Why Were 4 Pilots Aboard Flydubai Flight FZ1073? How Extra Crew Helped After Smit Machchhar Was Stabbed

Indian pilot Smit Machchhar and the copilot who allegedly stabbed him mid-flight were not the only pilots aboard the flydubai flight to Tel Aviv when chaos erupted on Wednesday.

Two other pilots were travelling on FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv. According to a BBC report, they took control of the aircraft as passengers and crew tried to overpower and restrain the suspected attacker.

Why Were Four Pilots Aboard?

According to a Jerusalem Post report, the two additional pilots were aboard because regional airspace restrictions could have forced the aircraft to take a longer route. Their presence ensured the crew would not exceed permitted duty hours if the flight had to be rerouted, the report said, citing a person familiar with the matter.

“If something happened over Kuwait and they told you to reroute, then you’re putting one hour, two hours extra on the flight,” the person said.

Such a delay could have left the original crew unable to operate the return flight within their permitted hours.

The routine operational precaution became critical when the alleged cockpit attack unfolded, sending the Boeing 737 into a steep descent of about 14,000 feet within 30 seconds and eventually forcing it to divert to Saudi Arabia.

Additional Pilots Took Control After Attack

Israeli officials said the copilot stabbed the captain and allegedly attempted to crash the aircraft before passengers and crew intervened. The flight transmitted the international 7500 code for unlawful interference, initially raising fears of a hijacking, while Israeli fighter jets were scrambled.

An Israeli passenger who helped respond to the incident told the Jerusalem Post that passengers seated near the front rushed towards the cockpit after the attack began and the aircraft started losing altitude.

The passenger then realised that the two additional pilots were seated farther back.

“I had to shake them to get them to move to the front and take control of the plane, because it was diving,” he told the Post.

According to the passenger, one of the additional pilots reached the cockpit and took control of the aircraft, while the second initially appeared to be in shock.

The passenger said Israeli passengers fought the suspected attacker and restrained him, eventually using charging cables to tie him up. An Israeli dentist aboard the flight treated the badly wounded pilot.

Extra Crew Linked To Possible Regional Disruptions

The four-pilot arrangement was linked to the possibility that regional disruptions could force the aircraft to take a longer route.

Since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, flydubai has been among a small number of foreign airlines that continued serving Israel during significant periods when major international carriers suspended flights. Etihad, the other major UAE carrier flying to Israel, also maintained services during parts of the war.

The possibility of sudden rerouting meant airlines had to account for longer flight times and crew-duty limitations. On Wednesday, that planning meant FZ1073 had four pilots aboard, a precaution that became crucial when the cockpit attack began.

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Aircraft Plunged Nearly 14,000 Feet

Flight-tracking data showed the Boeing 737 dropping nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds before the first emergency signal was transmitted.

The aircraft eventually diverted to Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia, where the suspected attacker was detained.

Flydubai confirmed that an altercation had taken place on the flight deck and said crew members travelling aboard the aircraft secured the plane, diverted it and landed safely. The airline cautioned against determining a motive while the incident remains under investigation.

Israeli officials have described the incident as a deliberate terror attack. Defence Minister Israel Katz called it an “attempted jihadist terror attack,” while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said passengers and crew had prevented a major disaster.