The co-pilot of the Germanwings aircraft that crashed into the French Alps two months back is believed to have practiced a rapid descent on the same plane on a previous flight, according to a report by French investigators.
According to BBC, the report claimed that Lubitz set the same plane for an unauthorized descent earlier on the same day.
The Germanwings co-pilot is suspected of intentionally crashing the Airbus 320 into the French Alps, killing all 150 people on board.
He is believed to have practiced rapid descent on the flight from Duesseldorf to Barcelona on 24 March, the preliminary report by accident investigation agency BEA said.
The changes apparently happened over a five-minute period at about 07:30 starting 30 seconds after the captain left the cockpit.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
