Alcohol violations, controversial record: Pilot Sumit Kapoor's flying history as probe into plane crash that killed Ajit Pawar widens

Ajit Pawar died in a plane crash on Wednesday

• Pilot in Ajit Pawar crash had prior alcohol violations during pre-flight checks
• DGCA enforced grounding and license suspensions for repeat offences.
• Crash renews scrutiny of aviation safety norms and regulatory oversight

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Fresh revelations emerging from the probe into the plane crash that killed Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar have placed the spotlight on the safety record of the aircraft’s pilot, raising troubling questions about regulatory oversight in civil aviation.

Captain Sumit Kapoor, who was piloting the aircraft at the time of the crash, was a highly experienced aviator with more than 15,000 flying hours to his credit. However, despite his seniority, records indicate that his career was marked by serious breaches of aviation safety protocols, including multiple violations related to alcohol consumption.

According to a report by Times Now Marathi, Captain Kapoor had tested positive for alcohol on two separate occasions during mandatory pre-flight breath analyser checks, a grave offence under India’s zero-tolerance aviation safety rules. Such checks are compulsory before every flight, and even minimal traces of alcohol are considered unacceptable due to the risks involved.

The first incident dates back to March 13, 2010, when Kapoor failed a pre-flight alcohol test ahead of a Delhi–Bengaluru service. Several years later, on April 7, 2017, he again tested positive before a scheduled Delhi–Guwahati flight. The second violation, being a repeat offence, reportedly led to stringent action by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), which treats repeat breaches with increased severity.

Details of such violations had previously been placed on record in Parliament. During a Rajya Sabha session, Union Minister Piyush Goyal had sought information on pilots found under the influence of alcohol and the penalties imposed. Responding for the Civil Aviation Ministry, then minister Vayalar Ravi informed the House that 57 pilots had tested positive during pre-flight checks between 2009 and 2010. He had stated that first-time offenders were grounded for three months without pay, while repeat violations could attract suspension or cancellation of licences for periods extending up to five years.

The crash has also renewed attention on the Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) Section 5, Series F, Part III, which governs alcohol testing norms for aviation personnel. Under the latest amendment to the rules, implemented in July 2024, both pilots and cabin crew are required to undergo alcohol testing before and after flights, with the entire procedure mandatorily video-recorded to ensure compliance and transparency.

As investigators continue to examine the chain of events leading up to the crash, the disclosures have triggered wider concerns over monitoring mechanisms, enforcement of safety norms, and whether past warning signs were sufficiently weighed before allowing pilots to operate flights.