Before Ajit Pawar Plane Crash, EU Regulator Had Acted Against Operator VSR

The European Union's (EU) aviation regulator that certifies non-EU airlines operating in its territories had denied permission to the same Delhi-based private jet company that also flew Maharashtra leader Ajit Pawar from entering EU areas, India's aviation regulator DGCA said in a statement.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) suspended the Third Country Operator (TCO) authorisation for VSR Ventures after the company failed to respond to the EU aviation regulator's queries on an accident on September 14, 2023 involving a Learjet 45 (tail No. VT-DBL), the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said in response to a story first reported by The Times of India.

The Learjet 45 (VT-SSK) that crashed in Maharashtra's Baramati, killing Ajit Pawar and four others, was also the same aircraft model - Learjet 45 - as the one involved in the September 2023 accident.

TCO is a mandatory safety certification issued by the EASA for non-EU airlines operating commercial flights in the European Union and specific European territories.

VSR Ventures received TCO authorisation from the EU agency in 2020.

Following the accident involving VSR Ventures' Learjet 45 VT-DBL in September 2023, the EU agency began an assessment of the Delhi-based company to see whether it was still eligible for TCO authorisation. The EASA in 2024 asked the Indian company to give certain details about the accident.

VSR Ventures, however, never responded to the queries. Eventually, the EU agency suspended the TCO authorisation on December 17, 2024, with the condition that it can be restored if the company responded within 12 months.

After 12 months passed without a response from the Delhi-based company, the EU agency finally revoked the TCO authorisation on December 18, 2025.

The company was given many opportunities to respond, the EASA said.

Some of the details sought by the EU agency from VSR Ventures included accident-related documentation, internal investigation outcomes, safety recommendations, and corrective or interim safety measures taken by the aircraft operator.

"The operator did not grant access to the [EU] agency to the requested documents and information related to its activities. In the absence of safety relevant information and data provided by the operator, the agency could not determine, as part of its monitoring obligations, the operator's continued compliance with the applicable requirements..." the DGCA said.

It clarified that the suspension of TCO authorisation is as per the EASA regulatory process. Before taking action, the EASA cited inability to verify continued compliance by VSR Ventures since the company didn't get back.

Five people - Pawar, his personal security officer, attendant, and two cockpit crew - were killed when a Learjet 45 operated by VSR Ventures crashed during its second attempt to land at Baramati on January 28.