Who Were Sumit Kapoor and Shambhavi Pathak, the Pilots Killed in the Ajit Pawar Plane Crash?

Ajit Pawar had boarded a chartered Learjet 45 aircraft to reach Baramati for a routine political programme. The aircraft crashed while attempting to land near Baramati Airport, killing Pawar, his personal security officer, two pilots, and a flight attendant.

The aircraft had taken off from Mumbai at around 8 am and lost control while approaching the runway at Baramati.

Pilots Killed in the Crash

The pilots on board were Captain Sumit Kapoor and Captain Shambhavi Pathak, both experienced aviation professionals. Their identities were confirmed by VSR Aviation, the operator of the aircraft.

Captain Shambhavi Pathak, the co-pilot, was the daughter of an Army officer. She completed her schooling at Air Force Bal Bharati School and went on to earn a BSc in Aeronautics, Aviation, and Aerospace Science and Technology from the University of Mumbai. She later received advanced flight training from the New Zealand International Commercial Pilot Academy. She had logged approximately 1,500 hours of flying experience.

Captain Sumit Kapoor, the senior pilot, was responsible for leading the flight during critical phases, including take-off and landing. He had over 16,000 hours of flying experience and had previously worked with airlines such as Sahara, Jetline, and Jet Airways.

‘Aircraft Was Absolutely Fit’

VSR Aviation’s senior official, V K Singh, said both pilots were based in Delhi and had extensive flying experience.

“The aircraft was absolutely fit to the best of our knowledge. There was no technical failure. It was very well maintained,” Singh told the media.

He added, “Primarily, it appears there was poor visibility. The pilot made an approach to the runway, carried out a missed approach, and then made another attempt. If a pilot cannot see the runway, a missed approach is standard procedure.”

“He was very seasoned and highly experienced with this type of aircraft,” Singh said, referring to Captain Kapoor.

Investigation Underway

VSR Aviation officials described the aircraft as “100 per cent safe” and the crew as “fairly experienced.”

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has launched a detailed investigation into the crash, focusing on weather conditions, visibility, flight operations, and technical data.