The Civil Aviation Ministry has confirmed that the Learjet 45 aircraft involved in the tragic crash at Baramati, Maharashtra, on Wednesday, which claimed the lives of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others, had been previously involved in an accident at Mumbai airport in September 2023.
The aircraft, operated by VSR Ventures Private Limited, has a linked history with another plane owned by the company. On 14 September 2023, a different Learjet 45 registered as VT-DBL experienced a landing accident at Mumbai airport amid rain and low visibility. Fortunately, all six passengers on board survived that incident.
VSR Ventures, a non-scheduled operator, owns a fleet of 17 aircraft including seven Learjet 45 units, five Embraer 135BJ planes, four King Air B200s, and one Pilatus PC-12.
The ministry stated that the company’s Air Operator Permit, originally issued in 2014, was renewed in April 2023 and remains valid until 2028. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) conducted a regulatory audit of the operator in February 2025, which found no Level-1 safety deficiencies at that time.
Official records indicate that the flight crew was highly experienced. The pilot-in-command held an Airline Transport Pilot Licence with over 15,000 flight hours. His last medical examination was in November 2025, and proficiency checks were updated as recently as August 2025.
The co-pilot held a Commercial Pilot Licence with 1,500 flight hours and passed his last proficiency check in July 2025. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has already taken charge of investigating the Baramati plane crash.
AAIB Director General G.V.G. Yugandhar is personally overseeing the investigation and has travelled to the accident site. Ajit Pawar had been travelling from Mumbai to Baramati to attend public events related to local body elections. Investigation teams are currently securing the site and recovering the flight data recorder.
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