Who were Shambhavi Pathak and Sumit Kapoor, 2 pilots killed in Baramati Learjet crash?

A routine political trip turned tragic on Wednesday morning when a chartered Learjet 45 carrying Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar crashed near Baramati Airport in Pune district, killing all six people on board. Among the deceased were Pawar, aged 66, his personal security officer, two pilots, and other accompanying staff.

The aircraft, operated by Delhi-based charter firm VSR Aviation, had taken off from Mumbai around 8 am and was attempting to land at Baramati when it lost control. Eyewitnesses said the jet crashed close to the airport perimeter, triggering a massive fire followed by multiple explosions. Emergency services rushed to the site, but there were no survivors.

According to initial accounts, the aircraft encountered difficulties during its landing approach. VSR Aviation officials indicated that weather conditions and poor visibility may have been a key factor in the accident. A senior executive of the company, VK Singh, said preliminary information suggested that the pilots attempted a missed approach after failing to establish visual contact with the runway.

“Primarily, it appears there was no 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, he will carry out a missed approach,” Singh told reporters.

Who were Captain Sumit Kapoor and Captain Shambhavi Pathak?

The two pilots killed in the crash were Captain Sumit Kapoor and Captain Shambhavi Pathak, both described as highly experienced aviation professionals. VSR Aviation confirmed their identities and said both were based in Delhi and regularly operated business jets.

Captain Shambhavi Pathak was serving as the Pilot-in-Command on the ill-fated flight. Coming from a defence background, she was the daughter of an Army officer and had completed her schooling at Air Force Bal Bharati School.

She went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautics, Aviation, and Aerospace Science and Technology from the University of Mumbai. She later trained at the New Zealand International Commercial Pilot Academy and had also completed the theoretical requirements for a Frozen Airline Transport Pilot Licence, according to professional records.

Captain Sumit Kapoor, who had also served as Pilot-in-Command on various flights, had logged over 16,000 hours of flying experience. Over the years, he had worked with airlines such as Sahara, Jetline, and Jet Airways, and was considered deeply familiar with the Learjet 45 aircraft type.

“He was very seasoned and very experienced with this type of aircraft,” Singh said, adding that Captain Pathak had around 1,500 hours of flying experience.

‘Aircraft was absolutely fit’

Rejecting speculation about mechanical failure, VSR Aviation maintained that the aircraft was airworthy. “The aircraft was absolutely fit to the best of our knowledge. There was no technical failure. It was very well maintained,” Singh said, describing the jet as “100 percent safe” before departure.

Speaking emotionally about the loss, Singh said the pilots were close to him personally. “Captain Sumit Kapoor was a very dear friend of mine. His son is also a pilot with us. Captain Shambhavi was like my child to me. Both of them were extremely good human beings and extremely good pilots,” he said.

Investigation underway

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has launched a detailed investigation into the crash. Officials said the probe will focus on weather conditions, visibility at the time of landing, flight operations, and technical flight data, including cockpit voice and flight data recorders, if recoverable.

Ajit Pawar was travelling to Baramati to attend political meetings ahead of local body elections. A towering figure in Maharashtra politics, he had served multiple terms as Deputy Chief Minister under different administrations. Following the tragedy, the Maharashtra government announced a period of state mourning, while political leaders across party lines expressed shock and condolences.

Authorities described the crash as one of the most devastating aviation tragedies in Maharashtra in recent years, as investigations continue to determine the exact cause behind the fatal accident.