Captain Deepak Sathe who died in Air India Express flight crash was part of IAF's Golden Arrows squad

A topper throughout, Captain Deepak Sathe has achieved almost everything that a pilot aspires.

The 58-year-old Mumbai resident was commandeering the ill-fated Air India Express Dubai-Kozhikode flight when it crash-landed on Friday evening.

Capt Sathe served the Indian Air Force from 1981-2003 reaching the rank of Wing Commander and in 2005 joined the Air India and then Air India Express.

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Capt Sathe has flown MiG-21 and MiG-27 became a flying instructor in IAF Academy and a test pilot with the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. He was commissioned in IAF on June 11, 1981 and retired on June 30, 2003. As a commercial pilot, he initially flew Airbus-301 and then Boeing-737.

Capt Sathe was from 58th course of National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla in Pune. He was from Juliet Squadron. In June 1981, he passed out from Air Force Academy with the Sword of Honour.

He was also part of the flying formations of Operation Vijay during the Kargil conflict in 1999.

Air Vice-Marshal (Retd) Manmohan Bahadur, who is the Additional Director General, Centre for Air Power Studies, tweeted: “This is sad. Wing Co Sathe was a comrade in arms at the IAF’s flight testing establishment with me….RIP Tester.”

Capt Sathe is survived by his wife Sushma, two sons – both IIT Bombay graduates, including elder son Shantanu – who got married on March 8, a fortnight before the national lockdown started and currently is in the USA, while younger son Dhananjay works for a firm in Bengaluru.

Read: Air India Express pilot Deepak Sathe dead after Kozhikode flight crashes

A pall of gloom descended at Nahar Amrit Shakti complex in Chandivli area, where Capt Sathe stayed with his family. “We used to meet during our morning walk, he was a fine gentleman,” a resident said.

“This is another personal loss…knew Wg Cdr Deepak Sathe since 1988 when he did FIS with Girish and later was a test pilot with my brother. Hearts with wife Sushma and two sons...Please keep all families who have lost loved ones/ injured in your prayers,” tweeted Meghna Girish.

Capt Sathe’s cousin Nilesh Sathe said: “He survived an air crash in the early nineties when he was in IAF. He was hospitalised for 6 months for multiple skull injuries and nobody thought that he would fly again. But his strong will power and love for flying made him clear the test again. It was a miracle.”