certainly looking a bit questionable. we don't know if the pilot in the cockpit was incapacitated in any way?

one would think however that the autopilot would have kept the plane on a proper course.

we need more info soon!

The names and histories of the pilots would be helpful, I think.

I'm sure we will know that soon. I further suspect that given the shadow of foul play, the residences of the pilots will be looked over closely and that computer hard drives will be confiscated immediately.

Why doesn't both pilots have keys to the cockpit...assuming the lock can be accessed from the outside? Or is it a "bolt" type of lock?

Unless the pilot in the cockpit is awake and actively resisting entry, there are ways for the pilot outside to get in. Decompression automatically unlocks the door, so we can rule that out. Apparently there is a deadbolt.

Sad to say, but if this is true, it looks like the guy in the cockpit set a descent into terrain and then threw the deadbolt on his side of the door.

I would think if both pilots have keys, one pilot outside the cockpit could be overwhelmed by a ne're-do-well who could then invade the cockpit.

Because this, till now, has been a less likely scenario than someone bum rushing a pilot when they leave the cockpit to take a leak.

uh, who said anything about keys?

Apparently there is a proceedure, but no responsible pilot (I'm not a pilot) will discuss it publicly.

generally a flight attendant will enter the cockpit when one of the pilots uses the facilities and another flight attendant will stand in front of the bulkhead (as if that would stop a charging 2 year old).

I've always suspected pilot suicide when situations like this arise. But, being locked out of the cockpit seems completely unacceptable. There must be other ways to get in besides keys or a deadbolt.

This is the Airbus cockpit door procedure. Knocking on the door is not one of the entry options.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixEHV7c3VXs

Coincidentally, I got off a long haul A320 flight into Singapore last night and read about this incident.

Imagine, sitting in 2B watching one of the pilots, at first tapping on the flight deck door, then knocking, then entering the keypad numbers (it seems) and having them overridden from inside, then trying to breakdown the blast proof door, all the while feeling the aircraft tip over into descent .....jesus crist, what a scenario.

News agencies going off the goddamn rails right now on reporting this... I am sure there were news people jumping for joy that anther plane had gone down this year... they are seeing those page-clicks and tv-ratings in their eyes.

I can't read any normal news site because of this crap. The general public doesn't 'NEED TO KNOW' anything here other than 1) plane crash and 2) nobody survived and 3) there isn't any immediately known threat to anyone else at this time.

That's it. They could stop there and go back to other things. But no. It's speculation station out there (and in this thread) with people DEMANDING to find out more...

jesus christ what have we become.


Even this thread... it's 5 f*&%ing pages already. I don't understand why everyone requires to much though on this.

Interesting information should come from passenger iPhones. I find it hard to believe that if things are obviously going wrong, with crew-member(s) frantically trying to break through the cockpit door, that no-one videoed it. Again speaking from ignorance, but I assume you only need an intact chip, as opposed to an intact iPhone, to pull such a video clip, or a Dear Wife / Kids note from iPhone notes, or even failed texts.

Lousy way to spend 18 minutes watching that unfold.

The failure to release crew names puzzles me. Why not if the locked cockpit story is NYT cr4p and the powers-that-be are suspecting mechanical /electrical fault or crew incapacitation?

Because the crew has family members and nothing is confirmed yet.

This I not European SOP.
Only in US.

Richard Quest and CNN.....tools

OK. When you become king you can fix us all and our morbid curiosities, determine what we 'NEED TO KNOW' and allow us all to kiss your…ring.

Kings and rings aside, this is looking like that Egyptair crash a few years back. Without trying to agitate anyone's delicate sensibilitities, if this is another murder/suicide allot more needs to be done to protect the public from psychotic mass-murdering airline pilots.

You're welcome to not participate in this thread, and sit idly by waiting on the final verdict about 6 months from now, but complaining how this thread and others similar in content take up valuable bandwidth and wastes your time is rather pointless.

The report is that there is a keypad and code to get in, but there is a delay and an alarm. During that time, someone in the cockpit can press a button and cancel the door opening, to prevent a coerced entry.

Really sad. French press conference, prosecutor confirms that pilot locked in cockpit is heard to manipulate flight management system to select altitude, and sounds of breathing heard all of the way to the ground. One can only assume intentional act.

