flydubai’s Flight FZ1073 was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv with 174 passengers on Wednesday when a fight between the two pilots escalated into a life-threatening emergency. The aircraft plunged about 16,000 feet, dropping from 33,000 feet to 17,000 feet in roughly a minute. As an investigation is underway to determine the sequence of events that led to the incident, the episode has highlighted how developments inside a cockpit can sometimes prove as dangerous as problems outside the aircraft.
As the flydubai incident gains focus, here are four unusual incidents inside flight cockpits that led to safety lapses in recent years. Track flydubai incident LIVE . The incident triggered sharp reactions online, following which SpiceJet took the two pilots off duty. Aviation experts also criticised the incident, saying a sudden movement of the aircraft could cause the liquid to spill over critical electronic systems, potentially affecting flight operations. The co-pilot reportedly tried to open the door from inside but was unsuccessful.
In 2023, a photograph went viral showing a glass of coffee and a gujiya (an Indian sweet) placed on the flight deck console. In another incident, two Jet Airways pilots were grounded after an alleged altercation broke out aboard a London-Mumbai flight in January 2018. The incident took place while the aircraft was flying over Iran-Pakistan airspace and was about 2.45 hours from Mumbai, according to an airline source cited by PTI. Flight AI 403 was travelling from Delhi to Bangalore when the incident occurred, according to a BBC report at the time.
The airline’s spokesperson later issued a clarification, saying, “SpiceJet has a strict policy for consumption of food inside the cockpit, which is adhered to by all flight crew. Appropriate disciplinary action will be taken upon completion of the investigation.”
