Depression To Losses: When Pilots Deliberately Downed Planes, Killing Hundreds

Over 170 passengers on the flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv escaped by a hair's breadth after Indian pilot Smit Machchhar showed extraordinary courage and managed to fight off his co-pilot who stabbed him and, according to Israeli officials, intended to crash the plane. Machchhar not only transmitted emergency signals from flight FZ 1073 but also managed to unlock the door of the cockpit, allowing passengers to come in and overpower his co-pilot. READ | Hero flydubai Pilot Smit Machchhar Airlifted From Saudi Arabia To Abu DhabiWednesday's incident is not, however, the first time a pilot has deliberately tried to down an aircraft. Several past attempts have succeeded, killing at least 500 people. FedEx Flight 705 (April 4, 1994)Fearing termination from the company, an off-duty pilot, Auburn Calloway, boarded a FedEx cargo plane with weapons like a hammer and a spear hidden on his person and forced his way into the cockpit.