Captain Shambhavi Pathak, one of the two pilots aboard the ill-fated aircraft that crashed near Baramati airport on January 28, was a trained commercial pilot who lost her life alongside Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and others in the tragedy. She was serving as the first officer on the Bombardier Learjet 45 (registration VT-SSK), which came down while attempting to land in the morning, killing all aboard.
Born and educated in India, Pathak held a Commercial Pilot License and had received part of her aviation training in New Zealand, a country known for rigorous flight instruction. She had also completed a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Mumbai before pursuing her pilot career and had served as an Assistant Flight Instructor, helping train other aspiring aviators.
As first officer on the Baramati flight, she flew with Captain Sumit Kapoor, the pilot-in-command, on the chartered jet that was bound for Baramati where Pawar was scheduled for political engagements ahead of the forthcoming Zilla Parishad elections. The aircraft was owned and operated by VSR Ventures Pvt. Ltd., a charter aviation company with a fleet of business jets.
At the time of the crash, visibility and approach conditions were being considered among possible factors under investigation by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, although official findings are yet to be released. Local reports said the plane plunged just short of the runway before slamming into the ground and erupting in flames.
Pathak’s death, along with her commanding officer and the three other passengers, has drawn attention to the human cost of the disaster. Tributes have poured in on social media and from fellow pilots recalling her professionalism and the dedication required to fly challenging regional routes.
The loss of Captain Shambhavi Pathak is part of a broader mourning in Maharashtra after one of the state’s most senior leaders died in the same crash, deepening the shock felt by the aviation community and the public alike.