QantasLink flight 1737 was a domestic route in Australia, flying from Melbourne to Launceston, operated on behalf of Impulse Airlines. On May 29th, 2003, the Boeing 717-200, registration VH-NXN, took off on time at 14.50. There were 47 passengers onboard. The flight crew were Captain Corey Purves and first officer John Morgan, and there were four cabin crew onboard.

Preparations for the flight

The aircraft boarded as planned and pushed back ahead of schedule. The safety demonstration had taken place, and the cabin crew sat in their jump seats for take-off. The passengers had started to settle in, some reading. Ten minutes after take off, the cabin crew had been released from their seats and were preparing in the galley for the meal and drink service. Purser Greg Khan and cabin crew member Denise Hickson were working together in the galley.

The unexpected

David Robinson was a passenger seated in row 7. He intended to hijack the aircraft and crash it into the Walls of Jerusalem National Park in Tasmania. He believed that this would release the devil from his lair and bring Armageddon. As soon as the seatbelt sign went off, he left his seat.

He seemed agitated as he made his way down the aisle toward the forward galley. He had two 15 cm sharp wooden stakes in his jacket pocket. Denise saw him stand up and, at first, thought it was nothing unusual and that he was just heading for the lavatory. She suddenly sensed that something wasn’t quite right.

qantaslink-boeing-717
Photo: Qantas

The attacks

She approached him as he appeared to be heading towards the cockpit door and had not gone into the lavatory. He immediately slashed her across the face with the stakes. She noticed his wide-staring eyes. Greg immediately tackled him and put his head into the man’s chest. The man started to stab Greg in the head and neck with the stakes too.

“ I didn’t have time to feel afraid, I went for him. I wasn’t going to let him get to the girls or the flight deck. I got him on the ground and he was still stabbing my head. I was on top of him and when I got to there, I thought, ‘What am I going to do now?“

- Greg - Purser Flight 1737

What happened next

Greg pushed the man towards the aisle at row 6. He was being continuously stabbed. He did not realize he was hurt or bleeding until afterward and was numb to the pain. The passengers were uneasy; some screamed and many were in shock. It had happened so quickly. There was blood splattered around the cabin.

One crew member at the rear heard the commotion in the cabin. She called the flight deck on the interphone and used the international code for hijack situations. She got a reply. However, the flight crew did not realize what was taking place. They heard screams in the cabin and banging on the door, which they thought was an unsecured cart. They tried to call the cabin crew, but there was no response.

Restraint

Four passengers managed to get on top of the man in order to restrain him. Denise found the plastic tie handcuffs from the stowage. They tied up the man’s wrists and ankles and kept him in a space between two seats. Without the help of the four passengers, Greg feared he would have been killed. Greg was now bleeding profusely from his head, neck and chin. Denise had facial lacerations around her temple and eye area. A passenger described Greg as ‘very brave’ and noticed the amount of blood coming from his wounds.

“ He just came at me and I just sort of decided it wasn’t going to happen. We were well-trained on how to deal with these things and adrenalin and instinct kicked in as well.”

- Greg

The flight crew called for a ‘pan-pan’ to air traffic control, one step lower than a ‘mayday.’ The aircraft was turned back to Melbourne and made an emergency landing at 15.25. Greg needed 16 stitches to his head. Denise was shaken but thanked the crew and the passengers for helping them. Two of the passengers who helped restrain the man were slightly injured.

Arrested

David Robinson was arrested in Melbourne by the Australian Federal Police. He was charged with two accounts of being onboard an aircraft engaged in flight and committing an act of violence against the members of the crew. He was found to also be carrying an aerosol can and a cigarette lighter to use as a flamethrower.

On a previous flight in January of the same year, he had planned to hijack a flight from Melbourne to Hobart. He tried to open the flight deck door, but it was locked. The flight attendant questioned him and told him to return to his seat. The cabin crew watched him closely for the entire flight. After flight 1737, he was found not guilty of hijacking the aircraft and diagnosed with severe paranoid schizophrenia. He was sent for psychiatric treatment.

QantasLink Boeing 717-200 Fuselage
Photo: Qantas

What happened after

Five weeks later, both Greg and Denise were back flying again. They still had physical and some mental scars but were happy to go back to their jobs. Greg and the passengers who helped to restrain the man received ‘Commendations for Brave Conduct’ from the Governor of Victoria. In 2011 Greg received an aviation security award.

Greg and Denise were interviewed for a Qantas training video that is shown during security training. Amazingly, when interviewed, they said that a passenger had complained about the aircraft returning to Melbourne, even though two cabin crew had been attacked and had serious injuries. An attempted hijacking had taken place, and the aircraft was blood-stained. All the passengers onboard were offered an alternative flight and offered counseling.

Lessons learned

Airport security was improved to seek sharp wooden objects, something previously not considered. Qantas ensured that all Boeing 717 flight deck doors were bulletproof and fitted with cameras as were not previously. The option to have sky marshals on every flight was dismissed.

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    Qantas
    IATA/ICAO Code:
    QF/QFA
    Airline Type:
    Full Service Carrier
    Hub(s):
    Brisbane Airport, Melbourne Airport, Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport
    Year Founded:
    1920
    Alliance:
    oneworld
    CEO:
    Alan Joyce
    Country:
    Australia