Pune, February 22: Central Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Murlidhar Mohol, announced on Sunday that the preliminary report regarding the Learjet 45 plane crash in Baramati will be released by February 28 or earlier. The tragic incident resulted in the deaths of NCP leader Ajit Pawar and four others.
Speaking to reporters at an event, Mohol stated, “The preliminary report will be available before the one-month mark from the accident on January 28, specifically by February 28 or sooner.”
The situation has taken a new turn as Ajit Pawar‘s nephew, NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar, has accused the private company owning the aircraft of violating safety norms.
Speculations surrounding the incident have been rampant. MLA Pawar has held several press conferences, revealing discrepancies related to the aircraft’s ownership and other technical issues. He has also raised concerns about potential foul play.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation stated on Thursday, “Our regulatory bodies are fully committed to transparency, safety oversight, and accountability. We request stakeholders not to speculate and allow the legal investigation and regulatory process to proceed as per established procedures.”
According to ICAO regulations, the preliminary report on the Learjet 45 (VT-SSK) crash in Baramati must be issued within 30 days of the accident. The ministry assured that the final report would be delivered on time.
The statement indicated that the crash investigation by the Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) will be based on technical evidence, including a systematic examination of the wreckage, operational and maintenance records, and laboratory testing of parts if necessary.
The aircraft was equipped with two different flight recorders. The digital flight data recorder (DFDR) made by L3 Communications has been successfully downloaded at the AAIB facility in New Delhi.
However, the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) suffered thermal damage. The statement noted that since it was manufactured by Honeywell, technical assistance has been requested from the state of design/manufacture in accordance with ICAO regulations.
During 2025, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) conducted 51 regulatory audits of non-scheduled operators. Additionally, several monitoring activities were carried out on Messrs VSR Ventures, covering areas such as flight safety systems, flight duty time limits, maintenance compliance (CAR M and CAR 145), documentation, and station facilities. The statement confirmed that all monitoring results were addressed and resolved.
Following the accident, the ministry instructed the DGCA to conduct a special audit of VSR Ventures to review regulatory compliance, operational control systems, maintenance practices, crew training standards, safety management systems, and CVR/FDR monitoring. The audit commenced on February 4, 2026, and is expected to conclude soon. The statement indicated that the results will be reviewed, and actions will be taken according to the DGCA’s enforcement policy and procedure manual.
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