Smit Machchhar, pilot who ‘stopped’ co-pilot from crashing Flydubai flight hails from Gujarat

Ahmedabad: An Indian-origin pilot from Gujarat, Smit Machchhar, is reported to have helped prevent a Flydubai passenger aircraft from crashing after his co-pilot allegedly tried to take control of the plane during a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday.

Machchhar, who is reportedly from a Gujarati Nagar Brahmin family, was the captain of Flydubai Flight FZ1073, which was carrying around 180 passengers and crew when a violent confrontation broke out inside the cockpit. According to reports, the Omani co-pilot allegedly attacked Machchhar and attempted to take control of the Boeing 737. The aircraft later made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, with all passengers reported safe.

Israeli media reports said the co-pilot allegedly tried to force the aircraft into a descent, prompting Machchhar and others to intervene. Flight-tracking data showed the aircraft making a rapid descent from cruising altitude before stabilising and diverting towards Tabuk. The aircraft also transmitted emergency signals, including one indicating possible unlawful interference.

Reports said the confrontation turned violent, with the co-pilot allegedly stabbing the captain. Cabin crew and passengers were subsequently involved in restraining the attacker, according to accounts cited by international media. Both pilots were injured and taken to hospital after the aircraft landed safely in Tabuk.

Flydubai confirmed that Flight FZ1073, operating from Dubai International Airport to Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport, had experienced an incident while en route and was diverted to Tabuk. The airline said the aircraft landed safely and that all passengers were safe and accounted for. It added that its teams were cooperating with the relevant authorities.

Who is Smit Machchhar?

Machchhar is a former SpiceJet pilot who joined Flydubai in June 2022 as a direct-entry captain. According to his professional profile, he has more than 13 years of commercial flying experience and around 9,750 hours of flying experience on Boeing 737 aircraft, including the B737-800 and B737 MAX variants.

Before joining Flydubai, Machchhar spent more than 11 years with SpiceJet, where he served as a senior commander and later as a Line Training Captain. His profile indicates that he logged more than 9,500 flying hours with the airline, including over 6,400 hours as pilot-in-command.

His experience also includes pilot training, flight checks, crew resource management, flight standards and Boeing 737 operations.

What happened on Flight FZ1073?

The aircraft was flying towards Tel Aviv when the cockpit confrontation occurred. Israeli officials said emergency signals were transmitted following a physical altercation between the two pilots. The aircraft then diverted to Tabuk, where it landed safely.

The incident initially raised fears of a hijacking, prompting Israel to scramble fighter jets. Israeli authorities later said the situation was under control, while the investigation shifted towards determining what happened inside the cockpit and why the confrontation occurred.

Some Israeli officials have described the incident as a possible attempted terror attack, while other reports have suggested a possible deliberate crash or suicide attempt. These accounts remain part of an ongoing investigation.

Flydubai has not publicly confirmed the identities or nationalities of the pilots or provided details of the exact sequence of events. DeshGujarat