Germanwings Co-Pilot Had “A Will To Destroy” Plane By Deliberately Descending It Into The Alps

[LiberalEsto]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by NancyBlueINOklahoma (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Source: Buzzfeed.com

"The co-pilot of the crashed Germanwings flight intentionally began the plane’s descent into the Alps when the captain stepped out of the cockpit, prosecutors said Thursday. The co-pilot had “a will to destroy this plane.”

The co-pilot of crashed Germanwings Flight 4U9525 deliberately slammed the Airbus plane into the French Alps, killing 150 people, officials said Thursday.

The actions of the co-pilot, Andreas Lubitz, 28, indicate “a will to destroy this plane,” French Prosecutor Brice Robin said.

Lubitz took the plane out of automatic controls and intentionally began its descent into the Alps after the captain left the cockpit."

from BBC:
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-32063587

Germanwings plane crash: Co-pilot 'wanted to destroy plane'

"The co-pilot of the Germanwings flight that crashed in the French Alps, named as Andreas Lubitz, appeared to want to "destroy the plane", officials said.

Marseille prosecutor Brice Robin, citing information from the "black box" voice recorder, said the co-pilot was alone in the cockpit."

He intentionally started a descent while the pilot was locked out.

Mr Robin said there was "absolute silence in the cockpit" as the pilot fought to re-enter it."






Read more: http://www.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeednews/plane-crashes-in-the-french-alps#.dnWb6edlp

[still_one]

1. why?

[LiberalEsto]

2. Heaven only knows

The French prosecutor, Robin, said "the most plausible interpretation" was that the co-pilot had deliberately barred the pilot from re-entering the cockpit.

Robin also said the co-pilot was "not known by us" to have any links to extremism or terrorism, accoring to BBC.



Photo of Andreas Lubitz, co-pilot, from BBC.com, apparently copied from his Facebook page

[still_one]

5. That is the million dollar question. Did he have a brain tumor or other affliction that might have

affected his behavior?

[callous taoboy]

3. Time to retro-fit cabin doors with a key for all pilots?

Or are those already standard?

[Ghost Dog]

4. Yes, the 'locked door' thing needs to be re-thought. n/t

Fuck.

[LiberalEsto]

6. From what I've read so far, there is some kind of electronic entry keypad

but the co-pilot may have overridden it.

This was posted on the BBC live feed:

"Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr has described the entry mechanism of the cockpit door.

"There is another code you can enter at the door which will lead to a bell ringing and if nobody reacts, the door will open automatically and allow entry," he said.

But he added that this can be blocked from the cockpit by pushing a switch that will lock the door for five minutes.

"Either the captain didn't enter the code correctly - which we find unlikely because everybody involved knows this code by heart - or the colleague had entered the code and the co-pilot prevented the door from opening by pushing the lock switch," said Mr Spohr. "

[father founding]

7. selective reporting

If the co pilots name was Abu Achmed, we would know everything about him by now.

[LiberalEsto]

8. BBC posted this brief profile of him

"Andreas Lubitz: Germanwings co-pilot under scrutiny

Started training in 2008, at Bremen and Arizona. Training briefly interrupted - but deemed fit to fly
Working as co-pilot, or first officer, since 2013. Appeared pleased with his job
Lived in town of Montaubaur, near Frankfurt, reportedly with his parents. Had many friends
Facebook profile suggests the active lifestyle of a keen runner, with an interest in pop music"

I am very curious about why his training was "briefly interrupted".

The Guardian's website has a bit more:

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/26/andreas-lubitz-co-pilot-of-germanwings-flight-4u9525-profile


They are being VERY cagey about the training interruption. Lufthansa's CEO, quoted by the Guardian:

"Lufthansa revealed that Lubitz’s training in 2009 had been briefly interrupted, but was resumed after “his suitability as a candidate was re-established”. Asked about the reason for the interruption, the CEO, Carsten Spohr, said he was not allowed to say. "

[LisaL]

15. My guess is, there were some mental health issues along the day.

[cstanleytech]

9. Any chance he had a stroke or heart attack and took it off autopilot by accident and then

collapsed on the controls causing the plane to descend rapidly?

[B2G]

10. No. nt

[mainstreetonce]

11. Not according to the report

They say they can hear the copilot breathing normally as the pilot bangs on the door.

[cstanleytech]

13. Well that eliminates that then, I thank you and the others for the response.

[LiberalEsto]

12. From what I've read, the co-pilot had to push some control button to put the plane into descent

so it seems to have been a deliberate action on his part.

[LisaL]

14. Certainly doesn't look so.

Appears to have been a deliberate murder-suicide.

[OKNancy]

16. Locking as a duplicate topic

Earlier thread on the same topic is here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10141049515

Feel free to add your article to the older thread.