Mumbai: Captain Sumit Kapoor, one of the five victims of the tragic Learjet 45 crash in Baramati on Tuesday, had stepped in at the last moment to operate the flight, friends confirmed. According to NDTV report, the veteran pilot was not originally scheduled to fly that day but replaced another pilot who was delayed in traffic.

The aircraft, operated by Delhi-based VSR Ventures, was carrying NCP leader Ajit Pawar, his security personnel, and three crew members from Mumbai to Baramati for election events when it crashed around 8:45 am while attempting a second landing at Baramati Airport. All five on board-Captain Kapoor, co-pilot Captain Shambhavi Pathak, flight attendant Pinky Mali, security guard Vidip Jadhav, and Pawar, died in the accident.

According to his friends, Kapoor had returned from Hong Kong just days before and received instructions to operate the flight only a few hours prior to take-off. “He was highly experienced and loved flying,” said one friend. “The possibility of him making a mistake is negligible.”

The plane took off around 8 am and reportedly faced difficult landing conditions due to poor visibility. Preliminary reports indicate a possible misjudgment during landing, though investigators are also exploring technical causes. Friends and colleagues of Kapoor strongly rejected the notion of pilot error, calling for a thorough and transparent investigation.