Throughout the history of aviation, there have been several devastating events in which a pilot, in a deliberate act, has starred in the aircraft under his charge, causing the death of passengers and the crew. These events, although isolated, have left a deep mark on society and the aeronautical industry, and have forced to rethink the safety protocols in the flight cabin.
As a common factor, investigations have concluded that pilots or co -pilots involved suffered from mental health effects that were not detected or valued with the necessary seriousness to prevent tragedy.
Confirmed cases
- Flight 9525 of Germanwings (2015): Maybe the most media case. On March 24, 2015, the co -pilot Andreas Lubitz deliberately crashed an Airbus A320 in the French Alps. Taking advantage of a momentary absence of the captain, Lubitz blocked the cabin door from the inside and directed the plane to the mountains, causing the death of the 150 people on board.
- Royal Air Maroc Flight (1994): On August 21, 1994, Captain Younes Khayati disconnected the ATR-42 automatic pilot and intentionally crashed in the Atlas mountains shortly after taking off from Agadir, Morocco. The 44 people on board died.
- Flight 470 of Lam Mozambique Airlines (2013): On November 29, 2013, Captain Herminio Dos Santos Fernandes locked himself in the booth of an Embraer 190 and crashed in the Bwabwata National Park in Namibia. The 33 people on board lost their lives.
- Flight 350 from Japan Airlines (1982): On February 9, 1982, Captain Seiji Katagiri tried to crash a Douglas DC-8 in Tokyo Bay during the approach to Haneda airport. The crew managed to submit it partially, but the accident resulted in the death of 24 of the 174 people on board.
Probable cases
- Flight 5735 from China Eastern Airlines (2022): On March 21, 2022, a Boeing 737-800 that flew from Kunming to Guangzhou rushed into minced and crashed into a mountainous area, killing the 132 people on board. Although official Chinese research has not publicly concluded that it was a suicide, the data recovered from the black boxes suggest that the aircraft was intentionally stared.
- Flight 185 by Silkair (1997): On December 19, 1997, a Boeing 737-300 that flew from Yakarta to Singapore crashed in the Musi River in Indonesia, causing the death of the 104 people on board. The National Board of Security in the United States Transport (NTSB) concluded that the accident was the result of a deliberate action of the pilot. However, Indonesian aviation authorities did not reach a definitive conclusion, citing lack of evidence.
- Flight 990 of Egyptair (1999): On October 31, 1999, a Boeing 767 that covered the New York route to Cairo crashed into the Atlantic Ocean, killing the 217 people on board. The NTSB determined that the co-pilot Gameel al-Batouti deliberately caused the accident. On the contrary, the Egyptian authorities attributed the incident to a mechanical failure, generating a controversy that persists until today.
The most recent example, and is still under investigation, occurred in India on June 12, 2025. Ai171 Air India flight crashed moments after taking off from Ahmedabad. The aircraft, destined for London, rushed causing the death of 241 of the 242 people on board and 19 people on land. Although preliminary investigation points to a cut of the fuel flow to the engines, the root cause – a catastrophic failure or an intentional human action – will take to determine itself officially.
These tragic events have led to the implementation of international security measures, such as the “rule of the two in cab”, which demands the presence of two crew members in the flight cabin at all times, to prevent an individual act from having such catastrophic consequences.
Beyond the protocols, these events force us to a reflection on the importance of mental health. In aviation, research protocols are exhaustive. However, it is worth asking how many road accidents – in which trailers, passenger buses or private vehicles – could have in the background not a mechanical failure or an error, but a deliberate action born of despair.
What leads a human being to the point of ending everything, dragging with him the life of hundreds of passengers and co -workers? How many warning signs went unnoticed by their environment before the tragedy was inevitable?
It is necessary that the transport industry implement robust detection and support programs for mental health. The culture of prevention must go beyond the rigorous mechanical review protocols or the demanding expert tests to grant licenses. Depression is a silent disease that can be worsened with each flight, with every day.
About the author:
*Edgar Alonso Angulo Rosas is a clinical psychologist and addiction expert with extensive experience in prevention and attention to violence, addictions, mental health and human rights. He has held management positions at NGOs, public and private sector.
Email: (email protected)
The opinions expressed are only the responsibility of their authors and are completely independent of the position and the editorial line of Forbes Mexico.
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