A Learjet 45 private aircraft carrying Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar crashed near the Baramati airport on Wednesday morning, killing all five people on board. The Civil Aviation Ministry said the airport is an ‘uncontrolled’ airfield, where flight traffic information is coordinated by pilots from nearby flying schools rather than a full-fledged air traffic control system.
In a detailed statement released Wednesday afternoon, the ministry also flagged a critical procedural lapse, noting that the pilot ‘did not give readback of landing clearance’, meaning there was no confirmation message repeating the landing authorisation — a standard safety protocol followed worldwide.
Sequence of events before the crash
According to the ministry, the aircraft, owned by Delhi-based VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd and registered as VT-SSK, took off from Mumbai at 8.10 am and established contact with Baramati airport at 8.18 am. The Mumbai–Baramati distance is around 256 km, typically requiring less than 45 minutes of flight time.
When the aircraft was about 30 nautical miles (55.6 km) from Baramati, Pune air traffic control allowed the pilots to communicate with the local coordination staff. Captain Shambhavi Pathak was briefed on prevailing weather conditions and was advised to land at her discretion. As is routine, she asked about wind and visibility conditions.
She was informed that visibility was approximately 3,000 metres. Aviation experts told NDTV that this is ‘fairly standard and enough to attempt a landing’. The aircraft then reported being on final approach to Runway 11.
Loss of contact and crash
Moments later, the pilot indicated that the runway was ‘not in sight’ and was instructed to initiate a go-around, a standard operating procedure when a landing attempt is aborted. After manoeuvring, the aircraft again reported being on final approach. When asked, the pilot confirmed that the runway was visible this time, and the aircraft was cleared to land at 8.34 am.
However, the government statement noted that there was no readback of the landing clearance. At 8.43 am, the aircraft ‘went silent’, meaning it stopped transmitting ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast) signals, which continuously relay an aircraft’s real-time position, altitude, speed and identity.
The last recorded signals placed the jet about 20 km from Baramati airport, flying at roughly 237 kmph and just over a kilometre above ground level. Three minutes later, at 8.46:02 am, CCTV footage from a nearby highway captured a massive fireball and a towering plume of smoke.
Emergency responders rushed to the site, where the wreckage was found on the left side of the runway. Visuals from the scene showed flames, thick smoke and the twisted remains of the aircraft as locals and rescue teams attempted to assist.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has taken over the investigation to determine the exact cause of the crash.
Ajit Pawar is survived by his wife Sunetra, a Rajya Sabha MP, and two sons, Parth and Jay. A prominent figure in Maharashtra politics for over three decades, Pawar’s career included the dramatic split of the Nationalist Congress Party in July 2023 and his decision to align with the BJP to form the state government.