We now know that the co-pilot of Germanwings Flight 9525, Andreas Lubitz, deliberately brought down the aircraft he was entrusted to fly, killing 150 passengers and crew members. Questions are focusing on the co-pilot’s mental state, and whether aviation authorities and airlines do enough to evaluate the mental stability of those flying the planes.
Information is gradually surfacing about the procedures in place to screen pilots. We’ve learned that pilots typically undergo psychological testing when they are hired, but are not required to undergo psych evaluations after that unless there’s a specific reason, like a traumatic life event.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), U.S. pilots must take an annual physical exam to retain their medical certificates, and during those exams medical examiners are expected to ask questions designed to identify psychological red flags. But that sort of surface-level examination relies on honest self-reporting, and the reality is that self-reporting is unreliable. Pilots know they’re opening the door to further investigation by candidly answering questions about depression, anxiety or other mental-state issues, and just like any professional they’re also sensitive to the stigma associated with disclosure.
This tragedy will focus more attention on the gap between initial psych evaluations and ongoing assessments during a pilot’s career. Much can happen in someone’s life in a relatively short span of time, and in some cases periodic screening (that delves deeper than self-reporting) may catch a problem before it manifests in suicidal or homicidal behavior.
It’s instructive, however, to review the testing protocols the FAA requires medical examiners to use when evaluating U.S. pilots. Guidelines for testing are provided on the FAA website, and you may be reassured to know that they are quite extensive.
According to the FAA, pilots undergo an exam and a battery of tests given by a doctorate-level, licensed clinical psychologist with expertise in administering psychological assessments. The exam includes “a review of all available records, including academic records, records of prior psychiatric hospitalizations, and records of periods of observation or treatment (e.g., psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker, counselor, or neuropsychologist treatment notes),” and “a thorough clinical interview to include a detailed history regarding: psychosocial or developmental problems; academic and employment performance; legal issues; substance use/abuse (including treatment and quality of recovery)…and all medication use; and behavioral observations during the interview.”
The battery of tests includes neurocognitive evaluations, including intelligence tests (specifically the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale) and tests designed to assess executive functions like decision-making speed and ability. Other tests, such as the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2, dig into personality-related issues. A well-administrated personality assessment surfaces things like paranoia, depression and schizophrenia, and the likelihood that those or other conditions may develop. That’s an important point to underscore – personality assessments are, to a certain extent, predictive of future behavior.
Depending on a given person’s performance on these tests, the FAA may require more of them. Signs of a possible personality disorder trigger additional evaluations by a clinical neuropsychologist, who administers another battery of tests, and so on. If at any point along the way an examiner believes that a test was not administered correctly, or results appear incomplete, they’re given discretion to give it again “to assure a complete assessment.”
Clearly this isn’t an easy process, and it’s unlikely that anyone seeking to become a pilot in the U.S. is going to fake their way through it. Fibbing when asked to self-report on whether you’re feeling depressed or anxious is one thing, but tricking trained assessment experts across a battery of well-established evaluations is another. It’s possible, but unlikely.
As more becomes known about Lubitz’s mental state (and it no doubt will), all aviation authorities–the FAA and its international counterparts, along with every major airline–are likely to reassess their evaluation protocols and procedures to head off catastrophes like this from happening. Baseline testing is important, but ongoing psych screening may be equally important. Arguably it’s the only measure that has a chance of catching homicidal ideation before it turns into planning and, eventually, tragic action.
It is a shame....otherwise, just by the numbers, I know flying to be safe.
My heart goes out to the victims and their families...this was just such a horrific and senseless crime. Also prayers for the recovery teams, working in some of the most difficult terrain in the world to bring the victims' remains out. Just tragic.