Who Is Captain Smit Machchhar? Indian Pilot At Centre Of Flydubai Flight Emergency

Captain Smit Machchhar, an Indian commercial pilot and former SpiceJet commander, was flying Flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv when an incident involving the two pilots unfolded in the cockpit on Wednesday. The Boeing 737 MAX 8 was subsequently diverted to Tabuk in north-western Saudi Arabia, where it made an emergency landing. Machchhar was injured and taken to a hospital in Tabuk. The Indian Embassy in Riyadh later said he was receiving medical treatment and was in stable condition. Flydubai said all passengers and crew were safe and accounted for after the aircraft landed.

Machchhar has spent more than a decade flying Boeing 737 aircraft, including in senior command and pilot-training roles. He joined Flydubai in June 2022 as a direct-entry captain, after spending about 11 years with SpiceJet, where he served as a senior commander and later as a Line Training Captain. His professional profile lists about 9,750 hours of flying experience on Boeing 737 aircraft, including the 737-800 and 737 MAX 8/9.

Details of what happened inside the cockpit have emerged from the airline, Israeli officials, passengers and international news reports. Flydubai has confirmed that an altercation occurred in the flight deck, while the UAE's General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) said the aircraft experienced a security incident that was brought under control before it diverted to Tabuk. The GCAA said its investigators were examining the causes and circumstances of the incident and urged people not to pre-empt their findings.

Who Is Smit Machchhar?

Machchhar joined Flydubai in June 2022 as a direct-entry captain, according to his professional profile. A direct-entry captain joins an airline with previous command experience rather than progressing through its junior-pilot ranks.

Before moving to Flydubai, Machchhar spent around 11 years at SpiceJet, beginning in June 2011. He later became a Line Training Captain in November 2020. His role involved training and checking other pilots, according to reports based on his professional profile.

His profile also lists more than 6,400 hours as pilot-in-command during his time at SpiceJet. The figures come from his professional profile and have not been independently published by Flydubai or an aviation regulator.

His experience included the Boeing 737 MAX, the aircraft type operated on FZ1073. His professional profile also identifies pilot training, mentoring, flight standards and crew resource management among his areas of experience.

The Indian Embassy's update on his condition came after the aircraft landed in Tabuk. The embassy said Machchhar was admitted to a hospital in the city and was receiving necessary medical treatment. A full update on his condition was awaited, but he was reported to be stable. It said Indian officials were in contact with his family and Saudi authorities.

What Happened On Flydubai Flight FZ1073?

FZ1073 was travelling from Dubai International Airport to Ben Gurion International Airport on September 30. The UAE's GCAA said the aircraft experienced a security incident that was brought under control before it diverted to Tabuk, where it made an emergency landing. Crew members were injured and taken to hospital.

Reports from Israeli officials and passengers provided further details. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Machchhar was attacked by the co-pilot, who stabbed him and attempted to take control of the aircraft. Netanyahu said the injured captain managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew members to intervene and overpower the attacker. Those details form part of the Israeli account of the incident and have not been presented by the GCAA as the final reconstruction.

Reuters, citing accounts from passengers and officials, reported that passengers and crew helped subdue the co-pilot. It also reported that other Flydubai pilots travelling as passengers on the aircraft helped bring the aircraft under control before it landed in Tabuk. Flydubai said all passengers and crew were safe and accounted for.

Flight-tracking data gives some indication of how quickly the situation escalated. NDTV, citing Flightradar24, reported that the Boeing 737 dropped about 14,300 feet in 37 seconds, from roughly 34,000 feet to about 15,600 feet. Reuters separately reported a drop of nearly 14,000 feet in around 30 seconds. The data shows the scale of the descent, but does not establish what caused it.

The aircraft also transmitted squawk 7500, the international transponder code for unlawful interference, according to Hindustan Times. The transmission does not by itself explain what happened in the cockpit or establish a motive.

The co-pilot was subsequently taken into Saudi custody for questioning, according to Reuters. The motive for the confrontation has not been established publicly. Israeli officials have described the episode as an attempted attack, while the motive and the full circumstances remain under investigation.

The GCAA has confirmed the security incident, injuries to crew members, the diversion and emergency landing, while the more detailed account of the alleged stabbing and struggle has come from Israeli officials, passengers and media reports. Investigators have yet to publish a final reconstruction.

Questions remain over what triggered the cockpit confrontation, how control of the aircraft was maintained during the struggle and what caused the rapid descent. The GCAA's investigation will determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.