Andreas Lubitz: an identifiable threat before the psychological autopsy?

摘要

As someone who has provided aviation clinical psychology services to the civilian and military aviation sectors for more than twenty-five years, I have gained some insight into some of the mental health issues that affect pilots (see 'Aviation Mental Health' and 'Anxiety at 35,000 Feet') as well as airline passengers (see 'Passenger Behaviour'). I have been involved in pilot selections and mental health assessments, besides being a general psychologist and a systemic psychotherapist. I claim no special expertise in the area of suicidality. In my line of aviation psychology work it hardly ever features, though I am familiar with half a dozen or so cases of pilot suicide on commercial aircraft in the last 25 years. However, I do supervise colleagues who very occasionally encounter patients whose inner turmoil is such that if it remains unexplored and unchecked, it can lead to catastrophic outcomes. Fortunately, it has never been with a pilot.