http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...n-launches-kamikaze-attack-mothers-house.html
'Are you home? I am just going to drop by!' Man launches kamikaze attack on his mother's house
'It was like seeing a mini-rerun of 9/11'
Swiss woman only survived because she was in the basement at the time
By Allan Hall
Last updated at 12:18 AM on 19th July 2011
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A man flew his plane into his estranged mother’s home after telephoning her to say he was ‘dropping by’.
Konrad Schmidt, 47, flew the rented light aircraft past the building three times before crashing into it at high speed.
There was a huge explosion and fireball but, incredibly, his mother Rosemary, 68, survived because she was in the basement at the time of the suicide attack on Saturday afternoon.
Devastated: Rosemary Schmidt's house was destroyed by her son's suicide attack
Devastated: Rosemary Schmidt's house was destroyed by her son's suicide attack
Neighbours helped rescue her from the burning shell of her house in the Swiss village of Oberhallau, 50 miles north of Zurich.
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Police officer cut out of patrol car after vehicle crashes into kerb in Oxford Street
Mrs Schmidt, who is being treated for shock, told police that shortly before the crash her son telephoned her from the cockpit to say: ‘Are you home? I am just going to drop by.’
Witnesses said there was ‘no possibility’ that it had been an accident. One said: ‘He had all these flypasts. He was lining himself up. And then he did it. It was like seeing a mini re-run of 9/11.’
Rubble: The pilot is thought to have been depressed, and to have fallen out with his mother
Rubble: The pilot is thought to have been depressed, and to have fallen out with his mother
Schmidt, who had been a keen hobby pilot for many years, had hired the Diamond Aircraft DA42 earlier on Saturday.
In the past two years the unemployed electrical engineer had suffered depression and financial problems.
Neighbours said he had a long-running feud with his mother. ‘They had a lot of heavy issues over a lot of things,’ one said. ‘They did not have a good relationship.’
Disaster: Emergency services had to tackle fires at the house in northern Switzerland
Disaster: Emergency services had to tackle fires at the house in northern Switzerland
Media reports said Schmidt's father Otto was a senior pilot with national carrier Swissair, and was rarely at home during his son's childhood.
Konrad was brought up almost single-handed by his mother, and after his parents' marriage crumbled he was left bitter and disillusioned. He blamed Rosemary for the split, while his father moved out and died from cancer shortly afterwards.
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'Are you home? I am just going to drop by!' Man launches kamikaze attack on his mother's house
'It was like seeing a mini-rerun of 9/11'
Swiss woman only survived because she was in the basement at the time
By Allan Hall
Last updated at 12:18 AM on 19th July 2011
Comments (9)
Add to My Stories
Share
A man flew his plane into his estranged mother’s home after telephoning her to say he was ‘dropping by’.
Konrad Schmidt, 47, flew the rented light aircraft past the building three times before crashing into it at high speed.
There was a huge explosion and fireball but, incredibly, his mother Rosemary, 68, survived because she was in the basement at the time of the suicide attack on Saturday afternoon.
Devastated: Rosemary Schmidt's house was destroyed by her son's suicide attack
Devastated: Rosemary Schmidt's house was destroyed by her son's suicide attack
Neighbours helped rescue her from the burning shell of her house in the Swiss village of Oberhallau, 50 miles north of Zurich.
More...
Police officer cut out of patrol car after vehicle crashes into kerb in Oxford Street
Mrs Schmidt, who is being treated for shock, told police that shortly before the crash her son telephoned her from the cockpit to say: ‘Are you home? I am just going to drop by.’
Witnesses said there was ‘no possibility’ that it had been an accident. One said: ‘He had all these flypasts. He was lining himself up. And then he did it. It was like seeing a mini re-run of 9/11.’
Rubble: The pilot is thought to have been depressed, and to have fallen out with his mother
Rubble: The pilot is thought to have been depressed, and to have fallen out with his mother
Schmidt, who had been a keen hobby pilot for many years, had hired the Diamond Aircraft DA42 earlier on Saturday.
In the past two years the unemployed electrical engineer had suffered depression and financial problems.
Neighbours said he had a long-running feud with his mother. ‘They had a lot of heavy issues over a lot of things,’ one said. ‘They did not have a good relationship.’
Disaster: Emergency services had to tackle fires at the house in northern Switzerland
Disaster: Emergency services had to tackle fires at the house in northern Switzerland
Media reports said Schmidt's father Otto was a senior pilot with national carrier Swissair, and was rarely at home during his son's childhood.
Konrad was brought up almost single-handed by his mother, and after his parents' marriage crumbled he was left bitter and disillusioned. He blamed Rosemary for the split, while his father moved out and died from cancer shortly afterwards.
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Read later Read later
Email to a friend Email to a friend
