Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, 4 others killed in plane crash

A Learjet 45 (VT-SSK) aircraft, operated by VSR, crash-landed at Baramati airport early today. There were five persons on board, including Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others died when their plane crashed while landing at the Baramati airport (Maharashtra) on Wednesday morning, said the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

 

“A Learjet 45 (VT-SSK) aircraft, operated by VSR Ventures Private Limited, crash landed at Baramati airport early Wednesday. There were five personnel on board, including Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, along with two more personnel (a personal security officer and an attendant) and two crew members (pilot-in-command and first officer),” the regulator said in a statement.

 

VSR is a non-scheduled charter operator based out of Delhi. The regulator clarified that none of the five persons onboard survived the crash.

 

 

Baramati is an “uncontrolled” airfield, meaning it does not have a full-fledged air traffic control (ATC) tower issuing mandatory clearances. Instead, traffic information is relayed by instructors or pilots from local flying training organisations, the DGCA stated.

 

The following information was provided to the DGCA by the individual who was manning the ATC at Baramati airport. 

 

According to this person, the aircraft first established contact at 8:18 am. 

 

The next communication occurred when the aircraft was 30 nautical miles from Baramati, after being released by “Pune Approach Control,” which manages aircraft in that airspace.

 

The crew was advised to descend under “visual Meteorological conditions,” meaning it was expected to maintain visual reference with the ground rather than rely solely on instruments, at its own discretion.

 

The flight crew asked the person manning the Baramati ATC about wind conditions and visibility and was informed that winds were calm and visibility was around 3,000 metres.

 

The aircraft later reported that it was on final approach to Runway 11, which refers to the last phase of landing when an aircraft is aligned with the runway.

 

However, the crew stated that the runway was not in sight and initiated a go-around, a standard safety manoeuvre in which a landing is aborted and the aircraft climbs to attempt another approach. 

 

After the go-around, the flight crew again reported being on final approach for Runway 11. It was asked to report once the runway was visible.

 

Initially, the crew members said the runway was not in sight, but a few seconds later confirmed that they could see it.

 

At 8:43 am, the aircraft was cleared to land on Runway 11, although the crew did not acknowledge or repeat the landing clearance, which is normally required to confirm understanding.

 

At 8:44 am, personnel at the airfield observed flames near the threshold of Runway 11, which is the beginning portion of the runway used for landing.

 

Emergency services immediately rushed to the site. The aircraft wreckage was found on the left side of the runway, adjacent to the threshold of Runway 11.

 

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau has taken over the investigation into the crash. The Director General of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) was proceeding to the accident site, the DGCA said.

It added that further details will be shared as and when they become available.

 

The DGCA said that the aircraft involved in the crash was flown by a pilot-in-command who held an "Airline Transport Pilot Licence," the highest level of pilot certification, and had more than 15,000 hours of flying experience. His last medical examination was conducted on November 19, 2025 and was valid until May 19, 2026. His most recent "instrument rating and pilot proficiency check"  — periodic evaluations that assess a pilot’s ability to fly in poor visibility and handle emergencies  — was completed on August 18, 2025. 

 

According to the DGCA, the co-pilot held a commercial pilot licence and had approximately 1,500 hours of flying experience. His last medical examination was on July 12, 2025, valid until July 24, 2026, and his last instrument rating and proficiency check was conducted on July 22, 2025.

 

The DGCA last conducted a regulatory audit of VSR Ventures in February 2025. No “level-1” findings were issued, meaning no serious safety violations were identified during that audit, the DGCA said. 

 

Earlier, on September 14, 2023, another Learjet 45 operated by the company (with registration number VT-DBL) was involved in an accident during landing at Mumbai airport. That incident is currently under investigation by the AAIB, the DGCA said.

 

VSR Ventures' initial air operator permit — the regulatory approval required to conduct commercial flight operations — was issued on April 21, 2014, and was last renewed on April 3, 2023. The permit is valid until April 20, 2028.

 

The operator has a fleet of 17 aircraft, including seven Learjet 45 aircraft (one of which was involved in this accident), five Embraer 135BJ aircraft, four King Air B200 aircraft, and one Pilatus PC-12 aircraft, the DGCA stated.

 

The Learjet 45 model is a twin-engine midsize business jet developed by Learjet and later produced by Bombardier Aerospace, with the first deliveries in 1998. It is primarily used for corporate, charter, and VIP transport, typically seating eight passengers in a comfortable cabin with lavatory and baggage compartments.

 

In the last three decades, there have been a number of incidents where leading Indian politicians have died in plane or helicopter accidents.

 

Dorjee Khandu, then Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, died on April 30, 2011, when the helicopter carrying him crashed in the West Kameng district while flying from Tawang to Itanagar. 

 

Before that, Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, then Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, was killed on September 2, 2009, after his Bell 430 helicopter crashed in the Nallamala forest during a weather-affected flight. 

 

On March 31, 2005, Om Prakash Jindal, Haryana’s then Power Minister, and Surender Singh, the state’s then Agriculture Minister, died when their helicopter crashed near Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh. 

 

On September 22, 2004, Cyprian Sangma, Meghalaya’s Rural Development Minister, was killed in a helicopter crash near Barapani Lake. On March 3, 2002, G M C Balayogi, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, died after a helicopter crash in Andhra Pradesh. 

 

Going further back, Madhavrao Scindia, a senior Congress leader and former Union minister, was killed on September 30, 2001, when a private aircraft carrying him to Kanpur crashed in bad weather. On May 8, 2001, Dera Natung, Education Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, died in a Pawan Hans helicopter crash in West Kameng district.