The Ministry of Civil Aviation has set up a three-member inquiry panel to investigate the aircraft crash in Baramati that claimed the lives of Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and four others on January 28.
In an official statement, the ministry said a team from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, along with another three-member group from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation’s Mumbai regional office, reached the crash site on the day of the incident. The Director General of the AAIB also visited the location of the Learjet 45 accident to personally oversee the probe.
“The investigation is moving forward swiftly, and the black box of the aircraft has been recovered,” the ministry said in a post on X, underlining that a detailed, transparent and time-bound inquiry remains its highest priority.
Black box secured
Officials confirmed that both the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder, together referred to as the black box, have been retrieved. These will be examined to piece together the final moments of the flight.
Reiterating its commitment to a comprehensive investigation, the ministry said the probe has been launched in line with Rules 5 and 11 of the AAIB Rules, 2025, and will strictly follow established standard operating procedures.
Key focus areas of the probe
Investigators are examining visibility conditions, pilot decision-making and the operational constraints of Baramati, which functions as an uncontrolled airfield. The crash occurred during the aircraft’s second landing attempt.
A specialised AAIB team arrived at the site on Wednesday evening and began forensic work, including securing the wreckage, mapping the debris field and collecting vital evidence. Authorities have sought detailed airframe and engine logbooks, maintenance and inspection records, work orders and onboard documentation from the aircraft’s operator, Delhi-based VSR Ventures Pvt. Ltd. Crew qualification details and certification records have also been obtained from the DGCA.
Investigators are also analysing radar inputs, air traffic communication logs, CCTV footage and hotline records to reconstruct the sequence of events leading up to the crash.
The business jet, registered as VT-SSK, was operating a chartered Mumbai to Baramati flight when it went down at around 8.44 am, killing all five people on board, including two pilots and three passengers, among them Ajit Pawar.
Second landing attempt under review
According to the civil aviation ministry, the aircraft took off from Mumbai at 8.10 am and made 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 carried out a standard go-around. After repositioning, the crew informed the airfield that they would report once the runway came into sight.
At 8.43 am, clearance to land was given, but no readback was received. About a minute later, airfield staff noticed flames near the runway threshold, triggering an emergency response.
Baramati operates as an uncontrolled airfield where air traffic information services are handled by flying training organisations rather than the Airports Authority of India, a factor expected to play a significant role in the investigation.
Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said initial inputs suggested poor visibility but cautioned against premature conclusions. “The AAIB is the competent authority and will determine the facts through a transparent and accountable investigation,” he said.
The DGCA noted in its preliminary assessment that the crew had been advised to descend under visual meteorological conditions at the pilot’s discretion, with visibility reported at around 3,000 metres and calm wind conditions.
Operator rules out technical failure
Vijay Kumar Singh, director and principal stakeholder of VSR Ventures Pvt. Ltd, said the aircraft was well maintained and airworthy. “Based on the information available to us, there was no technical malfunction. The pilot executed a missed approach due to visibility issues and attempted a second landing. This is a deeply unfortunate tragedy,” he said.
Singh added that the captain had logged more than 16,000 flying hours, while the co-pilot had around 1,500 hours of experience, describing both as seasoned professionals.