Wondering same. They know who the pilot and co-pilots are. Their families have been notified, yet no names or info being released. Have to wonder if the co-pilot decided to take out 150 infidels. I can't be the only one wondering this!

They just released the name. Didn't indicate any of the telltales of what you're describing from the CVR. Just steady breathing all the way down, no religious proclamations or anything of that sort.

Wow, if it's true that the co-pilot took the plane down, there are going to be some really upset pilots. There have been calls for more cockpit monitoring for years that have been vehemently opposed by pilots. This incident might make cockpit monitoring and even remote control a reality.

We've lost two planes in the past year due to probable criminal actions by pilots.

Lastly, this is awful for all families involved, but can you imagine being the parents of the co-pilot? They must be really shocked. What a tragedy.

USA Today reports copilot locked out pilot, set the plane to descend, and sat quietly until the crash. Sounds of banging, alarms, and screaming from passengers could be heard in the background. No evidence of reason for deliberate crashing of plane.

Officials: Co-pilot deliberately crashed Flight 9525

Co-Pilot - I'd speculate Women problems...........And, I usually don't speculate...

here is how it works
Cockpit Door Panel | Cockpit Door Switch
Have more lives been lost from pilot suicides than terrorist actions?

WTF is wrong with people! If you want to off yourself so be it but take a whole plane full of innocents with you? WTF!?! :confused:

Sorry for the rant... just heard from my nephew's wife a co-worker was on the plane... a college student.:(

So far this looks like the third mass-murder-suicide-by-pilot incident in recent history including Egypt Air 990 and MH370. No known motive for this one as yet. Chilling.

There is a trove of high-functioning, mentally-ill people working in all manner of work lines. Look around. It's everywhere. Probably always has been.

So now we have the exact opposite scenario of the one that created this situation. Doors were made harder too breach after 9/11. Now they probably should be made easier to breach.
At least we're off the Airbus/Boeing thing, unless Boeing cockpit doors are somehow better ?

Seriously though, I find it hard to believe a determined pilot with passenger help could not break that door with their life on the line. Also kinda weird the copilot would not issue any statement, radio message, last letter, nothing..

I did the door mod on a couple of 737's after 9/11, and determined or not, you are not going through that door without someone opening it.

Germanwings is set to restructure with a 40% decrease in pay for flight crews...

Good to know, thanks !! Not even with a loaded cart food cart as a ram ? I guess that might have to be reversed, then. Sounds like what we need is a "delay" door that lets an air marshall or passengers come help. A totally unbreachable door clearly poses issues of its own ;-(

At least it opens when the cockpit is depressurized, correct ?

News this morning was reporting 5 since 1980, not counting MH370

I blame their Human Resources department. Pilots used to do most of the hiring until the PC Police stepped in and gave the job to people who have no idea about aviation or anything else. In an interview process real pilots can spot a lunatic, sociopath, head case, or just a lousy flyer in about five seconds. Have four captains stare you down in an interview and if you're a loser you'll start sweating and pulling at your collar. If you're competent and level-headed then that will come through and you'll get hired. Also, low cost carrier. Pay someone a decent wage and he'll be less likely to do something insane like this. Can you imagine Delta having this happen? Not when you make 150-250K+ a year. Low-cost carriers attract the dregs who can't get hired by, say, Delta or Lufthansa, and they sneak through the HR hiring process because the low-cost carrier needs pilots badly.

End of rant.

The end result of this will be the same "2 man" regulation we have in the US. If the Pilot leaves for the bathroom, Head Flight Attendant goes into the cockpit.

How about....wedges....real simple tools. Once again, cnn seem hell-bent on setting new abject standards in 'broadcast journalism' - it, in & of itself, an oxymoron (??).

In the cold light of day, this incident has the elements of a horrible & senseless tragedy, but by employing sound proven investigative procedures (without all the gadfly speculation & conjecture) coupled with post crash analysis & a little luck, just maybe we'll get the real answers to all of this & avoid similar occurrences in the future.

May God rest their souls

JB

The bubble-headed bleach-blonde comes on at five. She can tell you 'bout the plane crash with a gleam in her eye.

--Don Henley

I won't even bother.