On last test flight in Florida, Delhi girl died in mid-air crash

NEW DELHI: “I’m so excited didi! This is my last flight,” an elated Nisha Sejwal told her sister on Tuesday on a video call from Florida, US. Moments later, the 19-year-old trainee pilot had died in a mid-air collision. Eerily enough, the words she had chosen to describe her last test flight proved tragic for her family in south-west Delhi’s Lado Sarai.
“Nisha cleared the test when she and her instructor were still mid-air and must have been itching to share the news with us,” said a sobbing Sneha Sejwal, the teenager’s cousin.

Inspired by two other cousins, Virender and Priti, both pilots, Nisha had joined the Dean International Flying School in Florida in 2017. With days left for her to complete her training, she was to have been joined by her parents and siblings for a vacation before returning home on Friday. But as Sneha disclosed, the family’s visa application had been rejected and the plan did not work out.

But this hadn’t dampened Nisha’s enthusiasm. “She had already bought gifts for all of us,” said Yogita, another cousin. “She was so happy whenever we had a video chat with her. None of us can believe the calamity that has struck our family.”

Nisha’s father, Chhotu Sejwal, has been inconsolable. “He weeps silently in Nisha’s room with her photo in his hands,” said Sneha. He was always the first to know of any new thing in his daughter’s life, but was the last to learn about her death.

The businessman, who has an Amul dealership, was in Kazakhstan and was unreachable on his phone. When he finally heard the news, he rushed home and has grieved in isolation since.

The Sejwal joint family stays in Lado Sarai, where they have an entire lane with 15 houses to themselves. The first in the row belongs to Chhotu Sejwal. “My father has 15 brothers and we have always lived together. Nisha and we grew up as sisters, never knowing what cousins are,” Sneha said in a choked voice.

With Virender and Priti as role models, Nisha decided to become a pilot when she was in Class VI in DAV Model School. She moved to Amity International School after her Class X.

“She was a goal-oriented girl,” said Divya Bhatia, principal, Amity. “Students are usually not so focused on career at such a young age, but Nisha definitely wanted to become a pilot.”

Mrignayani Rawat, Nisha’s closest friend since childhood, regretted not meeting her often after finishing school. “We planned to meet before she left for Florida, but for some reason, we couldn’t. I wish I had spent some time with her then,” she said mournfully.

According to the news that reached India, Nisha was among four people killed when a Piper PA-34 and a Cessna 712 collided mid-air over Miami-Dade. The family said her uncle has left for Florida and expect the young pilot’s body to reach home by Friday evening or on Saturday morning.