Flydubai Jet Plunged 4,000 Meters in 40 Seconds Amid Pilot Struggle

A Flydubai flight, FZ 1073, experienced a terrifying loss of approximately 4,000 meters in altitude within just 40 seconds. The preliminary theory suggests this rapid descent began during a struggle in the cockpit, where the co-pilot from Oman allegedly attempted to seize control. While the aircraft was ultimately pulled out of the dive, the margin for error was critically small, estimated at around 40 seconds before a potential catastrophe.

Alon Pereg, a retired Israeli Air Force fighter pilot and former "El Al" commander, offered his professional assessment of the incident, emphasizing it is a personal analysis based on available information and his experience with this aircraft type. He explained that a forceful movement of the control column can disengage the autopilot on such planes. Therefore, the sharp dive might not have been an intentional act to steer the plane down, but rather an accidental consequence of a physical altercation in the cockpit. If someone inadvertently pushed the control column during a struggle, the aircraft's nose could have dipped, initiating the steep descent.

Pereg highlighted the extreme danger of losing 4,000 meters in 40 seconds, noting the negative G-forces passengers and crew would experience, literally pulling them towards the ceiling. He believes this disorientation may have hindered the assailant and allowed the other pilot to regain control. "If the plane lost half its altitude in 40 seconds, it would have crashed another 40 seconds later," Pereg stated.

The recovery from the dive also presented risks. A too-rapid ascent could create positive G-forces strong enough to damage the aircraft's structure, necessitating a gradual stabilization. Pereg suggested that damage to the tail section could have resulted from either the high speed during the descent or the aggressive maneuver during the recovery.

Regarding how passengers accessed the cockpit, Pereg theorized that Captain Smith Machkhard, despite sustaining stab wounds, managed to open the reinforced cockpit door from the inside after the 9/11 attacks mandated such security measures. This allowed other pilots and passengers onboard to intervene. The flight carried 174 people, including 27 children. Saudi authorities are continuing their investigation into the incident. Pereg attributed the successful outcome to a confluence of factors: the captain's resistance, his ability to open the door, and the presence of other pilots and passengers ready to assist. "For the rescue, a very large number of factors had to coincide simultaneously," he concluded.