{
  "id": 11204592,
  "title": "From Flydubai To Germanwings: 5 Times Pilots Or Co-Pilots Tried To Crash Planes",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/from-flydubai-to-germanwings-5-times-pilots-or-co-pilots-tried-to",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-01T13:35:22.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Press Journal",
    "slug": "free-press-journal",
    "url": "https://www.freepressjournal.in/world/from-flydubai-to-germanwings-5-times-pilots-or-co-pilots-tried-to-crash-planes"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Five instances in aviation history have involved pilots or co-pilots attempting to intentionally crash airplanes. These incidents, resulting in the loss of lives, occurred over multiple decades. The first such case occurred in April 1994 with FedEx Flight 705. Off-duty pilot Auburn Calloway boarded the cargo aircraft carrying weapons, intending to crash the plane. After attacking crew members and incapacitating them, he managed to crash the aircraft. This event led to changes in cockpit security procedures.\n\nIn December 1997, SilkAir Flight 185 crashed into a river shortly after takeoff, killing all 104 people on board. The aircraft's flight recorders had been switched off before the crash, and the co-pilot had been locked out of the cockpit. It was later concluded that the captain had intentionally caused the crash, though this finding remains contentious.\n\nEgyptAir Flight 990 crashed into the Atlantic Ocean in October 1999, killing all 217 passengers and crew members. During the flight, relief co-pilot Gamil al-Batouti took control while the captain was away. He disengaged the autopilot and put the aircraft into a steep descent, resulting in a fatal crash. The captain was heard on the cockpit recorder expressing disbelief upon returning to the cockpit.\n\nThe most infamous case occurred on March 24, 2015, with Germanwings Flight 9525. Co-pilot Andreas Lubitz intentionally crashed the aircraft into the French Alps while the captain was locked outside the cockpit. Lubitz had been diagnosed with severe clinical depression. The crash resulted in the death of all 150 people aboard. Following this tragedy, many airlines revised their cockpit security measures, requiring a cabin crew member to enter the cockpit when one of the pilots leaves.",
  "summary": "What began as a routine flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv turned into a frightening mid-air ordeal on Wednesday after Indian pilot Capt. Smit Machchhar was attacked by his Omani co-pilot aboard flydubai Flight FZ1073. More than 170 passengers were on board the aircraft, which narrowly avoided a potentially deadly outcome after Machchhar managed to overpower the co-pilot, who attacked him with a…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}