French investigators have released their final report into the Germanwings Flight 4U 9525 crash, detailing the chilling final moments before the Airbus A320 ploughed into the French Alps in March 2015. The report, based on cockpit voice recorder data, confirms that co-pilot Andreas Lubitz deliberately crashed the aircraft, killing all 150 people on board.
The flight took off from Barcelona at 09:00 GMT on 24 March, heading for Düsseldorf. For the first 20 minutes, pilots were heard discussing the stopover with a flight attendant. At 09:30, the plane made routine contact with air traffic control. Shortly after, the captain left the cockpit, asking Lubitz to take over radio communications.
Seconds later, at 09:30:55, Lubitz manually changed the autopilot altitude from 38,000ft to 100ft, initiating a descent. Air traffic control repeatedly tried to contact the cockpit but received no response. At 09:34, a buzzer sounded as the captain attempted to re-enter, followed by knocking and muffled voices. Violent blows on the cockpit door were recorded five times in the final minute.
Despite the chaos, Lubitz remained silent, his breathing normal. The plane descended at 3-4,000ft per minute, with the last radar contact at 09:40:47 at 6,175ft. The terrain warning system activated 93 seconds before impact, and passengers were heard screaming in the final moments. The aircraft hit the mountain at 700km/h, causing instant death.
