Omani pilot used crash axe to stab Captain Smit Machchar during Flydubai flight —what is its purpose? Expert explains

A Flydubai co-pilot allegedly attacked Captain Smit Machchhar with a cockpit crash axe and attempted to take control of flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv. The aircraft later diverted to Saudi Arabia. What is the purpose of crash axe in cockpit? Aviation expert explains.

Flydubai co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami, an Omani national, allegedly “attempted to carry out a terrorist act” during Wednesday’s flight FZ1073 to Israel's Tel Aviv.

He used a crash axe from the cockpit to attack Indian Captain Smit Machchhar, according to the UAE state news agency WAM, citing Attorney General Counsellor Hamad Saif al-Shamsi.

Aviation expert Harsh Vardhan told LiveMint that the cockpit carries several safety items, including a crash axe, portable fire extinguisher, flashlights, life vests and fireproof gloves. He explained that the crash axe can be used when crew members need to access areas behind aircraft panels during a fire or when access to a door becomes difficult because of an electrical-system failure or a jammed door.

Quick answers to key questions

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QUESTIONS

A crash axe is used in the cockpit primarily for emergencies, allowing crew members to access areas behind aircraft panels during a fire or when doors are jammed due to electrical-system failures.

The co-pilot, Hamam al-Hammami, allegedly attempted to carry out a terrorist act, planning the attack before joining Flydubai, intending to take control of the aircraft.

Despite being seriously injured, Captain Machchhar managed to unlock the cockpit door, enabling passengers and off-duty crew to enter and subdue the attacker.

Yes, airlines should enhance security measures for cockpit equipment, such as crash axes, to prevent an individual pilot from accessing them without the knowledge of the other pilot.

The incident raises significant security concerns regarding the screening and monitoring of flight crew behavior, particularly regarding the co-pilot's known radical views prior to the attack.

"In cockpit various safety equipments like Crash Axe, Portable fire extinguisher, Flash Lights, Life vests, Fire proof gloves etc are kept. Usage of these items during emergency varies. Crash Axe is used to open the panel in case of fire in case the electrical system to open door fails or doors are jammed for some reason," Vardhan stated.

What happened to Flight FZ1073?

The incident occurred roughly two-and-a-half hours after the Dubai-Tel Aviv flight departed on September 30. Reuters reported that the aircraft plunged about 16,000 feet in around 30 seconds after the cockpit confrontation. The autopilot disconnected and the Boeing 737 MAX 8 accelerated during the descent before the situation was brought under control.

Machchhar survived the attack and was subsequently treated for his injuries. A reserve pilot on board took control of the aircraft and landed it safely in Saudi Arabia, while the co-pilot was detained and later transferred to UAE custody.

Co-pilot allegedly planned attack before joining flydubai

The flydubai co-pilot who allegedly stabbed his captain in an attempt to take control of the aircraft had told UAE investigators that he had planned the attack before joining the Dubai government-owned airline, according to Reuters citing two Israeli officials familiar with the investigation.

A third source briefed on the UAE probe said the Omani national had allegedly intended to crash last Wednesday’s flight into Ben-Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv. The co-pilot had also flown a Tel Aviv-bound flight earlier this year and allegedly considered hijacking and crashing that aircraft but ultimately abandoned the plan, the source said.

The reason for his decision to drop the earlier plan was not immediately known. However, the source said the co-pilot was believed to have known someone who was travelling on that flight.

The sources spoke anonymously because they were discussing an ongoing investigation. UAE and Israeli authorities had not immediately responded to Reuters' requests for comment, while flydubai also did not immediately comment.

Australia probes co-pilot’s links to country

Australian authorities are examining the flydubai co-pilot’s connections to the country after he allegedly stabbed his captain and attempted to take control of flight FZ1073, a police spokesperson said on Sunday.

The Victorian Joint Counter Terrorism Team, comprising the Australian Federal Police, Victoria Police and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), was "investigating the man's links to Australia," the Australian Federal Police spokesperson said.

About the Author

Garvit Bhirani is a journalist based in Gurugram. He is a Deputy Chief Content Producer at LiveMint, where he covers national and international news stories, focusing on accuracy and compelling storytelling for readers. <br><br> With a total of six years of experience in journalism, he has previously worked with Vaco Binary Semantics for Google, taking on the role of news curation lead, and reported from the field on health, education, and agriculture stories for 101reporters and News9. He has also served as a content editor for entertainment and news media organisations. <br><br> Garvit holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in journalism and mass communication from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University and Gurugram University, respectively. During college days, he joined India’s only non-profit student journalism network, where he anchored daily news updates and produced his own weekly show called ‘Data Fix’. <br><br> He was selected for the YES Foundation Media for Social Change Fellowship in Delhi, the Talking Data to the Fourth Pillar residential workshop, and the VOICE Fellowship in Pune. <br><br> He holds certificates in COVID-19-verification reporting, data journalism, food & agriculture, tech policy, media literacy and countering misinformation, and tackling election disinformation courses from Thomson Foundation, IndiaSpend, The Dialogue, US Mission in India, and AFP. <br><br> He can be reached on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/garvit-bhirani">LinkedIn</a> or on <a href="https://x.com/GarvitBhirani">@garvitbhirani</a> on X

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