FlyDubai Attacker Used ‘Crash Ax,’ a Common Fixture on Many Jets

The ax required by regulators is intended for emergencies but puts a weapon in reach for attackersDUBAI—A central mystery of this week’s attempted downing of FlyDubai Flight 1073 has been how the co-pilot managed to smuggle a weapon into the plane to carry out his attack. It turns out he didn’t. The weapon he used is a cockpit fixture. United Arab Emirates authorities said Saturday the co-pilot attacked his captain with the plane’s crash ax—a tool that regulators around the world require airplanes to carry.Designed for use as an emergency tool to tear through metal in case of a fire...