New Delhi / Mumbai:
Two young women — 29-year-old cabin crew member Pinky Mali and pilot-in-command Captain Shambhavi Pathak — were among the five people killed when a chartered Learjet carrying Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar crashed while attempting to land at Baramati airport on Wednesday morning.
The Learjet 46, flying from Mumbai to Baramati, overshot the runway during its second landing attempt, burst into flames and was completely destroyed. There were no survivors.
Pinky Mali’s Final Conversation With Her Father
Shortly after the crash, Pinky Mali’s last conversation with her father, Shivkumar Mali, emerged, revealing her excitement just hours before the fatal flight.
“Papa, I am flying to Baramati tomorrow with DCM Ajit Pawar. After dropping him, I will go to Nanded and will speak to you once I reach the hotel,” Shivkumar Mali recalled, adding that he had promised to speak to her the next day.
That conversation turned out to be their final exchange.
Who Was Pinky Mali?
Pinky Mali lived with her family in Worli, Mumbai, and was on duty as a cabin crew member for the chartered flight. Originally from Bhainsa village in Jaunpur district of eastern Uttar Pradesh, she completed her schooling and higher education in Thane before entering the aviation industry.
Her father said Pinky had flown with the President of India, several chief ministers and senior political leaders, and this was her fourth flight with Ajit Pawar.
Family members said she spoke to her father and brother earlier that morning, sounding cheerful and excited, even discussing plans to help arrange a meeting with Ajit Pawar after landing. There was no contact from her once the aircraft took off.
Pinky is survived by her parents, brother Karan and sister Preeti. Her death has left both her Mumbai neighbourhood and her native village in deep mourning.
Who Was Captain Shambhavi Pathak?
Captain Shambhavi Pathak, the pilot-in-command of the ill-fated jet, came from a defence background and was the daughter of an Army officer.
She studied at Air Force Bal Bharati School before earning a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautics from the University of Mumbai. She later completed professional flight training at the New Zealand International Commercial Pilot Academy and had fulfilled the theoretical requirements for a Frozen Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL).
Captain Pathak was flying alongside Captain Sumit Kapoor, a veteran pilot with over 16,000 hours of flying experience. Both were operating the Delhi-based VSR Aviation chartered aircraft.
Possible Cause Under Investigation
Company officials said the aircraft was technically fit and maintained as per regulatory norms, suggesting that poor visibility during landing may have contributed to the crash. A detailed investigation is underway to determine the exact cause.