According to an analysis by Osintechnical cited by Israel Hayom correspondent Ariel Kahana, the Boeing 737-800 involved in Wednesday's Flydubai incident plunged approximately 18,400 feet (5 km) in under two minutes, exceeding its maximum operating speed by nearly 100 knots. The aircraft is estimated to have reached speeds exceeding 1,000 km/h during the descent, the analysis states, noting the figures are based on available data and assumptions.
A fresh analysis of the Flydubai Boeing 737-800 that experienced a rapid descent earlier Wednesday provides a more precise picture of the extreme aerodynamic forces involved. According to the aviation site Osintechnical, cited by Israel Hayom’s Ariel Kahana, the aircraft dropped 18,400 feet (approximately 5 km) in under two minutes, exceeding its maximum operating speed by nearly 100 knots and reaching a ground speed estimated at over 1,000 km/h. The figures are derived from flight-tracking data and telemetry but remain unverified by the airline or investigators.
The update follows earlier reporting Wednesday afternoon. At 14:40 Jerusalem time, The Zioneer reported that the plane had plunged 14,000 feet in a single minute after one pilot stabbed the other, and that the aircraft made an emergency landing at Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. A passenger video that emerged at the same time confirmed the landing and stated that fellow passengers had subdued the hijacker. The Osintechnical analysis now suggests a steeper and faster descent than the initial estimate.
In a separate report published at 17:09 Jerusalem, The Zioneer cited Dean Fisher’s account that the cockpit rudder had been severed after a descent rate of 4,000 meters per minute, underscoring the structural strain on the airframe. The pilots—who were coincidentally aboard—managed to land the damaged aircraft safely. There were no fatalities.
The analysis relies on assumptions, and both the airline and official investigators have yet to comment on the new figures. The exact cause of the rapid descent and the sequence of cockpit events remain subject to ongoing inquiry.
4 developments
- DevelopingSaudi, Jordanian fighter jets scrambled alongside IAF during Flydubai emergency, Israeli media reports
- Strong8-year-old on Flydubai flight says she thought plane would crash during rapid descent
- DevelopingN12 publishes cockpit footage from Flydubai flight, shows wounded pilot and passengers' arrest fears
- StrongItalian investigation reveals Flydubai co-pilot attacked captain with emergency axe, shut down both engines over Saudi desert
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