The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has constituted a three-member investigation team to probe the plane crash in Baramati that claimed the lives of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others on January 28.
According to an official statement, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), supported by a separate three-member team from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Mumbai Regional Office, reached the crash site on the day of the incident. The Director General of AAIB also visited the site to supervise the investigation.
“The investigation is progressing expeditiously. Ensuring a thorough, transparent, and time-bound inquiry remains a top priority,” the Ministry said in a post on X.
Black Box Recovered, Analysis Underway
Officials confirmed that the aircraft’s cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR), commonly referred to as the black box, have been recovered. These devices will be analysed to reconstruct the aircraft’s final moments and identify contributing factors.
The investigation has been initiated under Rules 5 and 11 of the AAIB Rules, 2025, and will follow established Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
Key Focus Areas of the Investigation
Investigators are examining several critical aspects, including:
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Visibility conditions at the time of landing
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Pilot decision-making during approach
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Operational limitations of Baramati airfield
Baramati is an uncontrolled airfield where air traffic information services are provided by flying training organisations, rather than the Airports Authority of India. This operational setup is expected to be a key point of assessment.
Second Landing Attempt Under Scrutiny
The Learjet 45, registered as VT-SSK, was operating a Mumbai–Baramati charter flight. It departed Mumbai at 8:10 am and established contact with Baramati airfield at 8:18 am.
During the first approach to Runway 11, the crew reported that the runway was not visible and executed a standard go-around. After repositioning, the aircraft informed the airfield that it would report once the runway was in sight.
At 8:43 am, the aircraft was cleared to land. However, no readback of the clearance was received. Around a minute later, airfield personnel observed flames near the runway threshold, prompting emergency services to respond immediately.
The crash occurred at approximately 8:44 am, killing all five occupants, including two pilots and three passengers.
Data and Records Being Examined
A specialised AAIB team has secured the wreckage and is conducting forensic procedures, including debris mapping and evidence collection.
Investigators have requested:
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Aircraft maintenance and inspection records
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Airframe and engine logbooks
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Crew qualification and certification documents
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Radar data and air traffic communications
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CCTV footage and hotline exchanges
These materials will help reconstruct the sequence of events leading up to the crash.
Operator Denies Technical Malfunction
VSR Ventures Pvt. Ltd., the Delhi-based operator of the aircraft, stated that the jet was airworthy and properly maintained.
“There was no technical fault as per our information. The pilot carried out a missed approach due to visibility and attempted a second landing. This is an extremely unfortunate incident,” said Vijay Kumar Singh, Director and key stakeholder of the company.
He added that the captain had over 16,000 flying hours, while the co-pilot had logged approximately 1,500 hours.
Government Urges Caution
Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said preliminary inputs suggest poor visibility but cautioned against early conclusions.
“The AAIB is the competent authority and will establish the facts through a transparent and accountable investigation,” he said.
The DGCA noted in its preliminary assessment that visibility was reported at around 3,000 metres, with calm wind conditions. The crew had been advised to descend under visual meteorological conditions at their discretion.
