DGCA Orders Safety Audit After Fatal Learjet Crash Kills Ajit Pawar

According to DGCA, Consequent to the accident of M/s VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd Learjet 45 aircraft VT-SSK on 28 Jan 2026 at Baramati, DGCA orders a special safety audit of non-scheduled operators in a phased manner, covering larger operators first, commenced from 4 Feb 2026, including M/s VSR Ventures.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation are making rapid progress in probing the fatal crash of a chartered Learjet 45 that killed Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, along with his personal security officer, the pilot, co-pilot, and flight attendant near Baramati Airport.

Last week, Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol confirmed that the black box from the ill-fated aircraft has been successfully recovered and is under analysis.

Speaking to the media, MoS Mohol stated, "The black box has been recovered, and the AAIB team and the DGCA are working on it. I believe the data will be downloaded as soon as possible. Some analysis will be done, an inquiry will be held, and after that, I think the preliminary report will also be released."He highlighted that a detailed inquiry is underway, with the preliminary report expected shortly after completion of initial data analysis and assessments.

He shared that investigation teams comprising three officers each from the AAIB and the DGCA's Mumbai Regional Office arrived at the crash site on the day of the incident, and the Director General of AAIB also visited the site the same day to oversee initial proceedings."The probe is being conducted in accordance with Rules 5 and 11 of the AAIB Rules, 2025, to ensure a comprehensive and expeditious examination of the circumstances leading to the loss of control during the aircraft's attempted landing amid reported poor visibility," Mohol said.

Authorities have stressed that the investigation remains ongoing and that no premature conclusions should be drawn until the analysis is complete. The black box data is expected to provide critical insights into the sequence of events.

Ajit Pawar was killed in a plane crash on January 28 in Maharashtra's Baramati. According to DGCA, five people, including the crew, on board the chartered plane flying from Mumbai, Maharashtra, to Baramati, died after a crash-landing occurred at the runway threshold in Baramati.

The crash has sent shockwaves across Maharashtra's political landscape, with tributes pouring in for Pawar and calls for enhanced aviation safety measures in charter operations.

- ANI