A simulation has recreated the dramatic descent of a flydubai Boeing 737 MAX 8 after the aircraft’s co-pilot allegedly attacked the captain during a flight on Wednesday, highlighting the extreme forces placed on the aircraft, passengers and crew.
Alberto Paduanelli, owner of a flight simulation company in southern England, said a descent of around 16,000 feet (4,877 metres) in just 30 seconds would have been comparable to a near-vertical roller coaster ride.
The flydubai aircraft was travelling from Dubai to Israel when the co-pilot allegedly attacked the captain with an emergency crash axe. The United Arab Emirates prosecutor general later described the incident as a terrorist attack.
The co-pilot was identified as Omani national Hammam al-Hammami by people familiar with the investigation. Authorities have not publicly confirmed his identity, while the circumstances surrounding the incident remain under investigation.
Paduanelli said passengers who were not wearing seat belts would likely have been lifted from their seats because of the negative G-forces generated during the sudden descent.
Using a simulator, he recreated the incident and said the aircraft’s autopilot appeared to disconnect before the plunge, causing the jet to accelerate rapidly.
The aircraft was eventually brought under control after passengers overpowered the co-pilot. A reserve crew membered by pilots who were onboard then landed the aircraft safely.
US President Donald Trump praised the Boeing 737 MAX for withstanding the forces generated during the incident, saying the aircraft demonstrated significant structural strength and design capability.
Aircraft are engineered and tested to withstand considerable aerodynamic loads, but Paduanelli said a prolonged high-speed descent could place substantial stress on an aircraft’s structure.
He described the fact that the aircraft remained intact as remarkable, noting that the captain was the only person seriously injured in the incident.
Further details have also emerged about al-Hammami’s background. Royal Air Maroc said he completed a three-month training programme with the airline in 2025 but was not selected for employment afterward.
Buckinghamshire New University said he completed a distance-learning course in aviation management but did not receive pilot training there.
Australian authorities are also investigating al-Hammami’s reported links to Australia. A person familiar with the investigation said he had studied at a university in Melbourne.
