'Like a vertical roller coaster': Aviation expert explains flydubai flight's 16,000-foot plunge and potential risk to flyers

A major aviation mishap was averted on September 30 when Captain Smit Machchhar and a few courageous passengers of flydubai's flight FZ1073 overpowered the co-pilot who allegedly tried crashing the plane.

Screengrab showing passengers inside the rerouted flydubai flight FZ 1073, ahead of its departure to Tel Aviv from Saudi Arabia's Tabuk airport. (AFP)Between the co-pilot attacking Machchhar and few passengers restraining him, the flight reportedly plunged 16,000 feet in about 30 seconds before being levelled out and landing safely.

Had the plane not been brought under control, the fall would have felt like a "vertical roller coaster", an aviation instructor told Reuters.

The steep fall would have put a massive strain on the Boeing 737 ‌MAX 8 aircraft and also the people onboard, Alberto Paduanelli, owner of ALPA Simulation in Sherfield on Loddon, southern England, was quoted as saying.

Chaos erupted on Dubai-Tel Aviv flight when the co-pilot, an Omani national identified as Hammam al-Hammami, attacked the Captain Machchhar with an emergency crash axe. The UAE, where al-Hammami is currently held for questioning, described the incident on Sarurday as a "terrorist attack".

"A plunge of 16,000 feet (4,877 metres) over 30 seconds will feel like you are over on a very, very vertical roller coaster," Paduanelli was quoted as saying.

"The difference is that on the roller coaster, you know what's happening," he said, adding that with a sudden drop "you feel the negative g-force on your body".

For passengers who are not strapped in, "Your body will literally lift from the seat", he said.

Using a simulator to recreate the incident, Paduanelli said the aircraft's autopilot disconnected before the plunge began, causing the jet to accelerate rapidly.

While aircraft are designed and tested to withstand substantial aerodynamic loads, but Paduanelli said a prolonged high-speed dive can place extreme strain on an airframe.

"This was nothing but a miracle that nothing was hurt apart from the captain, unfortunately, and that two pilots were onboard," Paduanelli added.

Captain Machchhar recalled the terrifying moments of the mid-air crisis to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday and said he could feel the aircraft going down even after he collapsed from his injuries.

Seriously wounded and fighting for his life, Machchhar said his years of flying experience told him that the aircraft was in a dangerous descent. He then made “one last push” to reach and open the cockpit door, despite continuing to be hit.

al-Hammami's past is under scanner now as he was reportedly fired from his previous job over his extremist views. His deleted social media handles also pointed at his radical views as he seemed to have extremist opinions on marriage and women in mixed gender workplaces.

The 29-year-old pilot was reportedly born to an Omani father and a Syrian mother, with questions now being focused on his stay in Syria during the civil war years which may have been a factor in his radicalisation.

Sana started her career in 2018 with News18 and later moved to BoomLive. In the meantime, she thought it was a good idea to share what she learnt, hence took up part-time teaching of journalism course at Jamia Millia Islamia, which she says, she thoroughly enjoyed-not sure if the feeling was mutual. For a year, she also tried her hands at communication roles, only to realise she was more comfortable with news. So, joined HT in September 2025. Not much of a talker, always up for chai and sarcasm. And pun always intended. Her tag line is 'I will figure out, but I need to panic first'Read More