique what they saw in hopes of making improvements.