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Andreas Lubitz: the ‘perfectly normal' young co-pilot who killed 150 people Andreas Lubitz: the ‘perfectly normal' young co-pilot who killed 150 people
(about 1 hour later)
Andreas Lubitz, a 27-year-old from a small town in western Germany, had all the makings of an exemplary Lufthansa pilot, it seemed. Fit, qualified, betraying no signs of psychological distress, Lubitz was clearly trusted by his colleagues and his employer. Andreas Lubitz, a 27-year-old from a small town in western Germany, seemingly had all the makings of an exemplary Lufthansa pilot. Fit, qualified and betraying no signs of psychological distress, he was clearly trusted by his colleagues and his employer.
Patrick Sonderheimer, the captain whose toilet break provided the chance for the younger co-pilot to apparently plunge the Airbus 320 and another 149 people into a French mountain, clearly did not think he was leaving the aircraft in the hands of a kamikaze for a few minutes. Patrick Sonderheimer, the captain whose toilet break provided the chance for the younger co-pilot to apparently plunge the Airbus 320 carrying another 149 people into a French mountain, clearly did not think he was leaving the aircraft in the hands of a kamikaze for a few minutes.
The flight’s voice recorder, according to the French investigators, showed the two Germans chatting normally for the first 20 minutes of the flight from Barcelona to Düsseldorf before the more experienced pilot absented himself briefly – properly, according to the rules – once the plane had reached its cruising altitude.The flight’s voice recorder, according to the French investigators, showed the two Germans chatting normally for the first 20 minutes of the flight from Barcelona to Düsseldorf before the more experienced pilot absented himself briefly – properly, according to the rules – once the plane had reached its cruising altitude.
Related: Germanwings crash: airliners change cockpit rules after co-pilot blamed – live updatesRelated: Germanwings crash: airliners change cockpit rules after co-pilot blamed – live updates
According to neighbours and friends, Lubitz had always dreamed of being a pilot. The local air strip and gliding club sat just 100 meters from the family home in Montabaur, halfway between Frankfurt and Cologne. He enrolled there as a youth and gained his gliders’ licence as a teenager before attending the Lufthansa pilot training centre in Bremen at the age of 20, a few months after completing school and the German abitur - the rough equivalent of A-levels. According to neighbours and friends, Lubitz had always dreamed of being a pilot. The local air strip and gliding club sat just 100 metres from the family home in Montabaur, halfway between Frankfurt and Cologne. He enrolled there as a youth and gained his gliders licence as a teenager before attending the Lufthansa pilot training centre in Bremen at the age of 20, a few months after completing school and the German abitur – roughly the equivalent of A-levels.
“His big dream was always to be a pilot,” an unnamed neighbour told the local newspaper, Rhein-Zeitung. “He pursued that determinedly and made it.” “His big dream was always to be a pilot,” an unnamed neighbour told the local newspaper Rhein-Zeitung. “He pursued that determinedly and made it.”
Only a few months ago he renewed his glider’s licence in his home town. Peter Ruecker, a fellow glider, had known Lubitz for more than a decade. “He was happy he had the job with Germanwings and he was doing well,” he told the Associated Press. “He was very happy. He gave off a good feeling.” A few months ago he renewed his gliders licence in his home town. Peter Ruecker, a fellow glider, had known Lubitz for more than a decade. “He was happy he had the job with Germanwings and he was doing well,” he told the Associated Press. “He was very happy. He gave off a good feeling.”
Ruecker added to RTL radio: “He was a perfectly normal young man. He was very happy with this job. He was satisfied. He had achieved his dream. He had no problems. I don’t believe him capable of such a thing.”Ruecker added to RTL radio: “He was a perfectly normal young man. He was very happy with this job. He was satisfied. He had achieved his dream. He had no problems. I don’t believe him capable of such a thing.”
In Bremen, Lubitz passed all the technical, flying and medical tests after starting training in 2008 and qualified as a first officer or co-pilot in 2013, said Carsten Spohr, Lufthansa’s chief executive officer, on Thursday. “He was 100% fit for flying.” In Bremen, Lubitz passed all the technical, flying and medical tests after starting training in 2008 and qualified as a first officer or co-pilot in 2013, said Carsten Spohr, Lufthansa’s chief executive, on Thursday. “He was 100% fit for flying.”
Lufthansa prides itself on the thoroughness and high-quality standards of its pilot training. Spohr said more than once that the company’s pilots were the world’s best. He added that those flying for Germanwings, Lufthansa’s budget subsidiary, went through precisely the same exacting courses. Lufthansa prides itself on the thoroughness and high quality of its pilot training. Spohr said more than once that the company’s pilots were the world’s best. He added that those flying for Germanwings, Lufthansa’s budget subsidiary, went through precisely the same exacting courses.
But one gap in the narrative nagged. Lubitz had taken a break of several months from his pilot training. Spohr said there was nothing unusual about this but that he could not and “may not” give the reason for this for reasons of medical confidentiality. The Lufthansa boss said the interruption in the training occurred six years ago. A journalist from Der Spiegel, reporting from Montabaur, cited acquaintances as saying that the break in 2009 was because of stress – “because of burnout or depression”. But one gap in the narrative nagged. Lubitz had taken a break of several months from his pilot training. Spohr said there was nothing unusual about this but that he could not and “may not” give the reason for this for reasons of medical confidentiality.
The Lufthansa boss said the interruption in the training occurred six years ago. A journalist from Der Spiegel, reporting from Montabaur, cited acquaintances as saying that the break in 2009 was down to stress – “because of burnout or depression”.
