Archive · 4 Oct 2026
Why Two Mystery Pilots Helped Save Flydubai Flight FZ1073
Two pilots were riding on the plane as passengers, but the airline has not said who they are.
A passenger said they were travelling to fly the plane back from Tel Aviv to Dubai.
This kind of work travel is called deadheading or positioning.
During the flight, the co-pilot attacked the captain, and passengers helped restrain him.
One of the extra pilots went into the cockpit and took the controls, and the other joined him.
The plane had dropped very quickly and was damaged.
The pilots sent a Mayday call and looked for a place to land.
Some passengers were worried because they did not know what was happening in the cockpit.
The pilots later announced they would land in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, and the plane landed safely.
Flydubai has not publicly identified the two pilots who were travelling as passengers on flight FZ1073.
Passenger Daniel Schlichter said they were due to fly the aircraft back from Tel Aviv to Dubai.
After passengers subdued the co-pilot, one of the pilots entered the cockpit and took the controls; the second joined him.
The aircraft lost about 16,625 feet in just over 30 seconds, and part of its rudder was torn away.
The pilots made a Mayday call and landed in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia; Schlichter said they announced the landing plan about 45 minutes after entering the cockpit.
- Who
- Two unnamed pilots travelling as passengers on Flydubai flight FZ1073.
- What
- They took control of the aircraft after the co-pilot attacked the captain and helped land it safely.
- When
- September 30; the aircraft landed at 06:45 UTC.
- Where
- The flight was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv and landed in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
- Why
- Passenger Daniel Schlichter said the pilots were travelling to operate the return flight from Tel Aviv to Dubai. A separate report said extra pilots had become routine amid regional tensions and possible delays or rerouting.
- Flight
- Flydubai FZ1073
- Pilots' identities
- Not publicly identified by Flydubai
- Reported assignment
- Daniel Schlichter said they were due to operate the return flight from Tel Aviv to Dubai
- Travel practice
- Deadheading, also called positioning, is travelling as a passenger to reach a work assignment
- Reported altitude loss
- About 16,625 feet in just over 30 seconds, according to Reuters citing Flightradar24 data
- Landing
- Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, at 06:45 UTC
- Passenger concern
- Schlichter said he worried the pilots might divert the plane toward Iran before they announced the landing in Tabuk
