Confirmed Pilot Murder-Suicide Cases on Commercial Flights
Here is the list of commercial flight crashes where investigations have concluded, with strong evidence, that a pilot or co-pilot deliberately caused the aircraft to crash, killing all onboard:
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Royal Air Maroc Flight 630 (August 21, 1994)
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Aircraft Type: ATR 42-300
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Summary: The investigation concluded the captain deliberately disengaged the autopilot and put the aircraft into a steep dive, killing all 44 on board.
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SilkAir Flight 185 (December 19, 1997)
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Aircraft Type: Boeing 737-300
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Summary: While Indonesian authorities did not find a definitive cause, the NTSB (U.S. National Transportation Safety Board) concluded that the captain intentionally put the aircraft into a dive, killing all 104 people on board.
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EgyptAir Flight 990 (October 31, 1999)
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Aircraft Type: Boeing 767-300ER
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Summary: The NTSB concluded that the crash was a deliberate act by the relief first officer, killing all 217 people on board. The Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority, however, disputed this finding.
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LAM Mozambique Airlines Flight 470 (November 29, 2013)
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Aircraft Type: Embraer 190
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Summary: Investigators determined that the captain deliberately crashed the aircraft after locking the co-pilot out of the cockpit, killing all 33 people on board.
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Germanwings Flight 9525 (March 24, 2015)
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Aircraft Type: Airbus A320-200
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Summary: The investigation found that the co-pilot intentionally flew the aircraft into the mountain after locking the captain out of the cockpit, killing all 150 people on board.
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Cases with Strong Suspicions of Deliberate Action (Investigations Ongoing or Findings Disputed/Withheld)
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China Eastern Airlines Flight 5735 (March 21, 2022)
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Aircraft Type: Boeing 737-800
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Current Status: The official Chinese investigation is ongoing, and a final report has not been publicly released, with Chinese authorities citing "national security and social stability." However, U.S. officials involved in the investigation have strongly suggested that flight data from the black box indicates intentional input from the cockpit caused the plane to nose-dive, killing all 132 people onboard. This makes it a highly suspected case of pilot murder-suicide, although not officially confirmed by the lead investigating authority (China).
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Air India Flight AI171 (June 12, 2025)
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Aircraft Type: Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner
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Current Status: Under investigation by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). Preliminary findings indicate both engine fuel cutoff switches moved from "RUN" to "CUTOFF" shortly after takeoff, causing loss of thrust. The exact cause (deliberate human action, mechanical failure, or electronic malfunction) is still being investigated. A cockpit voice recording captured one pilot asking another "Why did you cut off?", to which the other replied, "I did not do so."
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Other Notable Cases (Not Confirmed Murder-Suicide of All Onboard)
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Japan Air Lines Flight 350 (February 9, 1982)
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Aircraft Type: Douglas DC-8-61
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Summary: The captain intentionally engaged thrust reversers during approach. While there were fatalities (24), it's sometimes differentiated as some control was regained, and not all onboard were killed. The captain survived.
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