What saved the Flydubai aircraft: Smit Machchhar, fliers’ actions, and a stroke of sheer luck

Pilot Smit Machchhar of Flydubai flight FZ1073, bound for Tel Aviv from Dubai, is being credited with saving the aircraft from disaster after his co-pilot attacked and stabbed him. Captain Machchhar fought back against the assaulting co-pilot, despite sustaining multiple stab wounds, and managed to unlock the sealed cockpit door while raising an alarm.

Following Machchhar's heroic actions, passengers and crew overpowered the attacker, tying his hands with available items like headphone cables. One passenger, Yaniv Hayoun, an amateur pilot who had watched an air crash investigation show, briefly took control of the aircraft while it was descending sharply, potentially saving the plane from a catastrophic crash.

The locked cockpit door proved to be a significant barrier during the incident, as it was designed to prevent unauthorized access into the cockpit to maintain control over the aircraft. However, in this case, the attacker was inside the cockpit, making the locked door a hindrance to intervention from outside.

International emergency transponder codes 7700 and 7500 were transmitted by the aircraft, indicating unlawful interference or hijacking, which helped air traffic controllers and authorities understand the situation onboard. The presence of relief pilot crew on board, scheduled to fly subsequent flights, turned out to be a stroke of luck. These trained pilots were able to take control of the aircraft and divert it safely to Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia, where all passengers and crew were accounted for and safe.