What Preliminary Report On Plane Crash That Killed Ajit Pawar Found

Poor visibility below prescribed limits and safety gaps at an uncontrolled airfield have come under sharp focus in the preliminary crash report into the Learjet 45 crash in Maharashtra's Baramati that resulted in the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others.

The preliminary report by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) states that visibility at the time of landing was reported as 3 kilometres, well below the 5-kilometre minimum required for Visual Flight Rules operations. The accident occurred at an uncontrolled airfield that operates only under VFR conditions.

The Learjet 45XR, bearing registration VT-SSK and operated by VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd, crashed while attempting to land on Runway 11 at Baramati at approximately 8:46 am IST on January 28. The aircraft had departed from Mumbai and was operating a non-scheduled VIP charter flight.

All five persons on board-the Pilot-in-Command, the First Officer, a cabin attendant and two passengers-died in the crash. The report records the "Extent of Injuries: Fatal" for all occupants.

What Happened During Landing

According to the report, the aircraft first contacted Baramati tower at 8:19:25 am IST. At 8:27:27 am, the crew informed the tower that they had been released by Pune and were descending from Flight Level 100 to 6,000 feet.

At 8:27:49 am, the tower informed the crew that Runway 11 was in use and that winds were calm. The crew initially requested Runway 29 at 8:27:53 am, which was approved, but at 8:29:57 am they again requested Runway 11, which was cleared.

At 8:31:10 am, the crew asked for current visibility. The tower replied at 8:31:13 am: "Visibility is 3 km as of now."

Despite this, the aircraft continued the approach. At 8:34:25 am, the crew reported they were on final approach course. At 8:36:36 am, the aircraft transmitted that it was "going around" and would join left base. The first landing attempt was discontinued.

Second Approach And Final Moments

The second approach began shortly after 8:40 am. At 8:40:21 am, the crew requested final approach course for Runway 11. At 8:43:55 am, the crew reported, "Field in sight." Four seconds later, at 8:43:59 am, the tower responded, "Winds calm, Runway 11 cleared to land."

At 8:44:13 am, seconds before the crash, the cockpit transmission recorded the words, "Oh S**t… Oh S**t…"

The aircraft crash-landed approximately 50 metres to the left of Runway 11, abeam the threshold. CCTV footage from a nearby village showed the aircraft banking to the right before impacting terrain. The report states the aircraft first struck trees and then hit the ground at a lower elevation than the runway surface. It was engulfed in fire, and the cockpit and cabin were destroyed.

Visibility Below Minimum For VFR

The report makes a significant observation about weather conditions. Baramati airfield does not have a certified meteorological facility. Weather information is passed on using instruments in temporary towers run by flying training organisations, and visibility is assessed using identified visual markers and the Visual Flight Rules (VFR). 

On the day of the accident, the tower reported visibility as 3 kilometres. The report notes that this was "well below the minima required for VFR flight which is 5000 meters (5 Km)."

Satellite imagery suggested the presence of shallow fog patches in and around Baramati around the time of the crash. METAR data from nearby Pune showed visibility dropping to 2,000 metres between 8:10 am and 8:30 am IST.

Safety Gaps At Baramati Airfield

The preliminary findings also highlight infrastructure concerns at Baramati, which is an uncontrolled airfield managed by Maharashtra Airport Development Company Limited since August 2025.

The report states, "The airport is an uncontrolled airfield and does not have any navigational aids other than windsocks."

The airfield has only one runway, oriented 11/29. It does not have navigational aids other than windsocks, and both " windsocks have been installed at the aerodrome, both towards Runway 29 side. No windsock was available towards the Runway 11 side."

The report notes that the runway markings had faded and that loose gravel was present on the runway surface. "The last runway re-carpeting was carried out in March 2016 and thereafter no runway re-carpeting was carried out which resulted into fading of all the runway markings and presence of loose gravels on the runway surface", the report reads. 

On emergency response capability, it states, "Baramati airport does not have an inhouse ARFF (Aircraft Rescue & Fire Fighting) unit."

The report also flags perimeter safety, noting, "There is no boundary wall around the aerodrome. The available fencing is not adequate and does not cover the entire aerodrome."

And describing a terrain feature, it records, "One end of the runway (beginning of RWY 11) is tabletop."

The Crew And Aircraft

The 61-year-old Pilot-in-Command was an Airline Transport Pilot Licence holder with 18,855 hours of total flying experience, including over 2,800 hours on the Learjet 45XR. The 25-year-old First Officer held a Commercial Pilot Licence and had over 2,400 hours of flying experience. Both had prior experience operating into Baramati and other uncontrolled airfields.

Pre-flight breath analyser tests conducted on the morning of January 28 were found to be negative. Post-mortem examinations recorded the cause of death as "Death due to multiple injuries associated with Burn injuries (Unnatural)."

The aircraft had a valid Certificate of Airworthiness and Airworthiness Review Certificate. It was not flying under any Minimum Equipment List restrictions.

Flight Recorders And Probe

Both the Solid-State Flight Data Recorder and the Solid-State Cockpit Voice Recorder were recovered from the tail section of the wreckage. The Flight Data Recorder data has been successfully downloaded. The Cockpit Voice Recorder was thermally damaged, and assistance has been sought from the United States under ICAO Annex 13 provisions to recover the data.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau has said that "the information is preliminary and subject to change," and that the objective of the investigation is prevention of accidents and not to apportion blame.

Interim Safety Recommendations

The AAIB has issued interim safety recommendations to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). It has recommended strict adherence to standard operating procedures for VFR flights to uncontrolled airfields and directed that operations be allowed only when meteorological conditions meet prescribed criteria.

It has also suggested enhancing landing aids and basic MET facilities at such airports and examining the feasibility of licensing these aerodromes for safe and regulated operations.

The investigation is ongoing, with all aspects of the accident to be examined to determine the root cause and contributory factors.

Status Report

The status report of the probe is that the flight data recorder is still being analysed. The cockpit voice recorder data is waiting for international assistance to be retrieved as the device was damaged by high heat. The statements of the operator and the air traffic controller have been recorded; wreckage secured for a detailed check, and airworthiness and operational documents have been seized.