Spohr said Lubitz was judged fit to resume the training scheme a few months later and then passed all the medical, psychological and flying tests. He went on to clock up 630 flight hours.Spohr said Lubitz was judged fit to resume the training scheme a few months later and then passed all the medical, psychological and flying tests. He went on to clock up 630 flight hours.
Related: Germanwings flight 4U9525 deliberately flown into mountain, says prosecutorRelated: Germanwings flight 4U9525 deliberately flown into mountain, says prosecutor
While Thursday’s revelations were numbing in their sheer unexpectedness, the German authorities appear to have been on the case as soon as news of the disaster broke on Tuesday.While Thursday’s revelations were numbing in their sheer unexpectedness, the German authorities appear to have been on the case as soon as news of the disaster broke on Tuesday.
The interior ministry in Berlin ran security and intelligence checks on both pilots on Tuesday, said the interior minister, Thomas de Maizière. The databases were scoured. “There is no indication of any kind of terrorist background,” he said.The interior ministry in Berlin ran security and intelligence checks on both pilots on Tuesday, said the interior minister, Thomas de Maizière. The databases were scoured. “There is no indication of any kind of terrorist background,” he said.
Lubitz was from Montabaur, a small and ancient town of 13,000 an hour north-west of Frankfurt, Germany’s main air hub, and an hour south-east of Cologne where Germanwings bases its operations. He apparently still lived there with his parents, although he also had a flat in Düsseldorf. Lubitz was from Montabaur, a small and ancient town of 13,000 people an hour north-west of Frankfurt, Germany’s main air hub, and an hour south-east of Cologne, where Germanwings bases its operations. He apparently still lived there with his parents, although he also had a flat in Düsseldorf.
Curiously, Lubitz’s Facebook page had been deleted before the French prosecutor Brice Robin revealed on Thursday that the plane appeared to have been crashed deliberately. It later reappeared with a different picture of him posing before San Francisco’s Golden Gate bridge.Curiously, Lubitz’s Facebook page had been deleted before the French prosecutor Brice Robin revealed on Thursday that the plane appeared to have been crashed deliberately. It later reappeared with a different picture of him posing before San Francisco’s Golden Gate bridge.
But even before being deleted, there appeared to be little of note in the Facebook entries. It showed interest in flying and gadgets, as well as in electronic music, discos and 10-pin bowling. His Facebook likes included Lufthansa and LFT Bremen, his pilot training school. Lubitz linked to the Airbus A320 technical site and a page dedicated to the Beechcraft Bonanza, an American six-seater light aircraft. There was a mention of Alexander Gerst, the German astronaut who last year blasted off to the International Space Station. But even before being deleted, there appeared to be little of note in the Facebook entries. It showed an interest in flying and gadgets, as well as in electronic music, discos and 10-pin bowling. His Facebook likes included Lufthansa and LFT Bremen, his pilot training school. Lubitz linked to the Airbus A320 technical site and a page dedicated to the Beechcraft Bonanza, an American six-seater light aircraft. There was a mention of Alexander Gerst, the German astronaut who last year blasted off to the International Space Station.
What can be gleaned of Lubitz’s social life from Facebook centred on the city of Koblenz near Montabaur. There are links to a climbing wall, Kletterwald Sayn, located in a forest, a local bowling alley, Pinup, and one of Koblenz’s nightclubs, the Agostea Nachtarena. And to a branch of Burger King. What can be gleaned of Lubitz’s social life from Facebook centred on the city of Koblenz near Montabaur. There are links to a climbing wall, Kletterwald Sayn, located in a forest, to a local bowling alley, Pinup, and one of Koblenz’s nightclubs, the Agostea Nachtarena. And to a branch of Burger King.
At his parents’ house in Montabaur on Thursday, the curtains were drawn and four police cars were parked outside.At his parents’ house in Montabaur on Thursday, the curtains were drawn and four police cars were parked outside.
Investigators are likely to delve into Lubitz’s personal life to try to uncover any clues about his mental state. Investigators are likely to delve into Lubitz’s personal life to try to uncover any clues about his mental state. “The very first thing the aviation authorities and investigators will do is go through his personal background and look at his professional life, in terms of his relationships, finances, flying record and medical record,” said Robert Bor, an aviation psychologist.
“The very first thing the aviation authorities and investigators will do is go through his personal background and look at his professional life, in terms of his relationships, finances, flying record and medical record,” the aviation psychologist Robert Bor said. “They will also be interviewing pilots he has flown with over the last few weeks to see if there is anything about his behaviour, attitude or professional conduct that could be potentially relevant here. It’s an extremely rare thing for a pilot to crash his own plane.” “They will also be interviewing pilots he has flown with over the last few weeks to see if there is anything about his behaviour, attitude or professional conduct that could be potentially relevant here. It’s an extremely rare thing for a pilot to crash his own plane.”
But the French investigators and Lufthansa were surprisingly forthright in emphasising that Lubitz had acted deliberately to take all passengers and crew to their deaths. But the French investigators and Lufthansa were surprisingly forthright in emphasising that Lubitz had acted deliberately to take all passengers and crew to their deaths. “Usually, when someone commits suicide, he is alone,” said Spohr, the Lufthansa CEO. “When someone takes another 149 to their deaths, suicide is not the right word.”
“Usually, when someone commits suicide, he is alone,” said Spohr, the Lufthansa CEO. “When someone takes another 149 to their deaths, suicide is not the right word.”