Mumbai: A Bombardier Learjet 45 business jet carrying Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar crash-landed at Baramati airport in Pune district on Wednesday, killing all five people on board, according to an occurrence report issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
The aircraft, operated by Delhi-based charter company VSR and registered as VT-SSK, was attempting to land at Baramati when the accident occurred. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said five people were on board the aircraft, including Pawar, a personal security officer, an attendant and two flight crew members, the pilot-in-command and the first officer. Officials said there were no survivors.
Also Read: How Maha deputy CM Ajit Pawar's body was identified after plane crash
According to sources, Pawar had departed Mumbai earlier in the morning to attend a political rally in Baramati.
Aviation authorities also said the jet lost control during the landing attempt near the threshold of the runway at around 8:48 a.m., made hard contact with the runway and immediately caught an inferno.
The flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder are yet to be recovered and analysed to determine the cause.
Local airport staff and emergency responders reached the site shortly after the impact and found the aircraft extensively damaged.
Also Read: Ajit Pawar dead after plane crash-lands in Baramati
Investigators will examine aircraft systems, crew actions, weather conditions and operational factors at the time of approach. The Learjet 45 is a twin-engine light business jet commonly used for corporate and VIP travel and is capable of operating from regional airports.
VSR Aviation operates charter and medical evacuation services from multiple Indian cities. In response to a query sent to the company by ET, Vijay Kumar Singh, owner of the company, said the aircraft was in “top-notch condition."
The DGCA said a detailed investigation will be conducted in accordance with international protocols.
An accident case has been registered and a report will be sought from the DGCA to determine the exact cause of the crash, Maharashtra police sources said.
Meanwhile, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has dispatched its investigation team from Delhi to Pune and onward to Baramati to begin inspection and the formal probe into the crash, sources said. Separately, the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is headed to Baramati, the sources added.
The aircraft, operated by Delhi-based charter company VSR and registered as VT-SSK, was attempting to land at Baramati when the accident occurred. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said five people were on board the aircraft, including Pawar, a personal security officer, an attendant and two flight crew members, the pilot-in-command and the first officer. Officials said there were no survivors.
Also Read: How Maha deputy CM Ajit Pawar's body was identified after plane crash
According to sources, Pawar had departed Mumbai earlier in the morning to attend a political rally in Baramati.
Aviation authorities also said the jet lost control during the landing attempt near the threshold of the runway at around 8:48 a.m., made hard contact with the runway and immediately caught an inferno.
The flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder are yet to be recovered and analysed to determine the cause.
Local airport staff and emergency responders reached the site shortly after the impact and found the aircraft extensively damaged.
Also Read: Ajit Pawar dead after plane crash-lands in Baramati
Investigators will examine aircraft systems, crew actions, weather conditions and operational factors at the time of approach. The Learjet 45 is a twin-engine light business jet commonly used for corporate and VIP travel and is capable of operating from regional airports.
VSR Aviation operates charter and medical evacuation services from multiple Indian cities. In response to a query sent to the company by ET, Vijay Kumar Singh, owner of the company, said the aircraft was in “top-notch condition."
The DGCA said a detailed investigation will be conducted in accordance with international protocols.
An accident case has been registered and a report will be sought from the DGCA to determine the exact cause of the crash, Maharashtra police sources said.
Meanwhile, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has dispatched its investigation team from Delhi to Pune and onward to Baramati to begin inspection and the formal probe into the crash, sources said. Separately, the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is headed to Baramati, the sources added.
