- Captain Sumit Kapoor was one of five victims in the plane crash that killed Ajit Pawar in Baramati
- Captain Kapoor substituted for another pilot delayed by traffic, according to his friends
- The Learjet 45 crashed during a second landing attempt amid poor visibility, killing all on board
Captain Sumit Kapoor is among the five victims of the plane crash that killed Ajit Pawar yesterday in Baramati. However, according to his friends, he wasn't even supposed to fly the aircraft. He filled in for another pilot who got stuck in traffic, they said. Kapoor, who had returned from Hong Kong a few days ago, received orders to fly the aircraft with Ajit Pawar to Baramati just a few hours before the tragic incident, said his friends.
He had to fly Pawar from Mumbai to his hometown Baramati for election rallies. Around 8 am, Kapoor took off in a Learjet 45 operated by Delhi-based company VSR Ventures with Pawar and three others on board.
The crash occurred around 8:45 am while attempting a second approach to Baramati Airport. All five on board, including Kapoor, his co-pilot, Captain Shambhavi Pathak, flight attendant Pinky Mali, and Pawar's security guard, Vidip Jadhav, died in the crash.
Sources told NDTV this morning that a preliminary probe into the crash indicated a "possible pilot misjudgement" while landing amid poor visibility. Technical snags are also being investigated, they said.
However, his friends claimed that Kapoor had extensive experience flying and that the possibility of him making a mistake was negligible. The friends of the pilot also demanded a proper investigation into the crash.
Remembering him, his friends described him as a "very kind" person who loved flying more than anything else.
Read: Pilot Shambhavi Pathak Among 5 Dead In Plane Crash That Killed Ajit Pawar
Speaking about Kapoor's family, they pointed out that both his son and son-in-law are pilots. His son and daughter are both married. He also has a businessman brother based in Gurugram.
Sachin Taneja, a friend of Kapoor, said that his body was identified by the bracelet he was wearing on his wrist. Another friend, Naresh Taneja, said no one could believe Kapoor had died when they heard about the crash.
GS Grover, also a friend of the pilot, said that Kapoor had spoken to him at length after returning from Hong Kong and had advised him to take special care of his health.
