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Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar was killed in a plane crash on Wednesday morning, January 28, 2026, along with four others on board. The 66-year-old politician was traveling on a private charter flight from Mumbai to Baramati, his home constituency, reportedly to attend public meetings and rallies ahead of local body elections.

The aircraft, a Bombardier Learjet 45 (registration VT-SSK), operated by VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd (a Delhi-based non-scheduled operator), departed from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai at approximately 8:10–8:11 AM after a delay of nearly an hour. The planned 40-minute flight was to Baramati Airport in Pune district.

According to flight tracking data from Flightradar24 and statements from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the aircraft attempted an initial landing around 8:30 AM but failed, possibly due to poor visibility or other factors. It then made a second approach before crashing at approximately 8:45 AM near the Baramati airstrip/runway threshold. The plane veered off the runway, crash-landed, and burst into flames, resulting in the total destruction of the wreckage and the deaths of all five people on board.

Speaking to reporters about the incident, VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd Director Captain VK Singh said, "The operator that crashed had perfect maintenance and no technical snag was reported. It was a fit aircraft."

"As per preliminary information I received, the pilot might have missed the runway. He could not spot the runway which led to the tragic crash," he said.

He elaborated on the possible reasons for a pilot to miss a runway and expressed sorrow over the incident.

"It was the decision of the pilot to make an approach to runway 29 where he carried out a missed approach and after that, he made an attempt to approach runway 11. This is what I have heard. I have no contact with the pilots. It was a very unfortunate incident. We are very sad about it. We have tried to be with the affected families," Captain VK Singh said.

"A pilot carries out a missed approach if he is not comfortable landing on a particular runway. The pilot is very experienced and has more than 16,000 hours of flying experience. He was very seasoned and had worked with reputed aviation companies. The co-pilot also had 1,500 hours of experience," he informed.

Regarding the distance being 6 km from the runway, he said, "I only have information from eye-witnesses. The aircraft was very well-maintained. There was absolutely no problem and no technical failure in the aircraft."

Responding to a reporter's question on an accident that took place in Mumbai involving the same aircraft in 2023, Singh said, "What happened in 2023 in Mumbai was because of rain and low visibility. The plane skidded on the runway."

"The Learjet worldwide is a very dependable aircraft," he added.

He said that the company will talk to media about the incident later and are focused on the next of kin of the deceased.

"The pilot and co-pilot were like my children. Let us handle the bereaved families and DGCA and then we will talk more on it," he said.

The Learjet 45 (specifically a Learjet 45XR variant in some accounts) is a twin-engine, super-light to mid-size business jet manufactured by Bombardier Aerospace, known for its speed, performance on short runways, and use in VIP/charter operations. The aircraft involved was approximately 16 years old (built around 2010) and part of VSR's fleet, which includes over 15 aircraft for charter, air ambulance, and leasing services.

The incident has shocked Maharashtra's political landscape, with tributes from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and others describing Pawar as a dedicated, grassroots leader. Maharashtra has announced three days of state mourning. Pawar, 66, nephew of Sharad Pawar and a seven-time MLA from Baramati, is survived by his wife Sunetra and sons Parth and Jay.