On 24^th March 2015, German Wings flight 9525 was intentionally crashed into a mountain.

Deliberate manipulation of flight controls by pilots also caused the crash of Japan Airlines flight 350, Silkair flight 185, Egypt Air Flight 990, and LAM Mozambique Airlines flight 470. There are some lingering questions about whether deliberate conduct on part of flight crew led to the disappearance of Malaysian Airlines flight MH370.

In 1986, China Airlines flight 334 was hijacked by one of the pilots, diverted to Guangzhou where the pilot defected. In 1994, an attempt by an off duty pilot “in despair”, to crash Federal Express flight 705 was thwarted by the flight crew who put up a fight. In 2014, Ethiopian Airlines flight 702 was hijacked by the first officer and diverted to Geneva where he sought political asylum.

In April 2015, a pilot for a Cathy Pacific flight scheduled to fly from London-Heathrow to Hong Kong was arrested before boarding the plane, after being found in possession of illegal knives[1].

For over three decades, pilots suffering from emotional distress, financial and psychiatric problems have used aircraft as the weapon of choice to end their lives, ending the lives of hundreds of innocent passengers in the process. This is a harsh reminder that planes are lethal weapons when entrusted to the wrong people.

In all the incidents mentioned above, the pilots in control were properly licensed, and had the relevant requirements listed in annex one (Personnel Licensing) to the Convention on International Civil Aviation, including valid medical fitness certificates.

Preliminary and final investigation reports (Egypt Air and Silk Air are disputed) for all the incidents above disclose one hidden and invisible danger – mental distress.

Annex one to the Convention of International Civil Aviation (Ch. 6) makes physical and mental examination mandatory[2]. Pilots have to disclose medical facts concerning personal, familial and hereditary history.  In particular, under Ch. 6.3.2, pilots should not suffer from any disease or disability which could render them likely to become suddenly unable either to operate an aircraft safely, or to perform assigned duties safely. Further, pilots should have no established medical history or clinical diagnosis of mental, behavioral, delusional, stress related, neurotic, psychological development, emotional or any other mental disorders.

Once passed fit during medical certification and issued a license, a pilot need not undergo further certification for a year. However Ch. 1.2.6 forbids a license holder from exercising privileges of his license if aware of a decrease in medical fitness which might render him or her unable to safely exercise those privileges.

Some airlines have included clauses in their handbooks and operational guidelines that forbid any membera of the flight crew to act as such, if they feel their physical or mental condition might jeopardize flight safety.

Unfortunately, such clauses can only be effective if crew are comfortable with disclosure. Conditions like emotional distress associated with failed or problematic relationships/marriages, or financial hardships are potentially embarrassing and considered personal. A disclosure requirement might be considered an invasion of privacy.

However, privacy is not an absolute right, especially where hundreds of innocent passengers rely on the confidence and competence of flight crew, who they trust to deliver them safely to their destinations.

Physical conditions are investigated and addressed by routine medical assessment and evaluation, the frequency of which increases with age. Cardiovascular, sight and hearing problems are under normal circumstances, critically examined as license holders’ move up the age ladder.

Mental distress, irrespective of cause, cuts across all age groups. The table below shows incidents, designation and age of responsible pilots.