New Delhi: The Air Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has taken over the probe into the tragic plane crash at Baramati Airport that claimed the life of Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. The accident occurred on Wednesday morning during the landing of a chartered aircraft, which caught fire after crashing at the airport.
The Learjet-45 aircraft, registered as VT-SSK, was operated by Delhi-based VSR Ventures Private Limited, a non-scheduled operator licensed by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) with a valid Air Operator Permit until April 2028. The company’s fleet includes 17 aircraft such as Learjet-45, Embraer 135BJ, King Air B200, and Pilatus PC-12.
During a DGCA audit in February 2025, no major deficiencies were found. However, an earlier incident involving another Learjet-45 (VT-DBL) operated by the same company in Mumbai in 2023 is still under investigation.
There were five people on board: Ajit Pawar, his personal security officer Vidhip Jadhav, attendant Pinky Mali, pilot-in-command Sumit Kapoor, and co-pilot Shambhavi Pathak. Sadly, all occupants lost their lives. The chief pilot had over 15,000 flight hours with recent valid medical and instrument rating certificates, while the co-pilot had approximately 1,500 flight hours.
Baramati is an uncontrolled airfield where air traffic information is provided by flying training organisation instructors or pilots. After departure from Mumbai, the aircraft contacted Baramati and received permission for visual approach from Pune approach. Weather conditions were calm with visibility around three kilometres.
The crew reported final approach to runway 11 but did not see the runway on the first attempt and went around. On the second attempt, they reported sighting the runway and received landing clearance at 8:43 am but did not read back the clearance. Moments later, air traffic control observed flames near the runway threshold. The aircraft crashed beyond the left side of the runway threshold and caught fire.
The AAIB team has arrived from Delhi to Pune and is proceeding to Baramati for a detailed investigation. The DGCA team is also present at the site. The black boxes, including the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder, along with other evidence, will be examined to determine the cause of the accident.
My name is Bhupendra Singh Chundawat. I am an experienced content writer with several years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including technology, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
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