Simulation Reveals How Flydubai Plane Narrowly Escaped Disaster

A special experiment conducted on a Boeing 737 MAX simulator, involving aviation experts and reporter Yonatan Roh, recreated the terrifying moments of a Flydubai flight that nearly ended in catastrophe. The simulation demonstrated how pushing the control column immediately disengaged the autopilot, sending the aircraft into a steep dive from 34,000 feet. The test highlighted the critical moments in the cockpit, revealing how the plane was saved from a freefall before the situation was brought under control.

The simulation also explored the scenario of having non-aviation personnel on board and whether someone without flight experience could land the plane. The findings indicated that while a functioning autopilot allows for remote landing guidance, structural damage from the steep dive and high speed would make a manual landing nearly impossible. In such a situation, survival chances plummet dramatically without trained professionals.

Former El Al captain Alon Peretz, who observed the experiment, described the sequence of events as a rare combination of factors that averted a mass tragedy in the skies. Peretz identified four crucial "miracles" that saved the flight: the captain recovering and opening the door, a woman realizing something was wrong, Israeli passengers bravely fighting back, and a skilled crew capable of flying the plane. The full findings from the black box analysis are expected soon.