Why Did A. Lubitz Crash Plane A320?

On March 24, 2015, a plane crash in the Alps left the world in turmoil, which left 150 people and five dogs on board. This was a large-scale tragedy that left people in several countries confused as the population, full of anticipation and heartbroken, searched for answers to explain this misfortune.

This was when the debate started about whether there should be security on low-cost airlines or not, and about the age of an aircraft that might not have been in the air at all. Everyone, everywhere, searched for thousands of answers, thousands of explanations in those sometimes “imperfect” machines that make up our modern lives.

Sometimes technology fails; we know that. Accidents happen and these accidents are almost always caused by something overlooked, such as a mistake or poor maintenance.

Few of us thought about the possibility that perhaps the fault lay not with the machine but with the man who piloted the machine,  in this case a young co-pilot who sent the plane into the French Alps of his own accord, killing everyone. who was on board with him.

How can we reconcile this data? As humans, we are always looking for a reason, an explanation that justifies such an incomprehensible act (even if it is impossible). How can we explain this kind of behavior: is it simply irrational, maybe a certain condition, or is it just a cruel act?

What led to Andreas Lubitz dropping the A320 plane in the Alps? In this article, let’s analyze the possible causes, going into all the information we’ve had at our disposal in the attempt to find a reason ‘why’.

A pilot declared ‘competent’ with psychological problems

Andreas Lubitz was alone in the cockpit when he suddenly, of his own accord, decided to press the button to initiate the descent of the plane, causing not only him but everyone else in the plane to lose their lives by falling. deposit in the French Alps.

According to the airline Lufthansa, the co-pilot of this air plane was certified to do his job; no one suspected anything and he was the perfect example of competence and professionalism.

However, there is also a medical record stating that Lubitz was neither competent nor professional and that a person’s psychological state was not fit to continue working. Lubitz was aware of this, but far from accepting it, he destroyed this report without the company ever finding out that it even existed. He just kept going to work, when in reality he should never have done this at all.

According to the released information, Andreas Lubitz suffered from severe depression. This depression was supported by the fact that he and his girlfriend had just broken up, an emotional problem that may have been the cause of this suicidal act.

Lubitz had been dealing with this depressive disorder throughout his life; he had also experienced something similar before, but was then being treated for a major depressive attack.

Major depression and ‘prolonged suicide’

So we have to ask ourselves this question: Can severe depression cause someone to not only commit suicide, but also take 150 other people’s lives?

When talking about depression, we must remember that no two people have the same psychological problem; that is, there is no single pattern that we can easily recognize. Often there are several related disorders. It is possible that Lubitz was not suffering from major depression, but psychotic depression instead. We do not know that.

The reasons that can cause a person to become depressed can be very different and complex, but they always involve a feeling of losing control over their own life and emotions, as well as a very negative view of the future. There is no hope at all. When this state of mind gets stronger, it usually leads to the development of suicidal desires.

On average, fifteen percent of people who suffer from depression also have suicidal tendencies. What is not very common, however, is that suicidal tendencies turn into murderous tendencies. That is, it is quite uncommon for someone who has the urge to end their own life to choose to “punish” multiple people and in this case also people with whom this person has no emotional connection at all.

In such a case we are talking about a ‘prolonged suicide’. In other words, situations in which a person wants to end not only his own life, but also the lives of other innocent people. The frustration and despair of these people is so advanced that it is no longer enough for them to just harm themselves; these people want to increase their aggressive desires by involving others as well. There is anger and a desire for revenge.

For example, in the case of Andreas Lubitz, we know that he was obsessed with flying. His emotional problems had probably caused him to sink into another depression, a process that had apparently been present in his psychological state of mind all along while asleep and was a big enough problem to postpone his degree.

The psychological record stating that Lubitz “was not qualified for this job and was not allowed to fly” was undoubtedly a decisive factor in his suicidal tendencies as well as his desire for revenge. This would be his last flight, but he wouldn’t be the only one to feel pain. This suffering would reach multiple dimensions and without a shadow of a doubt he went for it.

Some experts explain that these incomprehensible acts are sometimes driven by amok syndrome, a syndrome in which a person suddenly and uncontrollably reacts to harm others, to kill indiscriminately.

However, some argue that the horrific deed Andreas Lubitz did could easily have been premeditated. The Alps might even have held a special meaning for him, as he was associated with this landscape in an important way.

As humans, we always look for an explanation for events like this. We want to know the reasons and understand why a man who seems perfectly normal suddenly decides to take the lives of 150 people. Sometimes we just have to accept that some things are not rational, like evil. That evil exists and always just slips past our control. Incredibly and insatiably, it takes away what we love most.

Whatever the explanation, we send our most sincere support to the family members and our true tribute and respect to the victims. Rest in peace.